Uganda Airlines has made history by launching its maiden direct flight to Mecca, the holy city of Islam, for Hajj pilgrims. The national carrier transported 250 pilgrims on June 19 aboard its Airbus A330 aircraft.
The flag-off ceremony was held at Entebbe International Airport and was attended by dignitaries such as the Minister of Works and Transport Gen. Katumba Wamala, the Ambassador of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Uganda Sheikh Jamal Al – Madani, the third Deputy Prime Minister Ms Rukia Isanga Nakadama, and Muslim leaders.
Gen. Katumba Wamala said that the direct flights will ease the movement and reduce the inconveniences for Ugandan pilgrims who intend to make the trip to Mecca every year. He said that in the past, the pilgrims had to go through transit routes, sometimes through Khartoum, which caused delays and difficulties.
Sheikh Muhammad Ali Waisswa, the second deputy Mufti of Uganda, expressed his gratitude to the government and the airline for enabling many Ugandans to perform Hajj, especially the elderly and the unwell. He said that Uganda used to take many pilgrims to Mecca in the 1970s, but this stopped due to various challenges.
Ms Jenifer Bamuturaki, the Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Airlines, said that this is the first time in 40 years that the national carrier has performed the holy operation. She said that the airline has an operator’s permit valid till July 2023 and plans to start scheduled flights to Jeddah three times a week in September.
She said that the airline has already set up a sales organization in Saudi Arabia and is working with various stakeholders to launch the flights. She said that the airline expects to transport the pilgrims back to Uganda after Hajj.
The Airbus A330 is one of the latest additions to Uganda Airlines’ fleet and has a capacity of 258 passengers. It is equipped with state-of-the-art features such as lie-flat beds, inflight entertainment systems, and Wi-Fi connectivity.
The launch of direct flights to Mecca is part of Uganda Airlines’ expansion strategy to connect Uganda with various destinations in Africa and beyond. The airline also operates flights to Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Mogadishu, Bujumbura and Juba.