Uganda Airlines Flight UR 720 departed Entebbe at 10am local time on September 25, 2024 on its maiden flight to Lusaka, Zambia and Harare, Zimbabwe, marking the 15th and 16th destinations in the airline’s network, just two weeks after the airline added Abuja to its Lagos service.
Harare and Lusaka will be served four times a week, marking the first time in 23 years that the two capitals will be served by a direct flight from Uganda. Uganda Airlines’ entry is a potential disruptor for competitors Ethiopian Airways, Kenya Airways and RwandAir, which have been feeding off connecting traffic from Entebbe to various points in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
RwandAir flies to Harare and Lusaka, while KQ and Ethiopian fly several times a day to Harare and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Lusaka and Livingstone in Zambia.
The two destinations generate significant business travel to Uganda and visits from friends and relatives, while Uganda Airlines is also counting on them to provide connecting traffic for its flights to India, Dubai and later London, which officials say will be launched before the end of the year.
“We are happy to return to the capitals of Zambia and Zimbabwe, countries whose history and culture are closely linked to Uganda. These two destinations, which expand options for travel between East Africa and Southern Africa, demonstrate our commitment to increase travel options for Africans by providing safe affordable and reliable air transport services to connect the continent,” said Jenifer Bamuturaki, the CEO of Uganda Airlines.
