Precision Air#Destinations

Precision Air was incorporated in Tanzania in January 1991 as a private airline and started operations in 1993. At first, it operated as a private charter air transport company but in November 1993 changed to offer scheduled services to serve the growing tourist market.{{cite web | url=https://www.precisionairtz.com/index.php?id=10 | title=Precision Air History | publisher=Precision Air | access-date=11 June 2013}}

In 2006, Precision Air became the first Tanzanian airline to pass the IATA Operational Safety Audit.{{cite web | url=https://www.apg-usa.us/precision-air | title=Precision Air – Apg | access-date=11 June 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130719061901/http://www.apg-usa.us/precision-air/ | archive-date=19 July 2013 | url-status=dead }}

In April 2011, the airline became a public company.

Precision Air was privately owned until 2003, when Kenya Airways acquired a 49 percent stake, paying US$2 million, weeks after its rival South African Airways acquired a 49 percent stake in Air Tanzania for US$20 million. The remaining 51 percent was retained by Michael Shirima, the founder of the airline.{{cite news | title=Directory: World Airlines | work=Flight International | page=65 | date=10 April 2007}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.airlinecrew.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?166432-Kenya-Airways-to-buy-49-stake-in-Precision-Air&s=65239916f267e7badc95da56df5480df | title=Kenya Airways to buy 49% stake in Precision Air | website=AirlineCrew.net | access-date=4 September 2017 | language=en}}

In October 2011, Precision Air floated shares in its stock in an initial public offering on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, after which Shirima's and Kenya Airways's stakes declined and the new share subscribers owned 15.86 percent.{{cite news | url=https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Precision+Air+gets+Sh510+million+IFC+boost+/-/539552/1427660/-/item/0/-/144vf5sz/-/index.html | title=Precision Air gets Sh510 million IFC boost | work=Business Daily | access-date=4 September 2017 | language=en-UK}} As of 31 March 2016, the major shareholders were:{{cite web | title=Precision Air Services P.L.C. Annual Report and Financial Statements 2015/2016 | date=18 August 2016 | url=https://www.precisionairtz.com/images/documents/Precision-Air-Annual-Report-2015-16.pdf | access-date=6 June 2017}}{{rp|7}}

Because it was a private company until 2011, published figures were not generally available before the initial public offering prospectus{{cite web | title=Prospectus | date=12 September 2011 | url=https://precisionairtz.com/assets/files/Investor%20Relations/PRECISION%20AIR%20PROSPECTUS%2014%20September%202011.pdf | access-date=28 September 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122122828/http://precisionairtz.com/assets/files/Investor%20Relations/PRECISION%20AIR%20PROSPECTUS%2014%20September%202011.pdf | archive-date=22 January 2013 | url-status=dead }} of 12 September 2011. Since then, full Annual Reports and Accounts have been published. ({{as of|2021|December}}, however, those for 2019 and 2020 are still awaited.){{Cn|date=June 2024}}

Available trends over recent years for the Precision Air group (Precision Air Services Plc and its subsidiaries Precision Handling Limited and Precise Systems Limited) (as at year ending 31 March) are:

Published reports in June 2013 indicated that Precision Air had encountered substantial financial difficulties, stemming in part from losses incurred while operating flights to and from Johannesburg, South Africa.{{cite news | url=https://www.eturbonews.com/35381/precision-air-s-financial-troubles-go-public-domain|title=Precision Air's financial troubles go into public domain | last=Thome | first=Wolfgang H. Thome | date=11 June 2013 | work=eTurboNews | access-date=4 September 2017 | language=en-US}} Those flights ended in September 2012.{{cite web | url=https://airlineroute.net/2012/08/27/pw-jnb-sep12cxld | title=Airlineroute :: Routesonline | date=2017 | publisher=UBM (UK) Ltd. | website=airlineroute.net | language=en-GB | access-date=4 September 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093742/http://airlineroute.net/2012/08/27/pw-jnb-sep12cxld/ | archive-date=4 March 2016 | url-status=dead }} The Citizen, a Tanzanian newspaper, reported in August 2013 that the airline "desperately" needed a US$32 million bailout package from the Tanzanian government or other non-shareholder sources.{{cite news | url=https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Precision-Air-s-Sh51bn-bailout-appeal-to-State/-/1840392/1948522/-/5r7rfd/-/index.html | title=Precision Air's Sh51bn bailout appeal to State | access-date=4 September 2017 | language=en}} The airline's problems increased in 2011 when it received only US$7.4 million of the US$17.5 million in cash that the airline hoped to receive when first listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange.{{cite news | url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/business/Precision+Air+looks+to+other+lenders+after+poor+IPO+show+/-/2560/1283846/-/item/0/-/im825y/-/index.htm | title=Precision Air looks to other lenders after poor IPO show | work=The East African | access-date=4 September 2017 | language=en-UK}} Increasing fuel prices, taxes, and levies plus currency fluctuations and the refusal of minority owner Kenya Airways to contribute capital had also hurt the airline.

