Saudia Airlines inaugurates direct flights from Riyadh to Uganda
Ugandans from different labour export companies boarding Saudia Airlines on Wednesday to go work in Saudi Arabia. PHOTO/EVE MUGANGA
What you need to know:
- The airline will operate two times a week, Monday and Wednesday- and take about 300 passengers in each flight.
Saudia Airlines, the newest airline on the Ugandan aviation network Wednesday inaugurated its first direct flight from Riyadh International Airport to Entebbe International Airport.
The flight landed at Uganda’s major airport at exactly 7am and was welcomed with the traditional water cannon salute.
“This is a big opportunity for especially Ugandans who have business in Saudi Arabia and also those going to work in United Arab Emirates countries. There will be no more transit delays. Direct flights will increase frequency of the airline into the country in order to serve the large demand and market opportunity Saudi travelers,” Mr Shafiq Ssentenza who spoke on behalf of the Saudia Airlines said.
The airline will operate two times a week, Monday and Wednesday- and take about 300 passengers in each flight.
“We have started our flights to Entebbe today with a full board of 300 passengers from Riyadh and also the return flight was fully booked,” Mr Ssenteza noted.
Welcoming Uganda’s 17th international air operator at Entebbe International Airport, the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) public affairs manager Mr Vianney Luggya said: “Whenever a new air operator joins the airspace, it gives confidence to the country’s air transport system.”
According to Mr Luggya, traffic growth at the facility was partially interrupted by the pandemic.
“While we had 1.98 million passengers in 2019, that number reduced in 2020 to about 600,000 passengers. In 2021, it slightly increased to 940,000 passengers. We had an average of 5000 daily passengers in 2019. In 2021, the average of passengers was 2500 per day but the number picked in December to 4000 passengers per day.” Mr Luggya reported.
Mr Luggya further observed that more operators joining Uganda’s airspace will accelerate air transport recovery.
"Passenger traffic to the Middle East in 2020 was about 21 percent of the total traffic in and out of Entebbe International Airport,” he said.
One of the passengers told this reporter that “the arrival of Saudia Airlines is a big opportunity.”
“We have been spending a lot of time in transit and it has been costly. With direct flights, Saudia Airlines has really come to our rescue,” Said Ms Milly Najjemba.
