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15 November 2005 |
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Precision Air to start flights to Musoma |
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Precision Air to start flights to Musoma
Precision Air, Tanzania’s leading airline is set to start flights to the northern port town of Musoma from December 07, this year.
This was announced today in a news conference held at the airline’s head office in Dar es Salaam by the company Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Alfonse Kioko.
The carrier will operate a total of four direct flights to Musoma in a week, two flights starting from Dar es Salaam on Wednesdays and Sundays and two others from Kilimanjaro International Airport on Tuesdays and Saturdays,” Kioko said.
“The four flights will give travelers from Musoma flexibility and convenience of choice in traveling to various local and international destinations reached by Precision Air,” he said.
Precision Air becomes the first carrier to resume scheduled flights to Musoma, a port town heavily endowed with natural attractions in its surrounding including Serengeti National Park and the world’s second largest inland water body - Lake Victoria.
Explaining the choice of Musoma as a new destination, Kioko said the move is driven by a nationwide growing demand for air transport services to support the quick economic growth and development.
”Tanzania has recorded a very impressive economic growth rate of 6.3%, perhaps one of the highest in Africa. As a Tanzanian airline we see it as our role to facilitate this growth by ensuring faster movement of goods and persons to all corners of the country including Musoma in Mara region,” he said.
Owned jointly by Kenya Airways with minority 49 per cent shares and majority 51 per cent shareholding in the hands of a Tanzanian Businessman, Precision Air operates the largest domestic network to Mwanza, Arusha, Lindi, Shinyanga, Tabora, Zanzibar, Kilimajaro, Kigoma, Bukoba, Dar es Salaam and now Musoma.
In June this year, Precision Air became the first carrier to operate non-stop flights to Dubai from Dar es Salaam. The three weekly flights to Dubai are on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays from Dar es Salaam with return trips on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays.
At regional level, the carrier has entered into partnerships with Air Burundi, Kenya Airways and Air Malawi enabling it to operate flights to Mombasa and Nairobi in Kenya and Lilongwe and Blantyre in Malawi.
The airline has a three-year fleet modernisation programme aimed at taking delivery of larger and modern Boeing series aircraft from mid next year. “This will go hand in hand with our planned expansion to other new destinations as well,” the CEO said.
For Inquiries contact:
John Wanyancha
Corporate Communications Manager
Precision Air Services
Tel 022-2860701-10 Cell 0748 - 723236
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15 November 2005 |
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ATR 72 joining fleet soon..... |
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ATR 72 joining fleet soon.....
Precision Air, Tanzania’s leading airline, is set to acquire a new spacious 70-seater aircraft later this month (November) as part of fleet modernization plan.
Addressing a news conference in National Transport Week exhibition held in October in Dar es Salaam, the company Corporate Communications Manager, John Wanyancha said the new plane, is an ATR 72 model from Germany.
The acquisition of the aircraft, according to Wanyancha, will enable Precision Air to increase frequencies on its existing routes to both local and international destinations.
Locally, Precision Air provides the largest network connections to Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga, Tabora, Bukoba, Kigoma, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Mwanza. The carrier also operates daily flights to Nairobi and Mombasa in the neighbouring country.
In June this year, Precision Air became the first carrier to start providing non-stop flights between Dar es Salaam and Dubai after joining forces with Air Malawi in a code-sharing agreement. The deal also enables Precision Air to operate flights to Lilongwe and Blantyre in Malawi.
“The arrival of the new plane next month will go a long way in increasing our frequencies on most these routes as to give our customers more convenience and choice of travel. It will also enhance our capacity to expand to new destinations,” Wanyancha said.
The new plane, he said, will be the second of its type in the Precision Air fleet. The airline also owns four 47-seater ATR 42 and two 19-seater LET 410.
Established in 1993 in Arusha before moving its headquarters to Dar es Salaam early this year , Precision Air is jointly owned by a Tanzanian businessman with majority 51 per cent shares and Kenya Airways with 49 per cent shares.
So what’s ATR 72
The ATR-72 is a stretched development of the popular ATR-42 and was launched in January 1986.
The first of three ATR-72 development aircraft flew for the first time on October 27 1988, followed by the awarding of French and then US certification in late 1989. Entry into service was on October 27 1989 with Kar Air of Finland. Some other early operators are Foshing Airlines, NFD (later Eurowings), CSA, American Eagle, TAT, Air Littoral, LOT, and Olympic Aviation.
Significant differences between the ATR-72 and ATR-42 include a 4.50m (14ft 9in) fuselage stretch and reworked wings. The ATR-72's wings are new outboard of the engine nacelles and with 30% of it made up of composite materials, comprising composite spars and skin panels and a carbon fibre wing box.
Aside from the baseline ATR-72-200, two developments have been offered, the ATR-72-210, and the ATR-72-500 (previously ATR-72-210A). The ATR-72-210 is optimised for operations in hot and high conditions. It has more powerful PW-127 engines for better takeoff performance.
Flightcrew of two. Max seating for 74 passengers at four abreast and 76cm (30in) pitch. More typical seating for between 64 and 70 passengers, with seat pitch starting from 81cm (32in).
With larger forward freight door fitted it can accommodate a payload of 7200kg (15,875lb) in 13 containers.
