The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority has banned flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam starting January 22, 2024.

This is after Kenya’s aeronautical authorities declined all-cargo flight operations by Air Tanzania Company Limited.

According to a statement by the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority Director General Hamza Johari the he clarified that the ban applies to passenger flights operated by Kenya Airways (KQ) under Third and Fourth Freedom Traffic Rights.

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and his Tanzanian counterpart January Makamba say they are working to resolve the matter within three days.

“We have jointly agreed that our respective Civil Aviation Authorities will work together to have the matter resolved amicably within the next three days,” Mudavadi said Monday after a telephone conversation with his counterpart who equally tweeted saying there should be no cause for alarm.

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According to Johari, this action was taken in retaliation for Kenya's denial of Air Tanzania Company Limited's request for all-cargo flight operations under Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights.

 This denial was deemed to violate Section 4 of the Memorandum of Understanding on Air Services, which Tanzania and Kenya signed in Nairobi on November 24, 2016.

Due to this decision, KQ will no longer operate passenger flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam starting January 22, 2024.

The ban is expected to have significant repercussions in both countries and it is not the first time Tanzania is imposing such a ban.