Air Uganda plans to start domestic flight services as the carrier marks four years of existence this month. Airline activity is picking up with the arrival of the major global players like Turkish, Delta and Qatar airlines at the Entebbe International Airport.
Kyle Haywood, the Air Uganda boss said plans were underway to acquire a new fleet of planes to explore the regional and national destinations in the next two years. He also revealed that the Aga Khan-owned airline has recorded a 17% increase in passenger traffic since its inception.
“Over the past four years, passengers have begun to get the right perception that we are here to stay. In order to reduce on fuel costs, cut wastage and increase efficiencies we are looking to get the right size and model of aircraft to operate in the East African region and nationally by 2013,” he told reporters at the Airlines Kampala head office.
The Airline is largely recognized as the national carrier after the collapse of Uganda Airlines in May 2001. Previous carriers, Alliance Air, Air Memphis, Africa one, and Victoria International Airlines went under due to financial woes.
Haywood explained that the airline is looking to improve its service to fliers along the Entebbe- Nairobi route and increase flight frequencies to Juba in south Sudan to consolidate its presence in the region.
“Currency depreciation and increases in inflation have reduced the disposable income of leisure fliers and increases in the costs of fuel have directly hit us, however, we are applying the lessons learnt from previous Airlines to steer forward,” he explained.
Haywood pointed out that that the arrival of large international airplanes will feed into the Airliners sales to boost the local economy through increased passenger traffic at Entebbe.
By Rafiki Adventures
No comments:
Post a Comment