Dec 6, 2016: Air Tanzania is set to add a maiden B787-8 to its fleet in 2017. The decision was reportedly announced by Tanzania's President John Magufuli after he met Jim Deboo, Boeing's Director of Marketing, Africa, this week.
Magufuli said his government has already made an initial payment for the aircraft, which is expected to be delivered on June 18, 2017.
As with the Tanzanian government's other purchases, the aircraft will be acquired by the TGF - Tanzanian Government Flight (Dar-es-Salaam) company which will, in turn, lease it to Air Tanzania.
The president said last month that he expects Air Tanzania to use its renewed fleet to begin longhaul flights to the United States, China, and Russia.