The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority has banned the operation of flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.
In a statement on Monday, the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority Director General Hamza Johari said that the flights have been banned under Third and Fourth Freedom Traffic Rights with effect from January 22, 2024.
Johari said the decision was reached at after Kenya aeronautical authorities refused Tanzania's request for all-cargo flight operations by Air Tanzania Company Limited.
"Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority, on behalf of the aeronautical authorities of the United Republic of Tanzania, has decided to rescind the approvals for Kenya Airways (KQ) to operate passenger flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam under Third and Forth Freedom Traffic Rights with effect from 22 January 2024," the statement read.
According to Johari, there shall be no passenger flights by KQ between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam from January 22, 2024.
"This is to reciprocate the decision by the aeronautical authorities of the Republic of Kenya to refuse the Tanzanian request for all-cargo flight operations by Air Tanzania Company Limited under Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights between Nairobi and Third countries, contrary to Section 4 of the Memorandum of Understanding on Air Services, between Tanzania and Kenya signed on November 24, 2016, in Nairobi, Kenya."
The decision is set to disrupt major services in both countries.
This is not the first time Tanzania has banned KQ flights in its airports.
In 2020, the southern neighbour banned Kenya Airways from operating in the country after Kenya excluded them from the list of countries that could fly into Kenya.