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Uganda Airlines has announced an expansion of its operations into Zambia, launching a four-times-weekly flight between Lusaka and Entebbe.
Adedayo Olawuyi, the Airline’s Chief Commercial Officer, says that the expansion aims to enhance trade and connectivity between the two countries.
Speaking in Lusaka on Tuesday during a travel and trade product presentation workshop, Olawuyi emphasized the potential of air transport to facilitate trade between Zambia and Uganda and improve connectivity to other destinations.
Olawuyi explained that the new service would offer direct flights from Entebbe, Uganda, to Lusaka, Zambia, with a flight duration of 2.5 hours.
The service would begin with four weekly flights, with plans to expand to daily services soon.
“Zambia’s population of 19.6 million, GDP of $28.16 billion, GDP per capita of $1,369, and a GDP growth rate of 5.8 percent provide an opportunity to also promote Uganda’s and Zambia’s tourism sectors,” Olawuyi noted.
He highlighted that the airline would operate out of Lusaka, which handles 75 percent of Zambia’s air traffic with 14 airlines serving 16 destinations. The new terminal at Lusaka’s airport can accommodate 2-4 million passengers per year.
Additionally, Uganda Airlines expects to resolve the Passenger Service Provider issue this week, enabling sales services and access for travel agents and customers.
“Zambia is home to industries such as mining—largely copper and cobalt—agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and others, offering significant opportunities for our customers,” Olawuyi said.
He also mentioned that the airline was considering serving other destinations within its network and exploring new routes not currently served in Lusaka.
This included potential connectivity between Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, which may be added to the network.
“We are also in discussions with other airlines, such as Proflight, to provide services to other destinations like Ndola on the Copperbelt as part of our long-term collaboration plans,” he added.
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