Uganda Airlines has successfully secured a coveted route to London Gatwick, marking a significant milestone in its strategic expansion plans.
Last month, a delegation from Uganda Airlines led by CEO Jenifer Bamuturaki undertook a significant trip to the UK, and engaged in extensive discussions with UK aviation authorities, sought to build relationships with the British business community, and connected with the Ugandan diaspora residing in the UK.
This series of meetings aimed to fortify the airline’s strategic objectives, ensure compliance with UK aviation regulations, foster potential business collaborations, and strengthen ties with Ugandans abroad.
Just one week after the trip, the Uganda High Commission in London announced that a direct route from Entebbe to London had been secured by Uganda’s national carrier.
“A team from Uganda Airlines led by the CEO Ms Jenifer Bamuturaki, was in the UK from 11 – 15 June 2024 for meetings with UK aviation authorities, the business community and the Uganda Diaspora in preparation for the upcoming launch of direct flights between Entebbe – London,” the Uganda High Commission in London announced.
This development not only enhances the airline’s connectivity with one of Europe’s major aviation hubs but also signals its intent to penetrate and capitalize on the lucrative European market.
Uganda Airlines had secured slots for departures and landings at London Heathrow Airport following the acquisition of its two Airbus A330-800 Neo aircraft in December 2020 and February 2021. Despite this achievement, the national carrier has yet to initiate any flights to the UK. The delay in launching flights to the United Kingdom and, by extension, the broader European region—regulated by the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority and the European Aviation Safety Agency was caused by the outdated certification status of the Entebbe International Airport.
This setback originated from unresolved matters highlighted during the 2014 audit by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.
The audit identified several critical areas requiring attention, including legislation, organizational structure, licensing, operations, airworthiness, accident investigation procedures, air navigation services, and aerodrome management. Due to these unresolved issues, Uganda Airlines has been unable to commence operations to the UK.
Further complicating matters, reports suggested that the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) did not promptly update its certification with the ICAO. This failure to maintain up-to-date certification has contributed significantly to the delay, affecting Uganda Airlines’ ability to expand its services to the European market.
On a positive note, Entebbe International Airport is now certified by ICAO.
The international audit on the airport was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of Uganda’s safety oversight systems in compliance with the ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices.
On September 18, 2023, ICAO’s Lead Auditor issued the preliminary results for Uganda with a score of 72.17%. The results indicated an overall improvement in the safety performance of the state of Uganda, ranking the state above the regional/Eastern and Southern Africa region average of 55.66% and global average of 67.68%.
The Minister of State for Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama said the 72.1% score is a vote of confidence in Uganda’s aviation sector.
“The audit score is a vote of confidence in Uganda’s aviation safety system, which shows the entire international Aviation community that the country complies with ICAO standards,” he said.
The 72.17% score was reached at after an assessment of Uganda’s effective implementation of the eight critical elements of the State Safety Oversight System as well as the status of compliance with the ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices in the eight audit areas, which included Primary Legislation, Organization, Personnel Licensing, Flight Operations, Airworthiness, Aircraft Accident Investigation, Air Navigation Services, and Aerodrome and Ground Aids.
By establishing a new route to London, Uganda Airlines aims to tap into a broader passenger base and facilitate greater economic and cultural exchanges between Uganda and Europe. The move is expected to boost tourism, business travel, and trade, thereby fostering stronger bilateral ties.
In 2022, Lord Popat, a Conservative Peer at the House of Lords who also doubles as UK Trade Envoy for Uganda and Rwanda told President Museveni that trade between Uganda and the UK would have blossomed if Uganda Airlines commenced direct flights to London.
Total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) between the UK and Uganda was £307 million in the four quarters to the end of Q4 2023, a decrease of 26.2% or £109 million from the four quarters to the end of Q4 2022.
The Total UK exports to Uganda amounted to £215 million in the four quarters to the end of Q4 2023 (a decrease of 35.4% or £118 million compared to the four quarters to the end of Q4 2022).
