The Airlink Embraer E-190 finally landed at the Entebbe International Airport at on Sunday afternoon officially inaugurating the Johannesburg-Entebbe route.
The launch was originally scheduled for July 2021 but was postponed because of the Covid19 pandemic that caused both countries; Uganda and South Africa, to temporarily instigate tight travel restrictions.
Airlink is an independent Southern African based airline with 60 routes across the world and with over 45 destinations, including Uganda now, and interlines with other airlines like Air France, Qatar Airways, British Airways and Emirates among others, noted Mr. Duke Morosi, an Executive representative of the airline.
According to the chief guest, State Minister for Transport, Hon. Fred Byamukama, Airlink’s partnership with Uganda comes at a time when the government aviation strategy is to gear Uganda’s geographical location to become a regional transit hub for air transport, making the country compete successfully for economic and social growth opportunities.
Partnerships like this therefore foster the development of an air transport network connecting Uganda to all major cities in the world.
Airlink CEO, Rodger Foster certifies Entebbe as being strategically positioned for access to the Eastern African Community nations and the Great Lakes which represent significant markets.
The flights on this new route, which will operate twice weekly, will strengthen domestic and regional networks to and from various South African destinations promoting economic activities, reviving and boosting the tourism industries of not only Uganda and South Africa but Southern and Eastern Africa as a whole.
The Representative for the Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Samuel Oneko recognized air transport as the safest mode of transport and a key driver of worldwide socio-economic development.
The launch of Airlink in Uganda means a lot to the future of the development of Uganda and other economies in the region because the influence of aviation on pertinent sectors like tourism, agriculture, oil and gas cannot be underestimated.
While passenger traffic reduced by almost half in 2020 owing to the impact of Covid19 on air transport operations, there has been an increase in cargo volumes registered since 2020.
More operators like Airlink therefore, means an increase in passenger traffic and cargo volumes, which is why Uganda has embraced the liberalization of air transport.
The High Commissioner for South Africa in Uganda noted this launch as the dawn of a strong working relationship between the two countries.