Russia and Tanzania launch direct flights

Russia and Tanzania launch direct flights, restoring the only direct scheduled service linking the two countries. Air Tanzania operated its first scheduled flight on Thursday, landing at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport with 123 passengers, while 144 were booked on the return. The Russian Ministry of Transport said the national carrier will run the Dar es Salaam–Moscow (Vnukovo)–Zanzibar route up to three times per week using Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The Moscow–Zanzibar leg takes about 8.5 hours, and the move became possible after intergovernmental consultations and Rosaviatsiya approval. The route resumes direct connectivity for the first time since April 2021, when services were suspended for Covid-19 reasons. Moscow and Dar es Salaam agreed to restart direct flights in April 2026. Organizers expect Russian tourist arrivals to increase by at least 30%, according to ATOR.