All Tanzanian Airlines Banned
FR

Translated into English.

Original post
SI
Hi,

A pretty serious issue has come up in the past few weeks for traveling to Tanzania.

What’s the deal with airlines in Tanzania? https://www.capital.fr/economie-politique/ce-pays-est-tres-touristique-mais-ses-compagnies-aeriennes-sont-placees-sur-liste-noire-par-l-europe-1515325 https://www.charentelibre.fr/tourisme/la-tanzanie-sur-liste-noire-de-l-europe-des-vols-interieurs-a-haut-risque-pour-100-000-touristes-francais-25002566.php

Basically, all airlines have been blacklisted because they don’t meet European safety standards. They’re banned from flying in Europe but continue operating in Tanzania. The main issue is that travel agencies’ civil liability no longer applies to blacklisted airlines. So we can’t allow clients to fly with these carriers. Of course, there’s huge pressure from European agencies, which are forced to disrupt their plans or even cancel trips because of this. Personally, I’ve got a trip planned for February 2026 to the southern parks in Tanzania, so I’ll be keeping an eye on how this develops. Do any of you have updates? Thanks!

Loïc
ER Erjome Globetrotter ·
Hi,

Here’s the update, hoping that...

Blacklist: confirmed, Tanzania grants traffic rights to Qatar and Ethiopian
SI SimonL Regular ·
Thanks Jérôme for this info, which explains that the issue has been partially and temporarily resolved (?). Still, Tanzanian authorities have a lot on their plate. To be continued
PU Puma2A Veteran ·
On a personal note, I’ve planned a trip for February 2026 to the southern parks in Tanzania, so I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on how this situation develops...

Hello,

While waiting for a positive response from the Tanzanian authorities (implementation of a monitoring system/procedure to enforce international aviation regulations, likely outsourced to a Western or European country), the alternative is overland transfers. The southern Tanzanian reserves like Mikumi, Ruaha, and Selous are fully accessible by car, though it can take a full day to reach Ruaha, for example.

The impact of being blacklisted is so massive for the economy (and jobs) that the Tanzanian government will *have* to "step up"... On the other hand, it’s easy to imagine that prices for all services will skyrocket...!!

Best regards.





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PU Puma2A Veteran ·
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Note on road accessibility to the Ruaha, Selous, and Mikumi reserves. It's from Dar es Salaam, of course.

For one- or two-day safaris from Zanzibar... everything will come to a halt!

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RO Rotsaka Globetrotter ·
Hi there, Everything’s going to come to a halt for travelers on organized trips through agencies. For everyone else—those taking day trips in Zanzibar with local agencies—I don’t think much will change.

In theory, it might not be a bad thing if it eases tourist pressure, because day safaris from Zanzibar (or elsewhere) are a real mess.

Basically, if you stick to safaris in the north, I don’t think this ban will make much difference. The real hassle is for those doing combo safari/Zanzibar trips, as it blocks local companies for travelers booked with European agencies. It’s also tricky for anyone who used to fly Tanzania Airlines or Precision Air from Dar to Zanzibar after an international flight—but agencies can offer ferries as an alternative or direct flights from Europe to Zanzibar.

All in all, the impact seems less significant than it might initially appear.

I’ve no doubt Tanzania will quickly sort this out, though it’s just another problematic factor that could affect the growth of its tourism.
SI SimonL Regular ·
Hi,

Some news shared by the travel agency arranging our 2026 trip: "First off, you should know that the EU has blacklisted Tanzanian civil aviation, which means all airlines—whether they're safe or not, insured or not—are lumped together. The airlines we work with all have international insurance, well-maintained fleets, and well-trained pilots. Regardless, due to the EU blacklist, they're in the crosshairs. It seems that in France (but not Belgium!), this creates issues for selling tickets. One option our agents are using is having clients pay us directly for flight tickets. I think this issue should be resolved in the coming weeks anyway, since it’s really affecting the entire tourism industry (even hot-air balloon safaris are blacklisted 😅!). So, there’s pressure at all levels to fix this as soon as possible..." To be continued. Have a great Sunday!

Loïc
BU BubuObe Regular ·
Hi everyone,

Some Tanzanian airlines are on a blacklist because they don’t meet safety standards, which limits the liability of travel agencies. That’s all well and good, but do you think the state of buses and cars in Tanzania would pass a technical inspection in Europe? Does this worry travel agencies? I agree that a plane crash is generally more serious than a bus crash—though after seeing how many passengers are packed into Tanzanian buses (all seats taken and lots of people standing) compared to the limited number of passengers on the small planes I’ve seen there (around twenty people, sometimes fewer), I’m not so sure. I saw a crashed bus in Tanzania but don’t remember how many passengers lost their lives—at least a few, though.
RO Rotsaka Globetrotter ·
Good evening, I think travel agencies and insurers are just doing what European regulations force them to do: if airlines are on the blacklist, the travel agency’s insurance can no longer cover them, so if there’s no insurance, the agency can’t offer flights with those airlines. It’s not their choice.
PU Puma2A Veteran ·
Some Tanzanian airlines' planes are on a blacklist

Not "Some", but "ALL" airlines, including Air Tanzania with its medium and long-haul flights, not to mention regional routes to neighboring countries....

