THE newly purchased Boeing 737-MAX 9 has been put to Dar es Salaam-Dubai direct flights, making four trips a week.

 Ladislaus Matindi, the Air Tanzania Co. Ltd (ATCL) managing director, told journalists yesterday that the plane, delivered five days earlier from the United States, was on its first journey yesterday at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) Terminal III around 2pm.

Noting that the launch of the destination and its frequency was n line with passenger demand, he said the aircraft holds 181 seats per flight, including 16 business class and 165 economy class seats, where arrival in Dubai takes five and a half hours.

The MAX 9 is a state-of-the-art plane considered to be exceptional in terms of convenience. It represents a significant milestone for ATCL, perfectly suited to connect to prominent markets in the near region, provided with enhanced capability and flexibility in operational networking, he said.

“As part of our strategy in expanding the Wings of Kilimanjaro, we are excited to join world giants’ airlines in launching the Dubai route as it was long awaited to deliver better connectivity, expand options to our passengers and provide amazing experience with great comfort during their journey as well as fantastic value for money,” he explained.

"The launch of this new destination to the most populous city in the UAE and a centre for regional and international trade demonstrates our profound commitment to international markets that foster increased business and leisure travel opportunities for our customers,” he further noted.

Tickets are open for booking with the fare starting from $399 return that includes three free pieces of checked baggage allowance to all passengers, seto at 23kg per bag for economy class and 30kg per bag for business class.

 On board passengers will also enjoy special inflight complimentary of entertainments including WiFi, quality catering and service, he said.

ATCL currently operates commercial service with a fleet suited to connect to prominent markets in international destinations, as the fleet includes B787- 8 Dreamliner planes, A220-300, B737- 9 MAX, Q400 and B767-300 Freighter, he added.