Uganda Airlines has commenced direct connectivity to Lagos from Entebbe International Airport with three weekly flights to Lagos, thereby deepening competition on international route.

Flights from Nigeria to other African countries have continued to take several hours as a result of poor connectivity.

When the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) was launched in January 2018, it was enthusiastically embraced as the key that would unlock air travel in Africa.

Although 33 countries in the continent are signatories to the project, many countries in Africa have not open their airspace for a single air market in the continent.

Uganda airlines is however changing this narrative with direct flight from Africa’s most populated country.

Abuja and Kano, have been approved as entry points for the airline by the federal government under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA, between both nations in line with the Single Africa Air Transport Market, SAATM.

The launch of flight services to Lagos by Uganda’s flag carrier, Uganda Airlines would help to close the gap in the travel needs of travelers from West Africa and East Africa.

The flights will be taking place on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays and the flight will take under 5 hours. A return ticket for Economy class will be US$ 510 Economy and Business class at $1800.

Speaking shortly after the inaugural flight, Nelson Ocherger, Uganda’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, stated that the approval by the Nigerian government would open a landscape of business opportunities to both nations. He noted that Ugandans await when Nigerian carriers would commence services to the country.

According to him: “The importance of air transport underscores the promotion of trade and investment and it allows Africa to leverage on all African Union, AU, agenda. We thank the Nigerian government for the necessary approval to do this operation.” “Uganda through the Uganda Civil Aviation Academy has partnered with the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria to train Ugandan pilots, engineers, and other aviation professionals.”

Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador who Director of Airport Protocol represented in the Ministry, Ambassador Oludare Folowosele said Ugandan Airline’s operation was an opportunity to bridge West Africa and East Africa air transport hiccups, lamenting air connectivity as a major challenge in Africa wondering why Africans would travel to Europe first before connecting another African city while wasting over 12 hours on a trip that is normally three or four hours.

He said, “It is ridiculous to go to Europe before connecting two African neighboring countries. What we are doing today would lead to wealth creation, shortening travel time from one country to another rather than depend on Europe all the time for flight connections.”

Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, who was represented by Hassan Ejibunu, Director of Air Transport Management in the Ministry, stated that aviation remains the best way for Africa to connect her people and promote inter-Africa business in line with Africa’s 2063 Agenda, as championed by the continent’s leaders.

“Aviation has a huge market that should be explored by indigenous African Airlines, as no other Nations can develop the aviation sector for us, except us Africans. We need to do this in the interest of our over 1.37 billion people, which is 17.4 per cent of the world’s population. I wish to, therefore, challenge Nigeria’s local airlines to seize the opportunity to start operating regional and continental flights to make SAATM and YD achieve their aims, as envisioned by African leaders.”

Source: Business Day

Passengers travelling to New York have a reason to smile after the national airline Kenya Airways announced plans to increase flights between the two destinations.

Kenya Airways on Monday announced that it will be increasing its weekly flights from the current four to five from Sunday next week (October 29) and have daily flights from December 4.

“Celebrating five years milestones of 1,700 flights and 72,000 Kilometres to John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport,” the statement read.

“Starting October 29, 2023, we offer you additional flights from four times to five times weekly from Nairobi to New York and daily flights starting December 4, 2023.”

Kenya Airways has been operating flights to London since its inception as a gateway to the United Kingdom for business travel, leisure travel, trade, and educational purposes.

A flight from JKIA to JFK lasts for about 15 hours eastbound and 14 hours westbound on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The launch of the inaugural direct flights in 2018 saw Kenya become the first East African country and the eighth in Africa to operate direct flights to the US.

In Africa, only South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Senegal and Morocco were the only countries that were allowed to make direct flights to the US then.

Kenya was allowed to fly directly to the US following its approval for Category One status by the US Federal Aviation Administration in April 2017, and JKIA’s elevation to the status of a Last Point of Departure.

Category one rating means an airport complies with standards set out by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

It means that a country’s civil aviation authority has been assessed by FAA inspectors and has been found to license and oversee air carriers in accordance with ICAO aviation safety standards.

