The Uganda Airlines will Monday, November 11, 2019, make a maiden flight to Mombasa, Kenya as it seeks a slice of the East African aviation business that is dominated by Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways.
The new route according to Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) CEO, Lilly Ajarova, is a step closer to UTB’s goal of marketing destination Uganda.
She says that the direct flights between the Mombasa city and Entebbe will boost tourism and trade between Kenya and Uganda.
The revival of the brand, originally founded by former president Idi Amin in 1977 but grounded in 2001 amid financial difficulties, is aimed at capitalizing on opportunities in agriculture, minerals, tourism, and oil, and gas sectors, said Monica Ntege Azuba, Uganda’s minister of works and transport.
Recent years have seen growing international interest in Uganda as a vacation destination with travelers drawn by beautiful national parks, beach resorts, and wildlife such as rare mountain gorillas.
Uganda airlines till last month unveiled two more new Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft at Entebbe International Airport.
With the new aircraft, the airline would expand its route network to cover more destinations in Southern and Central Africa, having launched to Nairobi, Dar Es Salaam, Mogadishu, Bujumbura, Juba, and others.
The two brought to four the total number of Bombardiers that Uganda Airlines will have for its regional services.
Dr. David Kakuba, the Director-General Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), said Uganda is set to receive two Airbuses in 2020 which will help the country to compete internationally.
“Next year, Uganda will get two Airbuses A330. They will be flying to countries like England, India, and China among others, which will enable us to compete internationally like in two to three years to come,” Mr. Kakuba said.
“I appeal to Ugandans to support our Airlines instead of talking negatively about it. Let’s embrace it, it’s now giving formidable competition to other Airlines and we should be proud of it because as bombardiers fly to nearby countries, the Airbuses will be flying to international countries and it will enable us to boost tourism,” he added.