File:Tanzania - Aerospatiale ATR 42.jpg at Kilimanjaro International Airport in 2006.]]

File:2010-09-14 11-08-42 Tanzania Mwanza Mwanza.jpg at Mwanza Airport in 2010.]]

File:Precision Air ATR 72-212A.jpg at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, in 2012.]]

As of {{currentmonthname}} {{currentyear}}, the airline serves the following destinations:

Precision Air has codeshare agreements with the following four airlines:

1. Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi-Dar es Salaam){{cite web | url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/270598/etihad-precision-air-plans-codeshare-service-from-jan-2017/ | title=Etihad / Precision Air plans codeshare service from Jan 2017 | author=Jim Liu | publisher=Routes Online | date=27 December 2016 | access-date=10 December 2017}}
2. Kenya Airways (various routes){{cite web | url=https://www.kenya-airways.com/Home/Corporate_Information/Partners_and_Alliances/Codeshare | title=Partners & Alliances | publisher=Kenya Airways | access-date=31 January 2013}}
3. LAM Mozambique Airlines (Maputo–Nampula–Pemba–Dar es Salaam){{cite web | url=https://www.precisionairtz.com/index.php?id=71 | title=Precision Air enters into code share with Mozambique Airlines | date=6 March 2012 | publisher=Precision Air | access-date=31 January 2013}}
4. RwandAir (Kigali–Kilimanjaro){{cite web | url=https://www.rwandair.com/about/partners-and-alliances.html | title=Partners and Alliances. | publisher=RwandAir | access-date=31 January 2013}}

In 2011, Precision Air entered into an interline agreement with Qatar Airways, allowing the latter's passengers to connect to other east African destinations such as Arusha and Zanzibar via Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro International Airport.{{cite web | url=https://www.qatarairways.com/ae/en/press-release.page?pr_id=pressrelease_pressrelease_20111101 | title=Qatar Airways and Precision Air announce partnership | date=1 November 2011 | type=Pressrelease | publisher=Qatar Airways | access-date=31 January 2013}} This agreement includes e-ticketing.{{Failed verification|date=December 2014}}

As of 23 December 2014, Precision Air also had 21 interline agreements for baggage and paper ticketing purposes with the following airlines:

1. Air Seychelles (also e-ticketing)
2. Alitalia
3. British Airways (also e-ticketing)
4. Egyptair
5. Emirates
6. Ethiopian Airlines (also e-ticketing)
7. Etihad Airways
8. Gulf Air
9. Hahn Air (also e-ticketing)
10. Heli Air Monaco
11. Kenya Airways (also e-ticketing)
12. KLM (also e-ticketing)
13. LAM Mozambique Airlines (also e-ticketing)
14. Oman Air
15. RwandAir
16. Saudia
17. SN Brussels Airlines
18. South African Airways (also e-ticketing)
19. Swiss International Air Lines
20. TAAG Angola Airlines (also e-ticketing)
21. Virgin Atlantic (also e-ticketing)[http://www.expertflyer.com/air/travelInformation.do Travel Information, Expert Flyer, accessed 23 December 2014, subscription service]{{Failed verification|date=December 2014}}

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|image2=Precision_Air_ATR_42-600_(5H-PWH)_at_Toulouse-Blagnac_Airport_(LFBO).jpg

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As of November 2022, the Precision Air fleet included the following aircraft:{{Cite web|url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/20751-tanzanias-precision-air-goes-all-prop-after-last-737-is-withdrawn|title=Tanzania's Precision Air goes all prop after last 737 is withdrawn|website=ch-aviation}}{{cite web | url=https://www.precisionairtz.com/about-us/our-fleet | title=Precision Air – Our fleet | access-date=17 September 2020}}

