GCAA authorises Air Tanzania to begin flights between Dar es Salaam and Accra

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has officially granted Air Tanzania a Validated Foreign Air Operator Certificate (VFAOC), authorizing the East African carrier to commence commercial operations between Dar es Salaam and Accra.

Alongside the operating license, the GCAA also issued an Authorization Certificate for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods, confirming the airline’s compliance with international aviation safety and cargo standards.

The certificates were formally presented to an Air Tanzania delegation on Tuesday, 14 October 2025, at a ceremony held at the GCAA Headquarters, Kotoka International Airport, Accra. The event was presided over by the Acting Director-General of the GCAA, Rev. Stephen Wilfred Arthur.

The Tanzanian delegation was led by His Excellency Selestine Kakele, High Commissioner-Designate of Tanzania to Ghana, who is resident in Abuja, Nigeria.

The Validated Foreign Air Operator Certificate (VFAOC) serves as a regulatory endorsement issued by a host country’s aviation authority to a foreign airline. It certifies that the airline meets the host nation’s aviation safety and operational standards in addition to those of its home regulator.

The Authorisation Certificate for Dangerous Goods Transport further attests to Air Tanzania’s adherence to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) protocols for handling, packaging, and transporting hazardous materials safely by air.

In his address, Rev. Arthur welcomed Air Tanzania’s entry into the Ghanaian aviation market, describing it as a significant step toward realising President John Dramani Mahama’s vision of improving air connectivity within the West and East African subregions.

He further highlighted the government’s broader aviation development agenda, including plans to revive Ghana’s national carrier and transform the Ho Airport into a regional aviation training hub for pilots, cabin crew, and other aviation professionals.

Rev. Arthur added that Air Tanzania’s presence in Ghana reflects the goals of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM)—a flagship initiative under the African Union’s Agenda 2063. SAATM aims to establish a unified airspace for Africa, enhancing liberalisation, trade, tourism, and intra-continental mobility.

Delivering remarks at the ceremony, High Commissioner Selestine Kakele lauded the development as a testament to the enduring friendship between Ghana and Tanzania, rooted in shared independence struggles, economic cooperation, and a mutual commitment to Pan-Africanism.

He noted that the new Dar es Salaam–Accra air route will not only bolster trade and tourism between the two nations but also contribute to broader efforts to deepen regional integration and enhance continental connectivity.