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For example, at Air Tanzania: modern and recent aircraft... D.H. Dash8, Boeing 737Max, Boeing 787... in Dar es Salaam in June 2024.







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PU Puma2A Veteran ·
Hi everyone,

According to reliable info I got this morning from my favorite local tour operator, it’s not the Tanzanian airlines that are targeted by the European Union’s blacklist... But the Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority (T.C.A.A.) that isn’t doing the necessary oversight work. That’s what I personally suspected...!!

So, a number of airlines are still operating their flights. Some insurers are even willing to cover the risk.

On the other hand, another bit of bad/good news: The mandatory insurance required for all travelers arriving in Zanzibar was also supposed to be imposed in mainland Tanzania, but its enforcement has been pushed back to early 2026....

Cheers, Safe travels!



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SE Sebastoudu31 Regular ·
hi Do you have the list of airlines? THANKS
EN Envallis Globetrotter ·
Precision Air... I took it in 2022, and there was probably less than 15 minutes between landing and taking off again—I didn’t find that very "standard"... And a plane from the airline crashed a few months later... 😕

TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hi,

For an ATR, if there’s no refueling and it’s a small airport with practically no taxiing, 15 minutes doesn’t shock me that much.

Michel
PU Puma2A Veteran ·
Precision Air... I took it in 2022, and there was barely 15 minutes between landing and taking off again—I didn’t find that very "standard"... And a plane from the airline crashed a few months later... 😕

Hello,

Regarding plane crashes, you should look up and carefully read the conclusions of the investigation committee on the accident mentioned, and above all, avoid jumping to conclusions yourself.

For the 15 minutes between touchdown and takeoff, here’s a possible scenario: The plane flies from A to C with a short stopover in B to pick up more passengers. I don’t see anything unusual about a 15-minute stopover, especially if one of the two flights—A-B or B-C—is short...

But also, never forget a basic principle an African friend taught me: Africa is Unpredictable!!

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PU Puma2A Veteran ·
Personally, I’ve got a trip planned for February 2026 to the southern parks in Tanzania, so I’ll be keeping an eye on how this situation develops.

Hi Loïc,

Did you eventually manage to finalize your plans for your trip to southern Tanzania, to Ruaha and Selous? In particular, did you find a solution for local air transport?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Best, Puma2A
SI SimonL Regular ·
Hi Alain,

I just came across your question. Sorry for the late reply. Our trip to Tanzania is planned for February 2026. The agency Objectif Nature, which is handling the organization of this trip, let me know today that the issue with Tanzanian airlines still isn’t resolved. As a result, no European travel agency can cover flights with a carrier from that country. Their insurance wouldn’t cover them in case of any problems. The solution being considered (unless things change by February 2026) is to buy our domestic flight tickets in Tanzania directly from a local ground operator. To be continued. No need to worry—there’s *almost* always a solution in Africa.

Loïc
DO Domi77 ·
Hi there, I’m finalizing a trip in early February, and I’ve been offered a flight between Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar with Ethiopian Airlines on a B737. Departure at 2:10 AM, arrival at 3:30 AM.
SI SimonL Regular ·
Hi Dominique,

Ethiopian Airlines, as the name suggests, isn’t a Tanzanian airline, so no issue in my opinion. Have a great upcoming trip! Loïc
PU Puma2A Veteran ·
Hi, Ethiopian Airlines is the largest African airline. It has captured the Arusha-Zanzibar route segment, which sees a lot of passengers. It was already partially serving this segment since some of its flights arriving in Zanzibar or Arusha continued on to Arusha or Zanzibar. There’s no issue with this airline—it’s a profitable route, after all.

The main problem is that the Tanzanian Ministry of Transport isn’t properly monitoring or overseeing the local fleet. That’s the root of the issue and the reason behind the ban on Tanzanian airlines, most of which are actually reliable.

The most affected flights are those operated by numerous airlines using Cessna Caravans or Embraer Brasilias, serving bush airstrips in reserves or low-frequency, low-capacity cross-country routes.

That’s why the solution suggested to Simon was to book his own tickets for his flights (and fly without insurance coverage).

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