Tanzania Precision Air Services Successful in Cargo Handling

Precision Air Services Limited (PW), which ended its relationship with Swissport Tanzania Limited in January 2009 and began its own cargo handling services, has handled approximately 900 metric tons of cargo and, according to Elias Moshi, the company’s Director for Ground Handling Services, Precision Air has handled a total of 596 flights since its establishment.

Shortly after ending its relationship with Swissport Tanzania Limited, the company was granted a self-handling license by the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) in May of 2009 for flights operating out of Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) and Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA).

“Since we started our operation in the country over 16 years ago,” said Mr. Moshi, “our company has been growing tremendously to the extent that it was necessary for cost management purposes to handle ground handling services.”

According to Mr. Moshi, Precision Air has significantly lessened the amount of lost baggage claims since taking over the handling services of its flights from approximately 75 percent prior to approximately 95 percent.

“We have been able to demonstrate our ability and capacity to handle aircraft both technically on the ground and also ensuring flights depart safely in compliance with all standards of ground handling of flights,” said the Director.

In spite of the greater overall cost, the Precision Air Ground Handling Company uses electronic equipment in an effort to decrease the carbon dioxide emission within the working environment.

“We have equipment of the latest technology that is environmentally friendly,” said Mr. Moshi, “The only diesel propelled equipment that we have are drum power unit and belt loaders, but all our tractors […] are electrical [and] have zero carbon emission.”

According to the Precision Air Station Manager, Alvin Silao, while the company faces some legal and facilities challenges, another challenge that the company faces is that the amount of counters that are available to serve customers is not equivalent to the number of flights they operate.

“Currently, we have four counters to serve our customers at JNIA and we have 10 aircrafts,” explained Mr. Silao, “Due to this problem we are trying to make free flow for our passengers to check in at the counter according to their destination.”

In order to address this challenge, Mr. Silao said that Precision Air has instituted both an online and a mobile phone check-in process, which is being promoted through the company’s Corporate Communication department in an effort to encourage its customers to use the alternative check-in methods prior to their arrival at the airport.