Uganda Airlines has announced expansion of its operations into Zambia, with the launch of four weekly flights between Lusaka and Entebbe.
Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Uganda Airline – Adedayo Olawuyi said that the expansion of the flights aims to enhance trade and connectivity between both the countries.
At the Travel and Trade Product Presentation Workshop, held in Lusaka on Tuesday – CCO Olawuyi emphasized the potential of air transport to facilitate the trade between Zambia and Uganda and improve the connectivity to further destinations.
Olawuyi then explained that the new service would offer direct flights from Entebbe, Uganda to Lusaka, Zambia considering the flight duration of 2.5 hours. The services will begin with four weekly flights, following the plans to expand daily services soon.
“Zambia’s population of 19.6 million, with the GDP of $28.16 billion, GDP per capita of $1,369, and also the GDP growth rate of 5.8% provide an opportunity to officially promote Uganda’s and Zambia’s tourism sectors,” noted Olawuyi.
He highlighted that the airline would operate out of Lusaka, which handles the 75% of Zambia’s air traffic with 14 airlines serving 16 destinations.
Reportedly, the new terminal at Lusaka’s airport can accommodate 2.4 million passengers per year.
However, Uganda Airlines is in progress to resolve the Passenger Service Provider issue this week, by enabling the sales services and access for travel agents and customers. “Zambia is the home to industries such as mining, largely copper and cobalt; to agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and others, offering significant opportunities for the customers,” said Olawuyi.
He also mentioned that the airline was considering its services to other destinations within its network and was also exploring new routes, which are not currently served in Lusaka. This includes potential connectivity between Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, which may be added to the network.
Olawuyi added to his statement, “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.”