In September, KQ announced the introduction of two daily flights to London, effective October 29.

“Starting October 29, 2023, fly 2x daily to London from Nairobi with Kenya Airways for all your corporate, business, leisure, or academic travel needs. Book Now, ” KQ said.

The airline’s customers will have the option of choosing between a morning flight, KQ 100, and an evening flight, KQ 102, allowing for more travel options, convenience, and flexibility.

This comes barely a week after Kenya’s national carrier, was crowned Africa’s leading airline for the fifth time.

The award went to its economy class service and inflight magazine (msafiri) at the World Travel Awards 2023.

The airline was feted at the Africa and Indian Ocean World Travel Awards Gala held on October 15 in Dubai.

Allan Kilavuka, Kenya Airways group chief executive officer and MD said the award was a recognition of listening to their clients.

“It is about listening to the customers and understanding their needs. Our goal is to be the preferred Africa carrier and we are constantly innovating to improve our guest’s customer experience,” said Kilavuka.

KQ renovated the economy-class inflight service in 2023. This included a rollout of tray service in economy class to replace the existing box service and an extra hot meal starter and yoghurt for breakfast on specific mid to long-haul flights across the network.

Source: The-star

In order to deepen economic ties and air connectivity, Uganda Airline, on Thursday, launched direct flight from Entebbe International Airport to Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

Before now, air connectivity between the two countries took 10 hours but has been reduced to three and a half hours as Uganda airlines debuts in Nigeria.

Speaking at the Entebbe route launch press conference in Lagos, the chief executive officer, Uganda Airlines, Jennifer Bamuturaki, said the flight service will be three times a week and will cut travel time from 10 hours to three and half hours.

She stated that the launch of flight services to Lagos by Uganda’s national carrier would help to close the gap for travellers shuttling to the West and East African countries.

“In October 2022, I visited Nigeria and I mentioned that Uganda airlines is coming to Nigeria. I am here with profound pleasure that Uganda airlines is here exactly a year later, October 2023, as we made our maiden flight to Lagos today.

“This flight was exactly three and a half hours. We cut out close to 14 hours from Lagos to Entebbe so that means that if you are flying to Mumbai, Dubai, you don’t need to fly 10 hours just come to Entebbe in three and a half hours and be in Dubai in another four and half hours. If you are going to Mumbai, three and half hours to Entebbe, one hour in transit and another 6 hours into Mumbai so we have closed the gap between Eastern Africa countries and the West,” she said.

Source: ntm

Rwanda plans to set up an aircraft hangar and centre of excellence in aviation training in Kigali, aiming to build local capacity and empower the labour force in the aviation industry, not only in Rwanda but also in the region and beyond, The New Times understands.

According to an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report on the Aircraft Hangar and Centre of Excellence Aviation Training Centre Project, by Akagera Aviation, dated May 2023, the project will cost an estimated $53.5 million (approx. Rwf65 billion).

It indicated that as Rwanda invests in the construction of its international airport in Bugesera and its airplane fleet, skilled personnel are required to manage, operate, and maintain these investments.

Therefore, the report noted, that the African Development Bank (AfDB) will assist the government in establishing the Centre of Excellence for Aviation Skills (CEAS), which will serve as an aviation academy training centre to meet the demand for qualified human capital.

The project is in line with the Government of Rwanda’s vision to develop the transportation sector by enhancing the quality and dependability of transport services while reducing costs.

1. Project objectives

The aviation industry in Rwanda is experiencing rapid growth and has set its sights on becoming a leading centre for aviation excellence. As part of this goal, the objective of the proposed centre of excellence in the aviation training centre and aircraft hangar project is to provide training for pilots, maintenance staff, air traffic management personnel, and other related fields. The aircraft hangar will also serve as a shelter for airplanes and a facility for technical activities.

2. Capacity and developer

Akagera Aviation Limited (developer) plans to build an aircraft hangar at Kigali International Airport that can accommodate eight Beechcraft King Air size aircraft. They also propose the establishment of an aviation training centre of excellence, which will cater to a maximum of 490 students.

