Tanzania President John Magufuli met with a senior official of Boeing, an American aircraft manufacturing company.
According to the Citizen, Dr. Magufuli held talks with Boeing’s Director of Marketing in Africa, Mr. Jim Deboo concerning the East African nation’s intentions of purchasing a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane in efforts to revive Tanzania’s national carrier, Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL).
Tanzania has paid an advance payment of 10 million dollars for the purchase of the Dreamliner according to Tanzania’s Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication. According to the report, international aviation websites have listed the price of the 787-8 Dreamliner at 224.6 million dollars.
The Dreamliner with a capacity of 262 passengers will be delivered in June 2018.
“government plans to purchase four more planes, including three large jetliners, as part of efforts to boost economic growth by making it possible for tourists to fly directly to Tanzania from their countries” Said President Magufuli according to a State House statement
The President further said that the there are less tourists pouring into Tanzania since they have to make several flight connections.
The government of Tanzania intends to buy a Bombardier Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner and Bomambardier CS300 jetliners with a capacity of 137 to 150 passengers expected to be delivered between May and June 2018.
