I last flew from Mtwara airport to the then Dar es Salaam International Airport over a decade ago. Things have improved slightly since then, thought not so impressive.
The run way has been upgraded, the waiting lounge not so impressive but something done to make things better, the car park, yes not bad but what is still wanting is the public toilet.
First and foremost is the disturbance accorded travelers who want to visit the rest rooms after checking-in. One needs to always go past the x-ray scanners, some physical inspection by security agents at the airport every time they get out to respond to the call of nature.
The worst happens if one is experiencing diarrhea or dysentery or something similar, they will have to stay at the shabby pit latrine whose utensils are dirty, aged and not properly clean even by my grandmother’s pit latrine standards in Mbeya.
Certainly Ministry for Infrastructure Development through Tanzania Airports Authority need to look into this toilet where one is forced to hurriedly relieve themselves and leave the untidy place which is worse than an average pit latrine in rural Tanzania.
As Mtwara airport joins the ranks of a busy place where anyone wanting to fly from the south through a decent passenger plane can catch a flight, there is need that people feel comfortable while waiting or boarding the plane.
Otherwise the warehouse modeled main building, aged seats, faulty x-ray scanning systems and the physically searching strict security agents, provide some sense of an improvement which falls far too low for an airport of the status of Mtwara.
Nice Piece Simbeye, I think first question came to my mind was who own the airport? if answer is Gov. Then what department? Brother Simbeye can dig and find out why such a lucrative business do not have an excellent customer service. Whoever runs the business (airport) is on risk of loosing it.