Low-cost carrier Jambo Jet has returned to Uganda, eight years after launching its first international route to Entebbe International Airport.The Kenyan airline first flew to Entebbe in 2018 but suspended the route during the Covid-19 pandemic. Patricia Ithau, chairperson of the Jambo Jet board, said the airline was not forced out by a lack of demand and was returning to a market where it sees significant opportunities.“Uganda is very special to me and to us because it was actually our first international route that we opened. At that time, our goal was simply to start. Today our goal is to scale and we are back to Entebbe where it all began,” Ithau said.She said the airline had undergone significant transformation since its first operations in Uganda, expanding its fleet and network and carrying more than 10 million passengers.“We didn’t leave Uganda actually because demand was gone. The pandemic is what forced us to step back and we’re returning here because that demand is strong and there is a huge opportunity,” she said.Ithau said the return was part of Jambo Jet’s broader ambition to strengthen regional connectivity by linking people, businesses and opportunities across East Africa.Uganda and Kenya have strong economic and social ties, with businesses operating across the border, families travelling between the two countries and tourists moving in both directions.Through Nairobi, Ugandan travellers will also be able to connect to Jambo Jet’s growing network across Kenya, including the coast. Ithau said the airline also wanted to attract more Kenyans to Uganda for business, tourism and investment.The return comes as passenger traffic through Uganda’s aviation sector continues to grow.Fred Bamwesigye, director general of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), welcomed Jambo Jet’s return, saying the airline was coming back in a stronger form.He said the authority was committed to supporting airlines operating in Uganda while developing airport infrastructure and growing the aviation industry.“Our role is both to create infrastructure at our airports, starting with the International Airport, but also to regenerate the industry. And we are doing extremely well on those areas. You can see the developments here,” he said.Bamwesigye said the entry of new airlines contributes to passenger traffic growth, which has since increased to 2.48 million passengers. He said Jambo Jet’s return was expected to contribute further to that growth.Kenyan High Commissioner to Uganda Ababu Namwamba said the airline’s return reflected the longstanding economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries.He said improved air connectivity would strengthen trade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges between Uganda and Kenya.“We must make a decision as East Africa that we want to share prosperity instead of protecting poverty, because often we are too focused on protecting our little poor enclaves and forgetting that when we share, we can grow bigger together,” he said.Namwamba said Uganda remained Kenya’s largest export destination globally and one of Kenya’s important regional tourism markets.He said more than 225,000 Ugandan visitors travelled to Kenya last year, demonstrating the scale of movement between the two countries.“The new Jambo Jet flights will not only connect Nairobi and Entebbe more efficiently, but will also offer affordable, reliable, and safe travel options for families, entrepreneurs and tourists,” Namwamba said.Fred Byamukama, the minister of state for Works and Transport, said Kenya remained one of Uganda’s most important trading partners and a key gateway to regional and global markets.“Every day, people, goods and services move between our two countries, demonstrating the strength of this partnership and the opportunity it continues to create,” Byamukama said.He described the Entebbe-Nairobi route as one of the most competitive routes and among the top three destinations for passengers departing Uganda.Byamukama said Uganda had concluded bilateral air service agreements with 64 countries as part of efforts to improve international connectivity.According to the minister, stronger air links can reduce barriers to movement, improve competitiveness and create opportunities in trade, tourism, investment and innovation.The post Jambo Jet returns to Uganda after Covid exit appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.