South African Airways to drop one Entebbe flight
Troubled South African Airways (SAA) has reduced the frequency of its flights to Uganda from 7 to 6 flights a week effective October 29
What you need to know:
- Flights to Luanda (Angola) will be reduced from 7 to 4 per week and the aircraft type down gauged and Kinshasa (DRC) from 6 to 5 per week.
Kampala. Troubled South African Airways (SAA) has reduced the frequency of its flights to Uganda from 7 to 6 flights a week effective October 29.
There had been speculation that the airline plans to cancel flights to Entebbe.
SAA country manager for Uganda Yogi Birigwa, in an interview with Daily Monitor, reiterated the airline’s commitment to the route saying it is not true. “We are only reducing one frequency,“ she said.
“Contrary to speculation in the media, the Ugandan market remains important to us and SAA will maintain its presence there. We will adjust capacity to Entebbe from 7 to 6 flights per week,” explained Mr Tlali Tlali, the spokesperson, in a statement issued by the airline.
Flight will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, Friday, Saturday and Sunday-two flights.
Currently the airline operates on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays Saturday and Sunday- two flights.
According to Business Live Newspaper, SAA owes nearly R7bn (Shs1.8 trillion) in debt and was recently ordered to pay back R1.9bn (Shs506b) to Citibank by September 30‚ just two months after receiving a state bailout of R2.3bn (Shs612b) to pay back money owed to the Standard Chartered bank.
Other routes affected
Flights to Luanda (Angola) will be reduced from 7 to 4 per week and the aircraft type down gauged and Kinshasa (DRC) from 6 to 5 per week.
Flights to Brazzaville, Pointe Noir and Libreville with connections onward to Cotonou and Douala are under review. The airline is evaluating options to reduce operations or down gauge aircraft type.
