Nairobi – The European Union has banned all Tanzanian-registered airlines from flying into its airspace, dealing a serious blow to the country’s aviation ambitions.
In a decision announced Tuesday, the European Commission said the move followed an in-depth safety review that uncovered major lapses in Tanzania’s oversight of its aviation sector. The ban now includes Air Tanzania, the national carrier, and 34 other operators.
The decision, made after a meeting of the EU Air Safety Committee in May, was unanimous.
“The safety of passengers is non-negotiable,” the Commission said in a statement. “This decision is based purely on safety assessments, not politics.”
A costly setback
For Air Tanzania, which has been looking to expand its international footprint, the ban represents a major setback. The airline had recently been eyeing routes to Europe as part of its growth strategy.
The EU’s updated Air Safety List now includes all Tanzanian and Surinamese airlines, citing a pattern of non-compliance with international standards.
The Commission said its inspectors found multiple, recurring problems in Tanzania’s civil aviation system. These included a shortage of trained inspectors, poor enforcement of safety procedures, and failure to ensure aircraft were properly maintained.
Sources familiar with the review said the issues weren’t isolated to specific airlines but pointed to broader weaknesses in the country’s aviation authority.
“Systemic” issues
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which supported the review, noted that Tanzania’s regulatory body failed to address repeated warnings over time.
“These are systemic issues, not technical glitches,” said a European aviation expert who participated in the assessment, speaking on condition of anonymity. “When there’s no accountability, you end up with rules on paper but not in practice.”
The ban places Tanzania on a list with 16 other countries deemed to have unsafe or inadequate aviation oversight. This includes 142 carriers that are now completely barred from EU skies.
Another 27 airlines including several from Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Iraq and Zimbabwe remain listed due to specific concerns about safety compliance.
Path to reinstatement
Tanzanian officials have not yet issued a formal response to the ban. However, the Commission made clear that reinstatement is possible if authorities move swiftly to resolve the shortcomings.
In the past, countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines have been removed from the EU blacklist after making structural improvements to their aviation systems.
“The door isn’t shut,” said the EU Commission. “But passengers deserve to know that every flight entering European airspace meets the highest standards.”
Air Tanzania had not publicly commented on the decision by Thursday morning.
The airline, which recently expanded its fleet with Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A220s, had touted plans to open long-haul routes. The EU ban, however, effectively grounds any such expansion into Europe for now.
For the East African nation, the timing is unfortunate. The government has been investing heavily in infrastructure and tourism sectors that depend on reliable global air links.
Whether this serves as a wake-up call for Tanzanian regulators remains to be seen. But the message from Brussels is clear: air safety isn’t optional.
