RwandAir starts Entebbe-Juba flights

A RwandAir jet readies for boarding at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. The airline was recently granted 5th freedom traffic rights to fly from Uganda to South Sudan. File 

By Job Bwire

In Summary

The development comes barely a month after CAA suspended the operations of Air Uganda because the airline could not meet the internationally recognised aviation standards.

Rwandan national carrier RwandAir begins Entebbe-Juba flights on Monday, August 4th following the recently granted 5th freedom traffic rights from Uganda to South Sudan by the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

“We are delighted to further strengthen our regional operations with the increase of frequency from Uganda to South Sudan and we hope this will serve as a key link for business and trade between the two countries”, said Mr. John Mirenge, RwandAir Chief Executive Officer. RwandAir will operate daily flights with a CRJ-900 and Boeing 737-700 aircraft with a two class service, business and economy.

The development comes barely a month after CAA suspended the operations of Air Uganda because the airline could not meet the internationally recognised aviation standards. On June 17, 2014, CAA withdrew Air Operator Certificates (AOC) for three airlines that were registered in Uganda and operating international flights and subsequently granted rights to other airlines like RwandAir and Ethiopian Airlines which are planning to establish flights on the routes that were previously covered by Air Uganda.

READ: Exclusive with CEO: Is Air Uganda dead?

Every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, Rwanda Air flights will depart Entebbe at 07:00am arriving Juba at 08:00am and return from Juba at 08:55am arriving Entebbe at 10:05am. On Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays flights will depart Entebbe at 3:35pm arriving in Juba at 4:45pm and returning from Juba at 5:30pm to arrive back in Entebbe at 6:40pm.

Mr. Jean Paul Nyirubutama, RwandAir’s Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer (COO) also added, “This new schedule, in addition to connecting Juba to Entebbe, will also provide it with seamless connections to the entire RwandAir network and in particular to Kigali, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Lagos, Accra, Dar es Salaam and Dubai.”