Uganda Airlines launched its first-ever direct flight from Entebbe International Airport (EBB) to London Gatwick Airport (LGW),a major milestone in the national carrier’s regional and international expansion strategy.
The historic flight departed Entebbe at 10:15 AM local time and landed at Gatwick at 4:55 PM UK time.
The new route re-establishes direct air connectivity between Uganda and the United Kingdom after a decade-long lull and will boost bilateral ties with the United Kingdon. The nonstop service will operate four times a week — on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays — with same-day return flights from London.
Operated by the state-of-the-art Airbus A330-800neo, the route promises enhanced long-haul comfort, fuel efficiency, and an elevated travel experience.
Gen. Katumba Wamala, Uganda’s Minister of Works and Transport, emphasized the broader significance of the new route: “This is more than just an air route; it’s a bridge between Uganda and one of the world’s most important commercial, tourism, and diaspora hubs. This route opens new doors for trade, tourism, and investment. It means faster cargo delivery for our exporters, easier travel for our diaspora, and one more reason for the world to come and discover the Pearl of Africa,” he stated .
Uganda Airlines CEO Jenifer Bamuturaki, speaking at the launch event in Entebbe, highlighted the strategic importance of this new connection. “We are proud to be the first carrier to operate the Airbus A330- 800neo into London Gatwick and even prouder that this flight symbolises our commitment to sustainable aviation. On the return leg, we will operate with a blend of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and conventional Jet A-1 fuel, taking a meaningful step toward the industry’s Net Zero goals.
This achievement has been years in the making, meticulously planned, often challenged, but never abandoned. Today, we celebrate the successful culmination of those efforts.
At approximately 6,464 kilometers (or 3,360 nautical miles), London is now the longest route in our network. The average flight time will be around 9 hours and 30 minutes. Though current routings are slightly longer, we hope for more optimal tracks in the near future. From an operational perspective, this longer sector allows us to fully utilise the capabilities of our A330-800neo fleet,” Bamuturaki stated
The launch coincides with deepening trade and tourism relations between Uganda and the UK. According to the British High Commission in Kampala, Uganda’s exports to the UK over the past five years have totaled UGX 11.2 trillion (£2.3 billion), while total bilateral trade reached UGX 4.2 trillion (£860 million) in 2023.
Tourism officials also hailed the development as a boost to Uganda’s international appeal. The UK remains one of Uganda’s largest source markets for tourists. With easier access to attractions such as mountain gorillas and the source of the Nile, the direct flight is expected to spur a surge in visitor arrivals and related revenue.
Gabriel Semelas, President of Airbus Africa and the Middle East, lauded Uganda Airlines’ milestone: The launch is a key step in realizing the vision behind Uganda Airlines’ 2015 revival — to establish efficient, world-class air links and position Uganda as a hub for regional and global travel.
Uganda Airlines Executives also dismissed allegations on social media that there was corruption in their Cargo handling department. “This is not true. All Airlines use contracted agents across the globe to conduct cargo sales and represent airline interests where the Airline does not have physical presence.
Space allocation on every flight is on first-come-first served basis. Uganda Airlines does not have any Block space agreement with any exporter as is being alleged. Block space is used to guarantee minimum load per flight, but we don’t use that as our space is limited to about 20tons only per flight. Our 1st flight had 22.4 tons of cargo from 5 different exporters. We rejected Block space agreements as we are here to serve the entire market, ” the explained .
