Entebbe, (UG): Uganda’s National Flagship Carrier, Uganda Airlines has announced it will start direct flights to Lagos, Nigeria, effective October 19th, 2023.
According to the Airline’s CEO Ms. Jenifer Bamuturaki, the new development signals an exciting new chapter in the carrier’s expansion strategy with flights scheduled every Sunday, Monday, and Thursday.
Ms. Bamuturaki says the move also aims to enhance efficiency and expedite both the transit of commodities and the mobility of individuals between the two nations.
She said with the new development, the passengers and cargo from Entebbe to Lago will now take four hours.
“Minus our services, it would take close to nine hours and the last time I travelled to Lagos and the flight was delayed in another airport. We are now reducing that to just four hours and this will increase potential between two countries,” she said.
“The first flight takes off from Entebbe at 4 pm. We are opening Uganda to an economy of about $504 billion,” she added.
Ms Bamuturaki further highlighted that the carrier has secured Foreign Operators Permits (FOPs) from regulatory authorities in India, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia.
Uganda Airlines has chosen to operate its initial Lagos service using the Airbus A330-800s in its fleet. The Lagos route, which is planned to operate three times a week, will be launched simultaneously with the flights to Mumbai.
The Airline had initially planned to initiate flights to Nigeria in July last year, but regulatory complexities posed the delays, and now with these hurdles cleared, all is set for the Airbus to take off.
Bamuturaki expressed confidence in the airline’s readiness, saying, “We have everything we need to start. We have our offices already up and running in the three markets but we pushed the launch out to October because we thought we would be somewhat swamped given the time between completing all regulatory certifications and the initial launch dates.”
As Uganda Airlines gears up for these new routes, it’s also worth noting that Guangzhou, China, which has been on the carrier’s radar for a while, is projected to be the final addition to its expanding network this year, with a potential launch date set for November.
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