Kenya Airways and Air Tanzania have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation, improve connectivity, and expand cargo services across the region.
The partnership is intended to create a more unified and competitive African aviation market by opening up new routes, increasing efficiency, and delivering wider benefits to both airlines and the communities they serve. It focuses on working together rather than competing, with plans to use their combined resources to drive sustainable and cost-efficient growth.
Training and added experience
In addition to cargo operations, the agreement will cover knowledge sharing in areas such as training, engineering, aircraft maintenance and repair, safety standards, and innovation. Kenya Airways—currently the only African airline in the SkyTeam Alliance transports about 70,000 tonnes of cargo annually through its Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport hub, serving 45 destinations worldwide, 37 of which are in Africa. Its fleet numbers 35 aircraft, including four freighters, with the latest being a Boeing 737-800F introduced in April 2024.
Air Tanzania, fully owned by the Tanzanian government, operates 16 aircraft, including a Boeing 767-300F, three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners, and two Boeing 737 Max planes. Its current international network includes destinations such as Dubai, Mumbai, Guangzhou, Johannesburg, Lubumbashi, Kinshasa, Nairobi, Hahaya, Ndola, Lusaka, Harare, Bujumbura, and Entebbe, with plans to add Juba, Lagos, Accra, Muscat, and London. Domestically, it serves 10 airports across Tanzania.
Kenya remains a major global exporter of fresh produce and flowers, while Tanzania’s cargo handling capabilities were enhanced in March 2024 when Swissport Tanzania at Julius Nyerere International Airport received IATA CEIV Fresh certification for perishable goods.
At the signing event in Dar es Salaam Kenya Airways CEO Allan Kilavuka described the agreement as a step towards building stronger regional aviation capacity to support trade, tourism, and economic growth in East Africa. He highlighted that cargo customers would gain from more adaptable and efficient services. Air Tanzania CEO Peter Ulanga said the collaboration represents a key milestone in expanding regional reach and meeting the rising demand for air travel in Africa, ultimately fostering stronger economic and social ties across the continent.