DUBAI, UAE, 5 November 2024: Emirates has further bolstered its presence across Africa, with the introduction of additional flights to Entebbe, Uganda; Addis Abba in Ethiopia; and Johannesburg, South Africa.
Since the inaugural flight into Africa with Cairo as its first destination in 1986, Emirates has progressively grown its presence on the continent and now serves 20 passenger and cargo gateways, boosting Africa’s connectivity and air transport market development.
Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim said: “Africa has long been a priority region for Emirates, and we will deepen our strategic focus of expansion and continued investment on the continent as an important anchor for our future network. The introduction of frequencies to our existing points in Uganda, South Africa and Ethiopia helps support the region’s growth and provide critical links using Dubai as a key gateway to emerging economies across Asia and the Middle East.
“Over the last 30 years, Emirates has played a pivotal role in the development of the region’s aviation and tourism sectors, not just through scaling our operations but by establishing strategic partnerships with local governments, tourism boards and likeminded airline partners across the travel ecosystem, to nurture the industry and realise its untapped potential.”
Increasing frequencies to maximise connectivity
Emirates ramped up operations between Dubai and Uganda from five weekly flights to a daily service, last week. Operated via a Boeing 777-300ER, the additional flight will add 718 seats to and from Dubai-Entebbe every week, connecting to popular onward destinations from Dubai, such as Canada, the US, India and the UK, to name a few. As the only airline offering First Class in and out of Entebbe, the additional flights will enable more passengers to experience Emirates’ unrivalled experience with luxurious touches, a premium gastronomic selection of dishes and fine beverages, and one of the biggest screens in the sky.
The move builds on Emirates two-decade long commitment to Uganda, a vibrant gem on the airline’s vast global network and up-and-coming tourism destination. At the 2024 Arabian Travel Market, Emirates signed an MoU with the Uganda Tourism Board to encourage a diverse range of international travellers to experience the destination’s abundance of natural, cultural and adventure attractions. The additional frequency will further support this as Uganda continues to invest in building its tourism proposition.
Ringing in the new year, Emirates will also increase frequency in Ethiopia, with a daily flight connecting Dubai and Addis Abba from 1 January 2025. Visitor numbers to Ethiopia continue to grow, guided by the vision to make Ethiopia one of Africa’s top five tourist destinations by 2025. By boosting its flight frequencies, Emirates will provide more convenient access, particularly for travellers from the Middle East and the Far East.
This will be swiftly followed by the fourth daily flight to Johannesburg, which, from 1 March 2025, will introduce a morning slot to and from South Africa’s largest and busiest international airport. The additional flight brings Emirates’ operations back to pre-pandemic levels, with 49 weekly flights into South Africa, one of Africa’s most in-demand destinations.
Once the additional frequencies are activated, Emirates will provide 161 weekly flights between African destinations and Dubai.
Tickets can be booked now on emirates.com, the Emirates App, Emirates Retail stores, Emirates contact centre, or via travel agents.
