Tanzania Based Precision Air Flies to Angola, DR Congo

Precision Air Services Limited, a Tanzanian private airline, has extended its international routes to the mining town of Lubumbashi southern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and in Luanda, the capital of Angola.

The airline, which inaugurated the fights on Saturday, has already attained the highest e-ticketing penetration rate in Africa by achieving 95 percent in the month of November 2007, according to the Geneva-based International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Electronic ticketing is a mandatory requirement for IATA member airlines to be implemented by May 31 this year.

Speaking to APA in Dar es Salaam, the Airline’s managing director Alfonse Kioko said 2008 will be a year of growth and expansion, as witnessed by the new flights to Angola and the DRC.

Kioko said the expansion to the new routes comes as the airline awaits its first Boeing 737-300 this month and possibly a second one before the end of year.

“With the new aircraft, we will see our route network expand further and farther, with operations to Luanda in Angola and Lubumbashi on 1 March,” said Kioko, adding that operations to Johannesburg (South Africa) will follow in June this year.

Precision Air currently operates the largest fleet in Tanzania, comprising four ATR 42s, two ATR 72s and a 19-seater LET 410.

The airline currently, flies to 15 destinations, with over 400 departures a week. These include regional destinations of Nairobi and Mombasa in Kenya, Entebbe in Kampala and Pemba in Mozambique.

It is the second largest carrier in East and Central Africa after Kenya Airways.

In 2003, Kenya Airways acquired 49 per cent shareholding in Precision Air. A Tanzanian businessman owns the rest of the shares.

Source African Press Agency

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