The airline has previously operated the following aircraft:

1. ATR 42-320{{rp|66}}
2. Boeing 737–300
3. Bombardier Dash 8

According to the Aviation Safety Network Precision Air has had seven accidents or incidents.{{cite web | title=Accident record for Precision Air | url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/database/operators/7328 | publisher=Aviation Safety Network | access-date=8 April 2012}} One of those caused 19 fatalities.{{Cite web|url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/318731|title=ASN Aircraft accident ATR 42–500 5H-PWF Bukoba Airport (BKZ)|first=Harro|last=Ranter|website=aviation-safety.net}}

• 26 July 1999: A Let L-410UVP-E9, tail number 5H-PAB, made a belly landing at Arusha Airport on a training flight while doing a touch and go landing. The two crew and three passengers were not injured.{{ASN accident | title=5H-PAB | id=19990726-1 | accessdate=8 April 2012}}
• 16 November 2004: A Let L-410UVP-E20, tail number 5H-PAC, crash landed while on a training flight at Kilimanjaro Airport. The two pilots, who had not put on their shoulder straps, sustained facial injuries.{{ASN accident | title=5H-PAC | id=20041116-0 | accessdate=8 April 2012}}
• 8 July 2007: An ATR 72–212, tail number 5H-PAR, had a runway excursion on landing at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport runway 06. It veered to the right, went over a ditch, and came to a stop on Taxiway F. The nose wheel collapsed. The four crew and 62 passengers were not injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The probable cause of this accident was power asymmetry during application of reverse thrust on landing. The control levers were jammed in one position.{{ASN accident | title=5H-PAR | id=20070708-1 | accessdate=8 April 2012}}
• On 13 December 2013, an ATR 42–600 (5H–PWI) made a safe landing at Arusha Airport after its four tires deflated upon landing. All 37 passengers and 4 crew were safe. The airline subsequently explained that higher braking forces, necessitated by the aircraft landing with a tailwind, caused the deflations.{{Cite web |url=https://www.aviatorstation.com/2013/12/17/incidents-accidents/update-precision-atr-42-600-blew-all-main-tires-on-landing-at-arusha-on-dec-13-resumed-to-service |title="Update: Precision ATR 42–600 Blew All Main Tires on Landing at Arusha on Dec 13 Resumed to Service", The Aviation Herald, 17 December 2013 |access-date=21 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044148/http://www.aviatorstation.com/2013/12/17/incidents-accidents/update-precision-atr-42-600-blew-all-main-tires-on-landing-at-arusha-on-dec-13-resumed-to-service |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}
• 10 July 2014: An ATR 72–500, tail number 5H-PWA, was halfway to Dar es Salaam from Mwanza during normal cruise when the number 2 engine seized. This necessitated a diversion to Kilimanjaro International Airport. The aircraft touched down normally; however, after selecting ground idle (as per the captain's explanation), the aircraft veered to the left and exited the runway hitting one of the runway edge lights and proceeded to roll on the grass field parallel to runway 09 for approximately 180 meters before subsequently regaining the runway. No injuries were reported.{{ASN accident | title=5H-PWA | id=20141007-1 | accessdate=27 September 2014}}
• 9 December 2018 Flight PW 722 with 68 passengers from Nairobi to Mwanza via Kilimanjaro had multiple birdstrikes on approach, including on the wheels that caused difficulties on landing.{{Cite web|url=http://dar24.com/precision-wafafanua-ndege-yao-kuvamiwa-na-kunguru-angani/|title = Precision wafafanua ndege yao kuvamiwa na kunguru angani – Dar24}}
• 6 November 2022: Precision Air Flight 494, an ATR 42-500 (5H-PWF) with 39 passengers and 4 crew crashed in Lake Victoria while landing at Bukoba Airport, Tanzania. There were 19 deaths. It was the first fatal accident in the airline's history. {{Cite web|url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/318731|title=ASN Aircraft accident ATR 42–500 5H-PWF Bukoba Airport (BKZ)|first=Harro|last=Ranter|website=aviation-safety.net}}

{{reflist|2}}

• {{Official website}}

{{commons category|Precision Air}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Airlines of Tanzania}}

{{African Airlines Association}}

{{IATA members|africa}}

Category:Airlines of Tanzania

Category:Airlines established in 1991

Category:1991 establishments in Tanzania

Category:Tanzanian brands