Air France To Start Flying the Paris – Kilimanjaro Route in November

In a bid to enhance its connectivity in Africa, Air France has introduced flights from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, beginning November 18, 2024. This strategic addition is part of the airline’s strategy to expand its long-haul network across the continent and improve service delivery to travellers in the region.

The new service will operate three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays departing from Paris-Charles de Gaulle, with return flights from Kilimanjaro on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Passengers will travel aboard the state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft, featuring 34 seats in Business Class, 24 in Premium Economy, and 266 in Economy Class, ensuring a comfortable and exciting journey.

This route marks a significant enhancement in Air France’s African operations, replacing the Paris-Zanzibar-Dar Es Salaam route. However, travellers to Dar Es Salaam can still conveniently access the city via Amsterdam through Air France’s partner airline KLM, which maintains seven weekly flights to the destination. KLM also offers flights to Kilimanjaro five times a week and Zanzibar twice a week, further expanding travel options in Tanzania.

Read: Kenya Airways Resumes Flights to Maputo

“The addition of the Paris-Kilimanjaro route is a strategic decision aimed at meeting the growing demand for travel to East Africa,” said Rajat Kumar, Air France – KLM’s Tanzania Country Manager.

“Kilimanjaro not only serves as a gateway to the region’s renowned natural beauty and adventure opportunities but also aligns with our commitment to offering diverse and enriching travel experiences.”

The new route will facilitate access to Tanzania’s famed Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Travellers can explore the surrounding Kilimanjaro National Park, renowned for its diverse ecosystems and wildlife, making it an ideal starting point for safaris in Tanzania and neighbouring Kenya.

Flight AF874 will depart Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 10:10 AM on designated days, arriving in Zanzibar at 9:10 PM local time, with onward flights to Kilimanjaro departing at 10:40 PM and arriving at 11:40 PM on the same day. The return flight, AF874, will depart Kilimanjaro at 1:10 AM and arrive at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 8:35 AM local time.

Meanwhile, Air France continues to connect East Africa to Paris-Charles de Gaulle through direct flights to Nairobi, Kenya seven times a week. As with the new route, all Air France flights are serviced by modern aircraft, which have substantially reduced emissions. This is in addition to the intentional use of the much-cleaner Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs), with travellers allowed to contribute to its cost through voluntary premiums at the time of booking.

Where in Europe can you fly direct to Kilimanjaro?

If you are in Europe, you can fly directly to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) from Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) 5 times a week using KLM. This flight leaves Amsterdam at 10:05 AM and arrives in Kilimanjaro at 7:55 PM after 8 hrs and 50 minutes. There are also daily flights by Kenya Airways and KLM from Amsterdam to Nairobi where you can easily connect to Kilimanjaro.

You can also get a Turkish Airlines flight (not a daily flight) from Istanbul to Kilimanjaro as well as regular flights operated by Edelweiss Air from Zurich to Kilimanjaro. Air France is expected to fly the Paris to Kilimanjaro route as from November 2024. This will not be a direct flight as it will stop at Zanzibar.

There are not that many flights connecting Kilimanjaro directly to many European cities as Kilimanjaro is a small city so airlines are not willing to operate this route daily. But as mentioned, you can connect to the city through Nairobi, Dar es Salaam or even Doha just to name a few.

Can you fly direct to Kilimanjaro from the UK?

There is no direct flight from the UK to Kilimanjaro but you can connect through Nairobi or Dar es Salaam both of which have a good number of daily flights to Kilimanjaro.

Read: KLM Redefines Its Brand with Strategic Enhancement of ‘Travel Well’ Experience