Qatar Airways is set to bolster its presence in Africa with an enhanced flight schedule to Entebbe, Uganda, adding three more flights per week to its existing daily service.

From 1 August to 30 September, the award-winning airline will operate 11 weekly flights between Doha and Entebbe to accommodate the heightened summer travel demand.

This strategic increase is part of Qatar Airways' broader objective to enhance air connectivity throughout Africa, thereby strengthening economic, business, and cultural ties between the continent and the rest of the world.

Qatar Airways Vice President for Africa, Hendrik du Preez, highlighted the benefits of this expansion: “The increased frequency now guarantees improved connectivity for passengers traveling from Uganda to the USA, Asia, Europe and North Africa. It also supports the growth of trade and tourism between Uganda and Qatar while offering convenience for point-to-point passengers to save a day’s travel due to the early arrival in Doha.”

Du Preez further elaborated on the airline's commitment to Africa.

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“With 18 per cent of the world’s population and making up less than two per cent of air transport activity, Africa is an untapped market with increasing travel and business opportunities," he stated.

"We are expanding connectivity throughout the continent by increasing the number of destinations we serve, and the frequencies we offer, and through partnerships with African airlines.”

The additional flights to Entebbe signify Qatar Airways’ dedication to the Ugandan market and are expected to boost Uganda's export growth.

This expansion follows the recent addition of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to Qatar Airways’ network of over 170 global destinations.

Kinshasa is now linked to the Middle East, Europe, and Asia with four weekly flights, which have also increased capacity to Angola by raising the number of flights to Luanda from one to four.

Since December 2020, Qatar Airways has been steadily increasing its footprint in Africa, launching new routes to Abidjan, Abuja, Accra, Harare, Kano, Luanda, Lusaka, and Port Harcourt, and resuming flights to Alexandria and Cairo.

The airline currently operates 180 flights per week to various African destinations, and with its codeshare partners, this number expands to over 900 weekly flights across the continent.

Qatar Airways' long-term commitment to Africa is further demonstrated through 30 interline agreements, five of which are codeshares with African airlines, and strategic investment in Kigali’s new international airport.

Over the past year, the airline has optimized its schedule in most African markets to enhance connectivity to Europe, China, and the Indian subcontinent via its Hamad International Airport hub.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports that the aviation industry supports 7.7 million jobs in Africa and contributes $63 billion to the continent’s GDP, with $44 billion generated by tourism.

Du Preez noted the significant potential for growth: “The upside is significant for both the aviation sector and the continent. According to IATA, Africa’s passenger traffic is forecast to nearly double by 2035 and will exceed 263 million passengers, up from 134 million carried in 2022. Qatar Airways’ rapid expansion in the continent, the partnerships it has secured, and its continued pursuit of opportunities position it well to contribute to this growth.”

In recognition of its excellence, Qatar Airways was recently awarded the prestigious 'Airline of the Year' accolade by Skytrax’s World Airline Awards for an unprecedented eighth time.