Uganda Airlines makes maiden landing in Abuja
Uganda Airlines made its maiden landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, Nigeria, marking the beginning of direct flights from Entebbe.
The aircraft, UR900, which left Entebbe International Airport in Uganda at around 4:30 pm, touched down at 6:22 pm Nigerian time. Uganda is two hours ahead of Nigeria.
Shortly after landing, as is customary in civil aviation, a water cannon salute was performed. A water cannon salute is a practice commonly used to celebrate milestones such as the commencement of a new route, the addition of new aircraft to a fleet, or the retirement of a pilot.
Speaking to the media, Uganda's State Minister for Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, said that launching the Abuja route fulfilled a promise made by Uganda last year when they launched the Lagos route.
"Today, I come here on behalf of the Republic of Uganda to fulfill a debt we took last year. You know, when you make a promise, it becomes a debt," the minister said.
"We are here, the Republic of Uganda, to pay the debt we promised when we were in Lagos last October. We committed that within one year, we would launch the Abuja route."
He also expressed gratitude to the Nigerian people for the warm reception.
Regarding the benefits of the direct flight from Uganda to Abuja, the minister said it would reduce travel time by half and promote economic development between the two countries, among other advantages.
Mr Nelson Ocheger, Uganda's Ambassador to Nigeria, also highlighted the benefits of the direct flights, noting that it would reduce transportation costs and cut travel time to just three and a half hours, as opposed to over ten hours previously.
He further emphasieed the growing volume of trade between the two countries.
"Additionally, it will facilitate the movement of cargo between Uganda and Nigeria. As the volume of trade increases, our people will be the beneficiaries," Ambassador Ocheger said.
The launch of flights to Nigeria's administrative capital comes just one year after Uganda Airlines began services to Lagos, Nigeria's commercial hub.
The new flights, which will complement the existing service to Lagos, will be available on Thursdays and Sundays and will operate using the flagship Airbus A330-800 neo aircraft.
Uganda Airlines' new service is crucial as it bridges the connectivity gap between Africa's most populous nation and East Africa.
Travelers from Nigeria's central, northern, and northeastern regions will be able to seamlessly connect to destinations such as Nairobi, Dar-es-Salaam, Mombasa, Mogadishu, Mumbai, and Dubai.
