Qatar Airways to enter Uganda
Qatar Airlways is focusing on Uganda as a growing destination with a lot of potential. AGENCIES PHOTO
Doha-based airline Qatar Airways plans to launch flights to and from Entebbe International Airport in November this year, as part of its global expansion efforts. Mr Pritt Chibole, the commercial manager Qatar Airways in Uganda told Daily Monitor on Friday, that the airline will start daily flights to Entebbe from Doha and other destinations.
The launch of Qatar’s flights at Entebbe, will give Ugandan travellers another alternative airline to the Middle East, Europe and Asian destinations.
Ugandans currently fly to business destinations on the continents using Emirates, Kenya Airways, Turkish Airlines, British Airways and KLM-France.
The airline has expanded to Uganda because of its central location in East Africa and vibrant economy. “We have confidence in the Ugandan market that’s why we have decided to come here to operate daily,” Mr Chibole said in an interview.
Qatar Airways currently flies to Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa. But it also flies to South Africa, Seychelles, Nigeria, Sudan, and Egypt among other African states. Globally, the airline flies to 100 destinations in the world.
The entry of the airline is expected to tighten competition in the airline industry especially among the big boys like Emirates and Kenya Airways, making it more affordable to either travel or ship goods by air.
If commissioned, the airline will become the second to start services in Uganda after Turkish Airlines from Turkey, in the last 18 months.
Turkish businessmen toured Uganda this year to strengthen business ties with their counterparts in Uganda, as a result of its expansion in Uganda last year.
On Monday, Qatar launched expanded services to its European routes of Bulgaria strengthening its presence on the continent.
The airline is targeting to serve 120 destinations around the world by 2013.