The centre of excellence will offer different aviation training/courses such as pilot training, maintenance training, cabin crew, dispatch, ancillary courses, air traffic management courses, aeronautical information services, aeronautical meteorological services, aeronautical communications operations, communication navigation, and surveillance, airport emergency services (operations), and other supporting programs.

Again, the centre will partner with higher learning institutions to provide academic aviation courses.

3. Drone piloting training

Given the increasing importance of drones applications in Rwanda, the centre of excellence will also provide drone piloting training along with other manned aircraft pilot training courses such as, Private Pilot License classroom (PPL), Commercial Pilot License (CPL) training, Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL), Flight Simulator Recurrent training and other advanced pilot training for specialised missions.

4. Cost and staffing

Cost estimation involves predicting project expenses, including materials and labour. The project’s total cost amounts to $53.5 million, divided into infrastructure and equipment expenses of $29.1 million and $24.4 million, respectively. The construction phase will require up to 1,000 workers while the operation phase takes up to 98 workers, as per the above-mentioned report.

5. Financier

The proposed hangar and centre of excellence aviation training centre project will be financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The AfDB’s financial support for the project is a testament to their commitment to promoting sustainable economic development and social progress in the region by investing in critical infrastructure and human capital development.

6. Construction timeframe

It is estimated the construction will take a period of 24 months. Construction of the aircraft hangar and the aviation training centre of excellence will involve site fencing and managing site access and contact points, and pollution generation control and management during construction works, among others.

Source: Newtimes

Uganda Airlines (UR) has kick-started the 41st week of the year by launching a new long-haul route between Uganda and India. The airline will fly non-stop between the two countries up to three times a week with its relatively new Airbus A330neo aircraft.

Inaugural flight to Mumbai

The flag carrier of the Republic of Uganda inaugurated its India operations on October 7, with a flight from Entebbe International Airport (EBB) to Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM).

The airline has two A330-800s in its fleet: 5X-CRN and 5X-NIL. The first flight (UR430) was operated with 5X-NIL. It departed EBB at 10:39 UTC and arrived at BOM around 17:19 UTC after a six-and-a-half-hour trip. The touchdown in India marked a significant milestone for Uganda Airlines, as Mumbai became its second intercontinental destination after Dubai.

UR430 was captained by Robert Wakhweya, a Chief Pilot at the national company. The return flight (UR431) departed BOM at 20:09 UTC and flew for about 6 hours and 24 minutes before arriving at EBB at 02:33 UTC. According to the airline’s booking website, flights will be operated three times per week with the following schedule:

Serving the Indian market

Although Uganda Airlines is the only airline operating scheduled flights on the EBB-BOM route, it becomes the fourth major East African carrier to serve Mumbai after Air Tanzania, Kenya Airways, and Ethiopian Airlines, which all operate the Boeing 787 Dreamliner from their respective hubs.

While Uganda celebrates 61 years of independence, the national carrier’s inaugural flight was welcomed by various stakeholders from the airline, as well as the Indian and Ugandan governments. Uganda Airlines Board Chairperson Priscilla Mirembe said to UBC;

“We have waited for this day for a long time, and we feel it is going to be very important for the economies of Uganda and India. There is a lot we can bring in terms of our resources and goods to India. As an airline, this is a big achievement because one of our aims is to connect Uganda to different parts of the world, especially as a landlocked country.”

Upon arrival, the stakeholders attended the India-Uganda Trade Summit in Mumbai to assess the opportunities for enhanced economic and social cooperation. During the summit, Uganda’s Minister of Works and Transport General Katumba Wamala called for the revision of India’s Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with Uganda to allow Uganda Airlines to fly to other cities within the South Asia country.

The state-owned airline is seeking to expand its presence in India by launching two more destinations: Delhi (DEL) and Chennai (MAA). While discussions between the relevant authorities take place, the airline’s country manager expects the services to commence within the next three months, according to Moneycontrol. With over 45,000 Indians in Uganda and thousands more Ugandans traveling to India for business, tourism, school, and health care, the South Asian country is a massive market for the airline.

