Ugandan flag carrier, Uganda Airlines, has recently announced that it will start connecting the capital of the United Kingdom with its main hub, Entebbe.
The flights would connect London’s second-largest airport, London Gatwick, with Entebbe, which serves Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Commencing on May 18, they would be operated using Uganda Airlines’ largest aircraft, the Airbus A330-800neo.
Uganda Airlines plans to operate the route four times a week, marking the first time it’s connected Uganda and the U.K. in nearly a decade. It also marks the carrier’s first reentry into Europe as a part of Uganda Airlines’ broader expansion plan, which had previously been on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the route was met with some backlash in the U.K. British tabloid newspaper The Sun claimed that the British Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, had ordered a suspension of the route due to human rights concerns in Uganda. These claims were later denied by Uganda Airlines, who said: “Our foreign carriers permit remains valid and has not been revoked.”
In addition, the route is planned to be followed by a specific cargo-only flight in the future.
Uganda Airlines CEO, Jenifer Bamuturaki, praised the establishment of the new route, claiming in a press conference that: “This route marks the end of our establishment phase and sets us on the course for long-term growth. It connects Uganda to critical business and tourism markets in Western Europe and beyond.”
