Air travel to Uganda’s West Nile region has received a major boost following the launch of scheduled passenger flights between Entebbe International Airport and Arua by Air Serv. The new service is expected to make travel to the region faster and easier while supporting tourism, trade, investment and business activities.Air Serv officially launched the scheduled flights on Saturday, August 1, introducing four flights every week from Entebbe to Arua.
According to the airline’s Director for Marketing and Client Care, Robinah Nalumu, the flights will operate every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.The service has started with a Dassault aircraft operated by Captain James Lwanga. Nalumu said the airline plans to introduce additional aircraft in September, which will allow it to increase its scheduled operations.“We have been and continue to run chartered flight operations to South Sudan courtesy of the World Food Programme,” Nalumu said, adding that the additional fleet would help strengthen the airline’s scheduled flight operations.The new route is expected to benefit not only travellers heading to Arua but also the wider West Nile region and neighbouring countries.
Arua is strategically located close to the borders of South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, making it an important centre for regional trade and business.Edgar Mwogere of Air Serv said the scheduled service would improve the movement of people and goods while creating opportunities for stronger regional trade. Ayivu Division Mayor Malon Avutia also welcomed the development, describing the introduction of scheduled flights to Arua as an important business decision with benefits extending beyond the city.The growth of air services to Arua comes as the region continues to attract business, tourism and investment. Faster air connections could make it easier for investors, government officials, tourists and other travellers to move between Kampala and West Nile without spending many hours on the road.Figures from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority show that Arua Airfield currently receives an average of about 20 flights every week.
However, despite more than 20 companies being licensed to conduct domestic aviation operations in Uganda, fewer than 10 are currently serving the Entebbe-Arua route.Uganda has 27 licensed domestic aviation operators serving more than 50 government and private aerodromes across the country, according to UCAA public affairs manager Vianney Luggya. However, only a small number of these operators remain actively operational.Air Serv now joins other active domestic carriers such as Bar Aviation, Kampala Executive Aviation, Asante Aviation, Eagle Air and AeroLink, increasing the options available to travellers seeking to reach different parts of the country by air.However, the expansion of domestic aviation continues to face a major challenge — high ticket prices. Many Ugandans still consider domestic flights too expensive compared with road transport, limiting the number of people who can afford to use air services regularly.Nalumu attributed the high cost of domestic air travel partly to rising aviation fuel prices and the taxes charged on domestic operators.
She called on the government to consider reducing or removing some of the charges affecting the industry.“Our appeal is for the government to scrap taxes such as security tax and landing tax for domestic aviation operators,” she said.If more operators become active and operating costs are reduced, domestic air travel could become more affordable and accessible to ordinary Ugandans. For West Nile, the new Air Serv service could also open a faster gateway for tourists, traders and investors seeking to explore the region.With additional aircraft expected in September, Air Serv’s expansion could further strengthen the Entebbe-Arua connection and contribute to the growth of Uganda’s domestic aviation industry.