Adding another destination in October

The next destination on UR’s list is Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS). Flights between Entebbe and Lagos will start on October 19, operating three times a week on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays with the A330-800. It will be the only carrier operating flights on this route.

Despite having two three-year-old widebodies, Uganda Airlines only serves two long-haul destinations. Apart from Dubai and Mumbai, the A330neos are also flown to Bujumbura (BJM), Johannesburg (JNB), Juba (JUB), and Nairobi (NBO). Other destinations are served with four CRJ900LRs.

Source: Simple flying

The Royal Air Force (RAF) quick reaction alert (QRA) team mobilized to intercept a Kenya Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner this afternoon. Flight KQ100 was heading from Nairobi to London Heathrow before RAF Typhoons arrived on the scene.

Already on the ground

The 787 is currently taxiing at London Stansted following the interception that took place over British airspace. The plane has vacated the site’s Runway 22. According to AviationSource News, there have been unconfirmed reports of bomb disposal units on their way to assist on the ground.

Ongoing updates

Lines of aircraft began to form as the situation unfolded, and Essex police started investigating the situation. Sky News has also shared that its understands that the Typhoon jets took over the interception from French aircraft.

Simple Flying reached out to London Stansted and Kenya Airways for comment. Stansted has since responded with the following update:

The aircraft, which was en route from Nairobi to London Heathrow, landed safely and was escorted to a remote stand with Essex Police in attendance. The incident has been stood down and the airport is open and flights are operating as normal.

Kenya Airways noted that it received an alert of a potential security threat and that its teams worked with security authorities in the UK and Kenya to carry out a risk assessment.

The below images posted on X show emergency service vehicles at Stansted Airport. The aircraft in question can also be seen. Essex police eventually shared that it found nothing of concern on the plane.

Stansted is the designated airport for dealing with security issues in the United Kingdom. The facility’s proximity to key RAF bases allows key resources to be swiftly deployed while the size of the location enables potential risks to be isolated from other areas.

According to Flightradar24 data, the 787 departed the capital of Kenya at 09:18 local time, after a 13-minute delay. The aircraft was flying at 17,000 over the English Channel before descending as it traveled north along the east coast of Kent. The aircraft continued to descend along the North Sea coast and began flying over Essex. The twinjet continued its descent onto Stansted, arriving at its designated stand by 14:52 local time.

More on the aircraft

5Y-KZG is the registration of the aircraft involved in the incident. The plane, nicknamed Magical Kenya, arrived at the Kenya Airways’ facilities in April 2015, new from Boeing’s facilities in Charleston. The eight-year-old has had a busy week, flying to the likes of Dubai, Guangzhou, Johannesburg, and Paris over the last week.

The aircraft forms a fleet of nine 787s in the carrier’s holdings. According to ch-aviation, the operator also holds two 737-300s, eight 737-800s, and 13 Embraer E190s.

Source: Simple flying

The Democratic Republic of Congo has plans in motion for the establishment of a second national airline, Air Congo.

While Congo Airways recently suspended its flights due to financial troubles, the government has unveiled plans to establish a second national airline, Air Congo, in collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines Group. This strategic move aims to revitalize the country’s aviation sector, but questions remain about how the two airlines will coexist.

Congo Airways, the country’s first national airline, took off eight years ago with grand ambitions of serving destinations across Africa. However, it faced turbulence on its journey, culminating in the suspension of its flights in September due to financial challenges. The nation’s Transport Minister cited issues such as a “wrong business model,” “non-transparent administration,” and “inappropriate pricing structures” as key factors contributing to this crisis.

Nonetheless, President Félix Tshisekedi’s government remained steadfast in its commitment to enhancing the nation’s aviation capabilities. In mid-September, the decision was made to establish a second national airline, Air Congo, a concept that had been under consideration for two years, reports Politico. This venture comes with a notable partner, Ethiopian Airlines Group, a renowned player in the African aviation space. Ethiopian Airlines Group is set to provide financial support as well as invaluable expertise to ensure the success of Air Congo.

