Entebbe Airport records increased passenger traffic

Entebbe Airport. The growth in traffic, according to data, is explained by an increase in job opportunities for Ugandans in the diaspora coupled with increased international conferences hosted in the country. File photo 

In Summary

• Imports on the other hand, he said, have various alternative modes of transport such as... road and water that come at a cheaper cost for non-perishables.
• The growth in traffic, according to data, is explained by an increase in job opportunities for Ugandans in the diaspora coupled with increased international conferences hosted in the country.

By Christine Kasemiire

Despite multiple turbulence in the aviation industry, Entebbe Internal Airport is registering increasing traffic in passengers and cargo.

Data from Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) indicate the aggregate number of passengers landing at Entebbe Airport were 1.3m as at August 2019 from 1.2m during the same period last year.

The total number of international passengers, according to CAA, as of August was 1,166,792. Inland passengers stood at 18,192 in the period.
Passengers who made stopovers at Entebbe Airport but later proceeded to their destination were 118,108.
Uganda, according to the data exports more cargo than it imports through air transport.

Over 28,971 tonnes of cargo was moved in the first eight months of the year compared to 13,831 tonnes imported through the airport in the same period.
During the same function on which KLM celebrated 100 years, Ms Lukia Otema, airlines’ country manager, said KLM has over the years seen an increase in movements within and out of Uganda.

“The market is doing well. We started with only three flights but now we have daily flights,” she said, noting that cargo business has exponentially grown since most Ugandans export fresh and perishable produce.
Mr Vianney Luggya, the CAA manager public affairs, said the variation between exports and imports through the air transport is explained by increased export of fresh produce such as fish and flowers.

Imports on the other hand, he said, have various alternative modes of transport such as road and water that come at a cheaper cost for non-perishables.
The growth in traffic, according to data, is explained by an increase in job opportunities for Ugandans in the diaspora coupled with increased international conferences hosted in the country.
The aviation industry has this year felt multiple shocks following the clash of Boeing planes.

Learning from

Mr Waiswa Bageya, the Works and Transport permanent secretary, lauded KLM for the dedicated service, saying there was something right that the airline was doing which other airlines should learn from.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com