Qatar Airways, the national carrier of Qatar, has unveiled plans to further bolster its operations across Africa by increasing its flight offerings. The airline will introduce three additional weekly flights between its hub in Doha and Entebbe, Uganda, in response to heightened demand during the northern summer season. This expansion will raise the weekly flight frequency between the two capitals to 11, with the new flights commencing on August 1 and running through September 30.

Hendrik du Preez, Qatar Airways’ VP Africa, emphasized, “The increased frequency ensures enhanced connectivity for passengers traveling from Uganda to destinations including the USA, Asia, Europe, and North Africa. It supports both trade and tourism growth between Uganda and Qatar, providing added convenience for travelers with expedited journeys through Doha.” With Africa representing a substantial yet underutilized market in global air travel, Qatar Airways aims to bolster connectivity across the continent through expanded service offerings and strategic partnerships with African carriers.

This initiative follows the recent launch of Qatar Airways’ new service to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, operated four times weekly. The introduction of this service not only enhances capacity to Kinshasa but also augments existing routes to Luanda, Angola, increasing flight frequencies from one to four per week.

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Since December 2020, Qatar Airways has progressively expanded its footprint in sub-Saharan Africa, adding destinations such as Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Abuja and Kano (Nigeria), Accra (Ghana), Harare (Zimbabwe), Lusaka (Zambia), Port Harcourt (Nigeria), as well as Kinshasa and Luanda to its network. This complements its established routes encompassing key African cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg (South Africa), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Lagos (Nigeria), Nairobi (Kenya), and Zanzibar (Tanzania).

Across Africa, Qatar Airways now serves over 30 destinations with 180 weekly flights, augmented by codeshare agreements with five African carriers, offering access to more than 900 weekly flights on the continent. The airline’s strategic adjustments in its African operations aim to optimize connectivity via Doha to major global destinations in China, Europe, and South Asia, reinforcing its position as a pivotal player in facilitating Africa’s aviation growth.

“Forecasts from the International Air Transport Association indicate a substantial rise in African passenger traffic by 2035,” noted Du Preez. “Qatar Airways’ extensive network expansion, robust partnerships, and ongoing pursuit of opportunities position us strongly to contribute to this anticipated growth trajectory.”