Kenyan airlines Safarilink, AirKenya and Bluebird Aviation are preparing to launch flights between Nairobi and Arusha following the completion of major works at Arusha Airport, a move expected to boost travel to the northern Tanzanian city that hosts key regional institutions.
The airlines have applied to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to amend their licences to allow them to operate the new route, targeting both scheduled and charter services from Nairobi’s airports.
The planned services come after Arusha Airport underwent an extensive upgrade that was completed in June, with Tanzanian authorities now taking steps to designate it as an international entry and exit point.
Customs and immigration facilities are being installed, which will allow direct international flights and reduce reliance on alternative airports.
Improved air access is expected to ease travel to Arusha, which hosts the headquarters of the East African Community and institutions such as the East African Legislative Assembly and the East African Court of Justice.
At present, Kenyan travellers going to the city must either use road transport or fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport, which is about 53 kilometres away. This option adds a minimum transfer cost of $50 (Sh6,400), increasing the overall cost of travel.
The airport upgrade, valued at Sh571 million (Tsh11 billion), began in 2020 and has expanded the facility’s capacity to handle larger aircraft and more passengers. The runway was extended to 1,860 metres from 1,640 metres, while passenger handling capacity increased to about 1,000 people at a time from roughly 150 before the works.
AirKenya and Safarilink have told the regulator that they plan to operate the Arusha flights from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport. Bluebird Aviation, which mainly focuses on charter services, intends to serve the route from both Wilson Airport and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
AirKenya, which currently flies to 19 destinations within Kenya including Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Lewa and Loisaba Conservancies, Meru, Nanyuki, Samburu, Tsavo and Ol Pejeta, has indicated that it plans to start scheduled flights to Arusha from January 1.
Safarilink operates flights to 17 destinations across Kenya, including Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo, Nanyuki, Samburu, Lamu, Diani, Kisumu, Kitale, Lodwar, Migori and Malindi. Within the region, the airline has already launched flights to Kilimanjaro and Entebbe as part of a wider regional expansion drive.
The carrier has in recent weeks intensified competition with established airlines such as Kenya Airways and Jambojet by adding new regional routes. It is also seeking approval to operate flights to Dar-es-Salaam, Mwanza, Musoma and the Serengeti through Arusha.
Avedi said the expansion is aimed at tapping demand from popular tourism destinations, adding that the airline plans to increase its fleet in order to serve the additional routes.
