Uganda Airlines veut démarrer ses vols vers Guangzhou (Chine) à la date symbolique du 18 octobre
Everything is almost complete for the start of Uganda Airlines' commercial operations in China. The Ugandan flag carrier has set Tuesday 18 October as the date for its inaugural flight to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
"We are well ahead of schedule in launching the service to Guangzhou. We can now say with confidence that on October 18, the inaugural flight will take off," Regina Tebasiima, the acting commercial director, told Airinsight.
The choice of date is not inopportune. October 18 is the date of the celebration of 60 years of diplomatic relations between Uganda and China. It was on 18 October 1962, nine days after Uganda declared independence, that China established diplomatic relations with this East African country.
For the time being, 1 weekly flight is planned, and due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, still in force in China, the number of passengers on board will be limited to 60% of the aircraft's load factor to be operated. Uganda Airlines will line up its A330-800neo fleet (2 aircraft) on this corridor between Entebbe and Guangzhou. The aircraft can accommodate up to 261 passengers, including 20 passengers in First Class, 28 in Business Class, and 213 in Economy Class.
"The direct flights to Guangzhou will boost trade between Uganda and China. It will also strengthen efforts to tap into the Chinese tourism market. It is clear that the government understood the frustrations of the tourism sector when it decided to re-launch the airline," Uganda Airlines spokesperson Shakila Rahim Lamar told a local television station.
The volume of trade between the two countries in 2021 amounted to $1.07 billion, recording an increase of 28.5%. By the end of 2020, China's direct investment stock in Uganda had reached US$710 million, according to the Chinese embassy in Uganda. Chinese investments are mainly concentrated in manufacturing, agriculture, mining and logistics, among others.
Outside Africa, Uganda Airlines already serves Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The airline also has traffic rights to London. It could be launched by March 2023, says Regina Tebasiima. In October 2021, the Ugandan flagship landed in the US for the first time on a charter flight.