Total UK imports from Uganda amounted to £92 million in the four quarters to the end of Q4 2023 (an increase of 10.8% or £9 million compared to the four quarters to the end of Q4 2022). Uganda was the UK’s 122nd largest trading partner in the four quarters to the end of Q4 2023 accounting for less than 0.1% of total UK trade.
In 2021, the outward stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) from the UK in Uganda was £27 million.
Of all UK exports to Uganda in the four quarters to the end of Q4 2023, £55 million (25.6%) were goods and £160 million (74.4%) were services. In the four quarters to the end of Q4 2023, UK exports of goods to Uganda changed by less than £1 million in current prices, compared to the four quarters to the end of Q4 2022 while UK exports of services to Uganda decreased by 42.4% or £118 million compared to the four quarters to the end of Q4 2022.
Of all UK imports from Uganda in the four quarters to the end of Q4 2023, £13 million (14.1%) were goods and £79 million (85.9%) were services. In the same period, UK imports of goods from Uganda increased by 8.3% or £1 million, compared to the four quarters to the end of Q4 2022 while UK imports of services from Uganda increased by 11.3% or £8 million compared to the four quarters to the end of Q4 2022.
This means the UK reported a total trade surplus of £123 million with Uganda, compared to a trade surplus of £250 million in the four quarters to the end of Q4 2022. In the four quarters to the end of Q4 2023, the UK had a trade in goods surplus of £42 million with Uganda, compared to a trade in goods surplus of £43 million in the four quarters to the end of Q4 2022.
Meanwhile, in the four quarters to the end of Q4 2023 the UK reported a trade in services surplus of £81 million with Uganda, compared to a trade in services surplus of £207 million in the four quarters to the end of Q4 2022.
Uganda Airlines’ move to launch direct flights to London is expected to boost tourism, business travel, and trade, thereby fostering stronger bilateral ties.
This comes at a time when Uganda’s tourism sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience and recovery from effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which brought the sector to its knees.
Uganda’s international tourist arrivals reached 1,274,210 visitors in 2023, up 56.5 percent from 2022 (814,508), according to the tourism industry performance report 2023.
The report shows that 82.6% of international tourists that visited Uganda in 2019 have returned.
However, total recovery is projected to be achieved by end of 2024.
The growth registered in 2023 was largely driven by increase in arrivals from Mainland Africa, and growth in the country’s traditional overseas source markets such as UK, USA and India.
“Destination Uganda is still grappling with the challenge of growing the overseas market. The overseas share shrunk by 1 percentage point from 12% in 2022 to 11% in 2023 while that for Africa rose by the same margin,” the report reads.
It is worth noting that this is the most critical bracket as overseas tourists are generally high spenders (High value markets) and thus contribute significantly to foreign exchange earnings.
Uganda Airlines’ direct flights to the UK will make Uganda more accessible to European travelers, increasing tourist inflows. This influx is expected to stimulate local businesses, including hotels, tour operators, and cultural sites, generating revenue and creating jobs.
Additionally, improved air links will promote Uganda’s unique attractions, such as its national parks and wildlife, to a broader audience. This strategic move will not only diversify Uganda’s tourism market but also strengthen its global tourism profile.
Uganda Airlines’ decision to begin direct flights to Europe follows closely on the heels of its recent expansions into Asia and West Africa. On October 7, 2023, the airline launched its direct route to Mumbai, India’s financial hub which it serves three times a week. This new service, which was initially promised two years prior, marks Uganda Airlines’ 12th destination and its second outside the African continent.
Subsequently, Uganda Airlines expanded further by launching direct flights to Lagos, Nigeria.
Currently, the airline operates a comprehensive network, offering flights to Dubai, Johannesburg, Bujumbura, Nairobi, Mombasa, Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Juba, Kinshasa, Mogadishu, Mumbai, and Lagos.