The government has set an ambitious timeline, aiming to prepare Air Congo for applying for its air operator’s certificate (AOC) within five months. Importantly, the government has expressed its intention that the establishment of Air Congo should not come at the expense of Congo Airways.

However, the specifics of how these two airlines will coexist and differentiate themselves in the market are yet to be revealed. Two years ago, Air Congo was envisioning a fleet of seven aircraft, indicating its aspiration for a robust presence in the skies.

Source: Airspace-Africa.

Low-cost carrier Jambojet says it has taken a 54 percent domestic air market share after it flew 779,000 passengers since January, marking a 23 percent increase compared to 559,830 in a similar period last year.

According to the airline, the achievement was met as a result of increasing flight frequencies across key routes to meet growing demand, especially during the peak seasons which are centered around the school calendar.

Jambojet competitors in the local market include its parent firm Kenya Airways, Mombasa Air Safari, Safarilink Aviation, Fly ALS, and AirKenya Express.

KQ launched Jambojet in April 2014, making a return to the regional low-cost carrier market, a decade after folding its former low-priced unit Flamingo Airlines in 2004.

Jambojet operates various routes with daily frequencies between Nairobi and Mombasa (nine times), Kisumu (five times), Eldoret (four or five times), Malindi (three or four times), Diani (two or three times), and Lamu (once daily). The airline also operates four weekly flights to Goma in the DRC from Nairobi and offers daily direct flights between Mombasa and Kisumu and Eldoret.

Jambojet’s competitors in the local market include its parent firm Kenya Airways, Mombasa Air Safari, Safarilink Aviation, Fly ALS, and AirKenya Express.

KQ launched Jambojet in April 2014, making a return to the regional low-cost carrier market, a decade after folding its former low-priced unit Flamingo Airlines in 2004.

Jambojet operates various routes with daily frequencies between Nairobi and Mombasa (nine times), Kisumu (five times), Eldoret (four or five times), Malindi (three or four times), Diani (two or three times), and Lamu (once daily). The airline also operates four weekly flights to Goma in the DRC from Nairobi and offers daily direct flights between Mombasa and Kisumu and Eldoret.

Source: businessdailyafrica.

Kenya Airways (KQ) is set to enhance its service to the United Kingdom, specifically London, by introducing an expanded flight schedule starting from the end of October 2023. The airline’s strategic move aims to meet the rising demand for travel on this route, offering passengers increased options for convenience and flexibility.

Beginning at the end of October, Kenya Airways will double its daily flights to London, resulting in a total of two long-haul flights per day. This significant increase will raise the weekly flights between Nairobi and London from the current ten to a total of fourteen, a development that has been warmly received by the airline’s clients.

Passengers traveling to the United Kingdom with Kenya Airways will now have the choice between a morning flight, identified as KQ 100, and an evening flight, designated as KQ 102. This expanded selection of flight times is expected to cater to diverse traveler preferences, ensuring a more tailored and convenient experience for customers.

KQ100 will be departing from Nairobi every morning, while the KQ102 aircraft will be taking off for London in the evening on a daily basis. This scheduling adjustment is poised to facilitate increased passenger movement between Kenya and the United Kingdom, aligning with Kenya Airways’ commitment to meeting the needs of its discerning passengers.

To accommodate this expanded service, Kenya Airways will deploy the state-of-the-art B787 Boeing Dreamliner on the Nairobi-London route. This aircraft selection will result in a weekly total of 14 flights, a significant increase from the current 10 flights per week.

The decision to add these extra flights highlights the airline’s dedication to addressing the growing demand for travel on this route, driven by a variety of factors, including market demand and passenger preferences.

Kenya Airways has been diligently serving passengers traveling to London for various purposes, including business, leisure, trade, and education. With the introduction of these additional flights, the airline is poised to further solidify its position as a key player in the air travel industry, providing enhanced accessibility and options for travelers between Nairobi and London.

This strategic move follows the airline’s resumption of daily flights to New York in December 2022, marking its proactive response to the evolving landscape of air travel in the wake of the challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Source: Switch Tv