Tourism Uganda (TU) and regional carrier Eagle Air are set to start air services to principal tourist attractions in Uganda, officials have said.

Eagle Air Managing Director Tony Rubombora said in a statement recently that the development would ease access to areas such as Kidepo National Park, which are difficult to access by road. Rubombora claimed that he has received numerous requests from the tourism fraternity to help out in building sustainable air safaris in Uganda.

He said his company has sent a proposal to TU management that will require input from the industry to make the schedules viable. According to the plan, Eagle Air will use Pakuba in Murchison Falls National Park as a core from which circuits to Kidepo and Mweya in the Southwest can be inflated.

Rubombora said lack of scheduled flights to tourist sites has made Uganda an expensive destination, primarily because tourists have had to use chartered flights to these places.
However, a rolling plan to upgrade the other airfields from grass and gravel surfaces could also reduce maintenance costs for operators, Rubombora said. Launched 12 years ago, Eagle Air is one of the leading domestic airlines in Uganda with scheduled services to Arua, Moyo, Gulu, and Kitgum and an occasional diversion to Kidepo. It also flies to Juba and Yei in Southern Sudan as well as Bunia in DR Congo.

Rubombora also urged the Civil Aviation Authority to waiver user and navigation fees for domestic operators. Besides Entebbe Airport, only Kasese, Kisoro and Gulu airfields have tarmac surfaces.

BY Namisi


Uganda Safari News