Commercial Flights Increase At Entebbe Airport

Entebbe International Airport registers an increase in the number of commercial flights that land or leave its runways per day. It has an average of 48 in the months of January and February 2021.

This aviation ground recorded about 2838 aircraft movements in these two months. Before the pandemic, the airport used to handle about 89 movements per day.

Due to the Covid-19 virus, it reduced to an average of about 39 plane movements per day in 2020.

This outbreak impacted aviation operations worldwide. The commercial aircraft movements dropped from 32798 to 14437.

This is highlighted by Mr. Fred Bamwesigye, the Ag. Director-General Uganda Civil Aviation Authority.

He added: “Although at the beginning we allowed only one flight per airline per day since January 2021 two flights have been authorized per airline per day. Those with more clients have an opportunity to even increase the frequency.

Although initial plans indicated full resumption of operations in June 2021, this may be achieved earlier than expected time depending on the availability of passengers.

Therefore, we focus on ensuring confidence-building measures that will tempt passengers back to use air transport.”

Mr. Thomas James Kiggundu, the representative for board chairman Justice Stephen Kavuma said that the revenues from the industries have gone low since it’s converted from commercial passenger operations yet they were halted due to the pandemic.

Engineer Robert Kafeero Ssekitoleko, the chairperson of the parliamentary committee on physical infrastructure which oversees the activities of the ministry of works and transport revealed that the parliament endorsed over Shs149 billion in the year 2020/2021 for the expansion and renovation of Ebb Airport.

He added that as a committee of parliament there are required to follow up and see whether the funds appropriated did what it was supposed to do.

So far there is some work done. It includes the new cargo center, expansion of Apron 1, new fuel facility, and rehabilitation of runways.

Another work is the expansion of the departure lounge which is almost ready. ‘Mr. Ssekitoleko promised that the committee will appropriate more funds to gear up phase two construction works.