Air Tanzania, Tanzania's national airline, became the first foreign airline to cancel its flights to Moscow. This decision was made for safety reasons following warnings from Ukraine and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) about the potential risks of flying over Russia.
As of September 4, Air Tanzania has suspended direct flights between Dar es Salaam and Moscow. This move followed a negative assessment of security risks, particularly an incident in which Flight TC422 was unable to land at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport due to temporary restrictions.
The airline confirmed that passenger safety is a priority, which is why it conducts regular route assessments. Customers whose flights have been canceled will be able to receive a full refund or change their travel dates free of charge.
As a reminder, Air Tanzania launched direct flights between Tanzania and Russia on July 2, 2026, but these flights have already been suspended. Prior to this, no airline had operated regular flights between the two countries since 2021.
Air Tanzania’s decision is due to the worsening situation regarding flight safety in Russian airspace. Previously, other airlines, including Israel’s El Al and Air India, had also adjusted their routes.