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2 June 2005 |
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Precision Air now flying direct to Dubai |
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Precision Air now flying direct to Dubai
Precision Air is now operating direct flights between Dar es Salaam and Dubai three times a week effective June 17, this year.
The flights are mounted on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays from Dar es Salaam and with return trips on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays using Air Malawi equipment.
The Precision Air becomes the first airline
to provide direct flights to Dubai from
Dar es Salaam thus.
Direct flights to Dubai, according to Managing
Director and CEO, Alfonse Kioko, reduces
costs and long hours of travel that travelers
from Tanzania endure due to lack of direct
flights on the route.
The use of Air Malawi equipment to Dubai
by Precision Air follows a cooperation agreement
signed in June this year in which the two
airlines will also code-share flights between
Dar es Salaam Lilongwe/Blantyre.
Commenting at the agreement signing ceremony
held in Dar es Salaam, Kioko also said the
cooperation is mooted in the spirit of providing
increased air travel services to complement
Tanzania's impressive economic growth
"We realize that Tanzania has recorded
a very impressive economic growth rate of
6.3%, perhaps one of the highest in East
Africa. We also realize our role to facilitate
this role by ensuring fatser movement of
goods and persons. We believe our direct
flights to Dubai will go along way to facilitate
tjhis economic growth especially given that
Dubai is the shoopers' paradise,","
the CEO said.
He said the cooperation between Air Malawi
and Precision Air is a vital tool to enable
the two airlines deliver high quality services
and to effectively compete against bigger
airlines world over.
The CEO cited the partnership between Precision
Air and Kenya Airways forged in 2003 as
a typical case where the merging has helped
to boost the growth of the Tanzanian carrier
and helped it penetrate the East and Central
African market more easily.
Precision Air, he said, is committed to
enhance and expand its services to new routes
in future adding that this would include
forging more partnerships with other airlines.
The agreement was signed by Air Malawi
CEO, Esther Chioko, who hosted Precision
Air CEO two weeks ago when the two executives
signed the agreement for the first time.
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3 March 2008 |
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First brand new ATR 72-500 Precision Air Services aircraft arrives on March 3rd, 2008 |
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Precision Air Services (PW) today received its first ATR 72-500 in a colourful ceremony held at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA), Terminal II.
The plane was saluted by two fire fighting engines that showered-down when it landed all the way to the final parking. On the ground, the colourful ceremony with traditional dancers and drum beats greeted the crew, who were met by the Guest of Honour, PW Chairman Michael Shirima, MD and CEO Alfonse Kioko and MD of Citibank Omar Hafeez, invited guests and staff.
Guest of honour, who was represented by Deputy Director of Transport Kirenga Ndenimo, congratulated PW saying: “Though this is not the first aircraft received by Precision Air, but is the first brand new, hence making history in the region after Kenya Airways”.
The airline’s CEO and Managing Director, Alfonse Kioko said this is the dream come true, championed by the founder and PW Chairman, Michael Shirima ten years ago.
Michael Shirima said, " I was pleased to take delivery of the first ‘ATR-500 series', thus launching the modernization of our turboprop fleet with the most efficient and advanced aircraft in the region."
He added: "The ATR’s are well adapted to the extreme weather conditions of Africa, and have proved themselves to be extremely reliable throughout our network". He concluded: "The performance of the ‘-500s' in hot and high altitude environments will allow us to optimize our operating costs and thus directly contributing to the expansion of our network".
ATR CEO Stéphane Mayer said in Toulouse during the key hand over ceremony, "With their brand new ATRs, Precision Air Services will now be able to offer the many advantages of the ‘-500 series' to its passengers".
This first delivery follows a deal inked in 2006, for the purchase of 6 new ‘-500s' ATRs. In 2007, PW booked an additional ATR 42-500. The remaining six ATRs are to be delivered end of 2008 through to 2010.
With these seven new ‘-500 series' aircraft (five ATR 72-500s and two ATR 42-500s), Precision Air Services will fly the youngest fleet in Africa.
Today PW fleet consists of four ATR 42-320s and three ATR 72-210s.
Adding to the deal signed in 2006, ATR and Precision Air Services inked an educational programme aimed at training a number of selected Tanzanian students in aeronautical maintenance engineering.
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1 August 2007 |
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Precision interline with Qatar Airlines |
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August 1st, 2007: Precision Air (PW) has implemented successful interline electronic ticket (IET) capability with Qatar Airlines (QR) at end-July, and expects to add Kenya Airways (KQ) and KLM in the next few months. Head of Commercial Department Phil Mwakitawa said “this is our first IET agreement. It is another step and we win,” before adding “well done to e-ticket/revenue management teams.” What it means is that passengers are able to get e-ticketed on QR and on to PW flights as well. Interline e-tickets permit customers to fly and check baggage on PW and other carriers on a single paperless e-ticket itinerary. PW expects all of its travelers will soon be using convenient e-tickets, which reduce loss, theft and paperwork hassles for customers and the airline. “One of our top priorities is to work together with our interline partners to improve passenger convenience when traveling on a multi-carrier itinerary,” said Mwakitawa. PW e-ticket eligibility crosses 90% mark in June to become the third carrier in Africa to cross the line after KQ and South African Airways, according to IATA data. |
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