A Uganda Airlines plane. PHOTO/HANDOUT
Uganda’s national carrier, the Uganda Airlines, yesterday made its long-haul 8,791 kilometres direct flight from Uganda to the UK, breaking an 11-year wait, following the departure of British Airways in 2015. The state-of-the-art Airbus A330-800neo departed Entebbe International Airport at 9.25am for Gatwick International Airport and landed in UK at around 7pm.
The Uganda Airline will travel every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday between Entebbe and London. The nine hours of the national carrier’s direct flight time will now save travellers several hours that have been used in connecting flights that would take between 12 and 21 hours via various destinations across Kenya, Ethiopia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
Prior to the takeoff at the weekend, the British High Commissioner to Uganda, Ms Lisa Chesney, who was eagerly looking forward to the flight, said the historic flight is not only about connecting the two countries (UK and Uganda) but also connecting their people.
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In terms of business, Ms Chesney described the historic direct flight as a “win-win” for their citizens. “I am on the countdown to the maiden flight between Entebbe and Gatwick, and I am so excited. It’s very early, and I will be starting my day with a very strong cup of Ugandan coffee. One thing that I’m really excited about, the flight’s not a convenience, it’s not just about the time, the reduction in time it takes to get to the UK. It’s about a connection. It’s about a connection between the UK and Uganda. It’s a connection between our people. It means that on both sides people have got an opportunity to see friends and family that they love more often,” Ms Chesney said. “…I see this really as a win-win, both for the UK and Uganda. So for British businesses, I think they’re getting excited about faster access, better access to East African markets. And for our Ugandan exporters, for our Ugandan farmers, it means access to, I think, one of the most sophisticated consumer economies in the world,” she added.
Ms Chesney was also optimistic that the direct flights would lead to a boom in fruit and vegetable sales on the Ugandan side. “I am a big fan of Ugandan avocados and pineapples. And I would say the UK is a major market, a major consumer market for agricultural produce. So I think there’s a huge opportunity essentially for Ugandan products there because... Uganda supplies really only a portion of that right now,” the High Commissioner said.
“So there’s about 8.7 million pounds of fruit and vegetables from Uganda at the moment and just more than 2.8 million, I think, on the coffee side. So I think the direct route can really help us scale that up. For British consumers, I think there is a potential for them to access fresher, more diverse produce, potentially even lower cost on their supermarket shelves, and for our Ugandan farmers and our exporters, it’s the chance for integration and the chance to be really a regular supplier to a high value market,” she added.
Showcasing Uganda
Similarly, Ms Jennifer Bamuturaki, the chief executive officer of Uganda Airlines, described the maiden direct flight as a game changer that would usher in networking. “It’s a game changer for us because it brings a different view to the network. We look forward to welcoming our guests aboard Uganda Airlines on our first flight to London. And we’re excited to be able to offer this direct service from Entebbe to London, more so because we’ve been working on this for over five years, and here we are, finally. We are ready to take you without any intermediary point, direct into Gatwick,” Ms Bamuturaki said.
“We are looking forward to showcasing our country on board before you touch down in Entebbe. The preparations, the readiness that we have at the airline are exceptional. We can’t wait to showcase right from check-in, to when you come on board, our crew, our pilots, our engineers, everybody at check-in, the passenger team,” she added.
Inquiries pour in
Mr Maurice Ongwech, the manager of cargo and logistics of the national carrier, said they have had a lot of traffic from customers, inquiring about the flights following the announcement that there would be a direct flight, He revealed that KK Foods would be exporting 10 tonnes of hot pepper to London every week.
“From the announcement that we are commencing our London flights with a direct flight, nine hours from Entebbe into London Gatwick, we have had so much traffic in terms of inquiries from customers, calls for bookings, and with some customers actually looking to take the entire space that we had on offer. “This company (KK Foods) is projecting to have 10 tonnes of chili [hot pepper] every week.. We are projecting to triple the sweet potatoes, and we want to have on every flight 10 tonnes of each product,” he added. Mr Amos Wekesa, the CEO of Great Lakes Safaris, said the direct flight between the two countries has opened doors for tourism.
