Ugandan officials led by Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala, being welcomed in India shortly after arriving
Uganda Airlines on October 07, 2023 successfully launched its second international route, connecting Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Entebbe International Airport
in Uganda.
The inbound inaugural flight with close to 100 passengers aboard the state-of-the-art Airbus A330 departed Entebbe Airport at 13:35 (1:35pm) local time and touched down in Mumbai the same day at 23:08pm (destination time). This means the journey from Entebbe to Mumbai is about six and half hours.
The journey was generally smooth and comfortable, thanks to the good weather. Captain Robert Wakhweya Bwayo was the Captain in Command, assisted by Captain Jeevan Joy and First Officer was Brian Ochen.
The exciting development is the first time in more than 50 years that India and Uganda have been connected by a non-stop air service.
The route is Uganda Airlines’ second service outside the African continent and the 12th across its network and joins a rapidly expanding network that offers travellers convenient connections to South, West, Central and Eastern Africa.
Speaking to journalists before take off, Gen. Katumba Wamala, Uganda’s Minister for Works and Transport, said he’s happy that the national carrier is opening up more routes, noting the airbus aircraft will be fully utilized.
“The planes are supposed to be in the air not on the ground. This is a good Christmas gift to the Ugandans,” Wamala said, adding: “This is a momentous occasion in Uganda-India relations because, for the first time in half a century, our two friendly nations are now connected by a direct air service.
“So, we are indeed happy that Uganda Airlines is re-establishing this air bridge, which will shorten the journey times between our friendly nations, strengthen bilateral trade and deepen cultural interaction between our people.”
The Minister said more routes requires more aircraft.
“That’s a good challenge. We have the reason to defend why we need more aircraft because it was very difficult to defend that when these other aircraft were parked here most of the time, but with more routes and the demand is here, we have a reason to demand for more aircraft,” he said.
Wamala further explained that they are looking at the mid-range aircraft and cargo planes.
“Sometimes on a route like Dubai, you may not have passengers to fill the A330 but a mid-range plane would do. This is what we are looking at so that we have a viable industry,” he said, adding that the CRJs are doing a good job for the regional routes.
The Board Chairperson of Uganda Airlines, Priscilla Mirembe Serukka, said the new route isn’t simply historic for the two countries, but opens vast business opportunities for both Uganda and India.
“We would like to provide world class service. We have excellent in-flight services,” she said.
She also thanked the Indian business community in Uganda for supporting the national carrier, noting that their continued support will make the route profitable.
She said the route will also promote trade, tourism and cultural exchange between the countries.
India’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Upender Singh Rawat, said the Indian community in Uganda has been a strong advocate of direct flights between Uganda and India because they have been going through other interconnecting/transit routes, thus making it more costly. He asked the national carrier to open more routes in India’s other cities. He noted that India is the second biggest investor in Uganda and that over 35,000 Indians are currently living in Uganda.
He added that about 1,200 Ugandans are studying in India.
Upender further said that agricultural produce from Uganda mainly avocados, pineapples can easily find market in India.
Uganda Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Jennifer Bamuturaki, said it has taken the airline about three years to have this route see the light of the day.
“We have more (routes) coming,”Bamuturaki said, thanking the Board for putting the management of the airline on pressure.
“The latest addition to our network affirms Uganda Airline’s commitment to expand travel options for our passengers. Besides convenience, we hope this route will add energy to the existing business and commercial relations between India and Uganda that date back more than a century,” she said.
Adedayo Olawuyi, Chief Commercial Officer at Uganda Airlines, said the return flight will have five tonnes of cargo, a sign that this new route will work out.
“This flight gives opportunity for medical and educational tourism. We are confident that within a short time, the Mumbai route will be profitable for the airline,” he said.
Uganda Airlines will fly to Mumbai three times a week.
The return UR 431 will depart Mumbai on Sunday at 1:10am and arrive in Entebbe the same day at 5.50am.
The timings will slightly change on Mondays and Wednesdays, with inbound UR430 departing Entebbe at 20:15pm local time and arriving in Mumbai every Tuesday and Thursday at 05:55am. Meanwhile, the reciprocal UR 431 will depart Mumbai at 7:55am, arriving in Entebbe at 12:25 local time.
According to the airline, the schedule has been designed to fit neatly into its existing network to meet the needs of passengers who might wish to continue their journeys beyond Uganda.
Besides Mumbai, Uganda Airlines operates flights to Dubai, Johannesburg, Bujumbura, Nairobi, Mombasa, Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Juba, Kinshasa and Mogadishu.
Flights to Lagos, Nigeria, are scheduled to start later this month.
More details to follow
Uganda airlines has the best aircraft. I have used it within East Africa, the crew is friendly, take off and landing is good as compared to others that I would not want to mention for good relations. I used the small CRJ and presume the bigger one is extremely good.I wish you all the best as you brave the skies to earn and give us a good name.For God and my country.