Air traffic doubles-Aviation Authority
Nov 19, 2007
TRAFFIC through Entebbe airport has registered a steady rise over the last decade, with international passengers and cargo doubling, statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority have revealed.
TRAFFIC through Entebbe airport has registered a steady rise over the last decade, with international passengers and cargo doubling, statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority have revealed, reports Sylvia Juuko.
The number of international passengers went up from 326,000 in 1997 to 643,000 last year, while cargo increased from 27,000 to 52,000 tonnes.
Fish tops the list of international cargo, accounting for 58% of total exports, followed by flowers (17%) and fresh produce (12%).
The export of fish quadrupled in the last decade, reaching almost 22,000 tonnes last year, up from 5,700 in 1997.
Flower exports have also shot up, from 1,862 tonnes in 1997 to 6,248 tonnes last year, while fresh produce doubled, from 2,000 tonnes to over 4,000.
Domestic cargo has gone up four-fold in a decade, though it is still relatively low. Only 133 tonnes were transported by air last year.
The report shows that by the end of last year, over 18 scheduled airlines for passenger and cargo were registered at Entebbe Airport.
The African airlines included Air Tanzania, Precision Air (Tanzania) Cetraca Aviation Services and T.M.K Air Commuter (Democratic Republic of Congo), Royal Daisy and Eagle Air (Uganda), Egypt Air, Rwanda Air Express, Sudan Airways, South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways.
Other international airlines operating at Entebbe are British Airways, KLM, Precision Air, Emirates and Brussels Airlines.
Passenger and cargo traffic is poised to increase further this year fueled by CHOGM activities, the managing director of CAA, Ambrose Akandonda, said in an interview. Over 4,500 passengers are expected over three days.
Akandonda said projects under the 20-year master- plan for the airport were fast-tracked due to CHOGM.
In August this year, CAA secured a sh68b ($40m) loan from a syndicate of banks, led by Stanbic Bank, to revamp Entebbe airport and Kasese aerodromes.
The projects, most of which started last year, include expanding the arrivals hall, renovating the departure hall, building two passenger bridges and the separating the domestic and international passenger terminals.
Other works include building watch towers, a power supply system, an airspace management radar and an aircraft parking apron.
The number of international passengers went up from 326,000 in 1997 to 643,000 last year, while cargo increased from 27,000 to 52,000 tonnes.
Fish tops the list of international cargo, accounting for 58% of total exports, followed by flowers (17%) and fresh produce (12%).
The export of fish quadrupled in the last decade, reaching almost 22,000 tonnes last year, up from 5,700 in 1997.
Flower exports have also shot up, from 1,862 tonnes in 1997 to 6,248 tonnes last year, while fresh produce doubled, from 2,000 tonnes to over 4,000.
Domestic cargo has gone up four-fold in a decade, though it is still relatively low. Only 133 tonnes were transported by air last year.
The report shows that by the end of last year, over 18 scheduled airlines for passenger and cargo were registered at Entebbe Airport.
The African airlines included Air Tanzania, Precision Air (Tanzania) Cetraca Aviation Services and T.M.K Air Commuter (Democratic Republic of Congo), Royal Daisy and Eagle Air (Uganda), Egypt Air, Rwanda Air Express, Sudan Airways, South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways.
Other international airlines operating at Entebbe are British Airways, KLM, Precision Air, Emirates and Brussels Airlines.
Passenger and cargo traffic is poised to increase further this year fueled by CHOGM activities, the managing director of CAA, Ambrose Akandonda, said in an interview. Over 4,500 passengers are expected over three days.
Akandonda said projects under the 20-year master- plan for the airport were fast-tracked due to CHOGM.
In August this year, CAA secured a sh68b ($40m) loan from a syndicate of banks, led by Stanbic Bank, to revamp Entebbe airport and Kasese aerodromes.
The projects, most of which started last year, include expanding the arrivals hall, renovating the departure hall, building two passenger bridges and the separating the domestic and international passenger terminals.
Other works include building watch towers, a power supply system, an airspace management radar and an aircraft parking apron.