Tourism boost
“So many of the tour operators in the UK are also excited about the route and they want to send more tourists. Now you can just leave London in the morning on a Sunday, do a trip for seven hours, and fly back on a Monday without losing time connecting through other countries,” he said.
Mr Adedayo Olawu, the chief commercial officer, Uganda Airlines, revealed that they had, prior to the flight, sold more than 3,000 air tickets, which go up to next year in summer and even December. He said the management made the right decision to take up the long-haul flight. “People have started to buy tickets for their summer vacation. People are buying tickets for December. People in the diaspora, especially those who are planning to come home for December. Tickets all the way to 2026. And we’ve seen a very good uptake of the service that we will be offering on this route.
The Chief Commercial Officer of Uganda Airlines, Mr Adedayo Olawu (left) welcomes a passenger aboard the flight at Entebbe airport on May 18, 2025. PHOTO/COURTESY
The London route for Uganda Airlines is a game changer,” Mr Adedayo said. “The one thing we’ve seen from the forward loads already is that we were very right in considering connections for the flight. So we’ve seen a lot of connections. So we are not just serving the London market, we are also serving all the other destinations that we fly as a network,” he added. Uganda, renowned as the Pearl of Africa, is celebrated for its breathtaking landscapes, rich wildlife, vibrant cultures, and unique tourism offerings. The UK has long been a key source market for visitors to Uganda, and this direct connection is poised to enhance the travel experience, making it easier for British tourists to explore the country’s natural wonders.
The convenience
Mr Adedayo said Gatwick operations would be flying into the South Terminal, which has a train station, and it’s just a two-minute walk. “So on our service to London we are able to take you to Gatwick and within 20 minutes you are in the centre of London and close to wherever is your final destination within London,” he said.
Dr James Kaniche, the CEO of KK Fresh Projects Exporters Ltd, said the direct flight without stopovers would minimise the handling and interference of their fresh exports to the UK. He said his fresh products would be arriving in the UK on the same day of departure. “From the point of loading, the next point of unloading is at the destination rather than at a transit location. We hope it is going to change this equation because the goods will be arriving within the same day, in nine hours from Entebbe. It has been taking more than 20 hours. So it will reduce, at least the time of arrival, will enhance the freshness of produce,” he said.
Other destinations for Uganda Airlines include Harare, Lusaka, Nairobi, Lagos, Abuja, Mumbai, Juba, Mogadishu, Kinshasa, Mombasa, Bujumbura, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, and Johannesburg. The Accra route is set to be the next after the London one.
Uganda-uk exports at a glance
Uganda’s key exports to the UK include agricultural products such as coffee, bananas, and vegetables, as well as minerals and other related goods. In 2023, trade between the two countries reached £556 million (Shs2.7 trillion), with coffee, bananas, and tea among the top exports. The introduction of direct flights by Uganda Airlines is expected to further streamline cargo transport and improve market access for these products.
Total UK exports to Uganda amounted to £483 million (about Shs2.3 trillion) in 2024 (a decrease of 38.1 percent or £297 million, compared to 2023. Total UK imports from Uganda amounted to £123 million (about Shs593.5 billion) in 2024 (a decrease of 9.6 percent or £13 million in current prices, compared to 2023.
At least 13,000 tourists from the UK visit Uganda annually, according to data from the Uganda Tourism Board. Data from the UK Department of Trade and Commerce indicate that total trade in goods and services (exports and imports) between the UK and Uganda was £606 million (about Shs2.9 trillion in 2024. Source: UK Department of Trade and Commerce
About carrier
Uganda Airlines is the national carrier of Uganda, providing international scheduled air services across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and now Europe. Since commencing commercial operations in August 2019, the airline has earned a reputation for its young, modern, and efficient fleet. It has been honoured with the Ch-Aviation Youngest Aircraft Fleet Award in the World for five consecutive years, reflecting its commitment to excellence and innovation in aviation.
