Air Tanzania to Resume Johannesburg Flights in November

Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) has announced it will resume its Dar es Salaam-Johannesburg flights in November, following the resolution of a longstanding legal dispute.

The airline’s planned service will include five weekly flights, signaling a notable comeback after a five-year hiatus from South African skies.

This move follows a legal conflict stemming from a claim by retired South African farmer Hermanus Steyn, who sought compensation after his land was expropriated by the Tanzanian government decades ago.

Steyn had been awarded $33 million in damages through arbitration, leading to the temporary seizure of ATCL’s Airbus A220-300 in Johannesburg. The High Court of South Africa originally issued the impounding order, but the decision was later overturned due to jurisdictional issues.

ATCL’s renewed access to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport allows it to once again serve southern Africa. While details of the settlement remain confidential, the airline is now free to expand its regional reach, adding to its recent network developments, such as the new direct route from Zanzibar to Dubai.