Air France is set to launch a new direct flight from Paris to Dar es Salaam in June 2023, as the airliner seeks to strengthen its presence in East Africa.

According to an announcement on the carrier's website, they are set to have three weekly flights with effect from June 12.

“Over the course of a century, Dar es Salaam (literally “haven of peace”) has become one of East Africa’s main ports as well as Tanzania’s largest city. As the country’s economic hub, this cosmopolitan city is open to the world and has built a reputation in the arts and gastronomy. It is the main gateway to Tanzania,” Air France wrote in the announcement on why it unveiled new direct route from Paris to Dar

Departures are scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:20 am to arrive at 20:15 in Zanzibar, depart at 21:45 and land at 22:20. Return flights will leave Tanzania’s financial capital at 11:50 pm and land the next day at 7:55 am in Paris.

The opening of Dar es Salaam service will therefore lead to an increase of flights to Zanzibar’s Abeid Amani Karume airport, which gains a third weekly rotation compared to last summer.

Air France will be without competition on this route, although Dar es Salaam is being served from Europe by its sister Royal Dutch Airlines -KLM with daily flight from Amsterdam, continuation of Zanzibar as well. Turkish Airlines also connects the largest city in Tanzania with Europe.

Furthermore, in increasing frequencies on several other routes within the continent, the carrier will add flights to Nairobi in Kenya and Antananarivo in Madagascar.