Uganda has introduced new Covid-19 measures for passengers arriving at the Entebbe Airport, a move that will hit airlines such as Kenya Airways, which are already grappling with reduced frequencies and low demand on the route.
In a new directive, all passengers arriving at Entebbe International Airport will have to undergo a mandatory test on landing at their own cost, with a single check going for $60 (Sh6,000), which is nearly half of the one way ticket from Nairobi.
The new directive, which takes effect on September 3, will be applied to all passengers irrespective of their vaccination status.
Uganda has introduced new Covid-19 measures for passengers arriving at the Entebbe Airport, a move that will hit airlines such as Kenya Airways, which are already grappling with reduced frequencies and low demand on the route.
In a new directive, all passengers arriving at Entebbe International Airport will have to undergo a mandatory test on landing at their own cost, with a single check going for $60 (Sh6,000), which is nearly half of the one way ticket from Nairobi.
The new directive, which takes effect on September 3, will be applied to all passengers irrespective of their vaccination status.
“Effective September 3, 2021, all travellers irrespective of vaccination status or country of origin will be required to… undergo mandatory testing at their own cost upon arrival,” reads a notice posted by Ugandan Airlines.
The passengers will also be required to present a negative PCR test done not more than 72 hours prior to travel.
The new directive comes as a blow to the airlines that are already struggling with the effects of Covid-19, which have seen carriers such as Kenya Airways cut their frequencies to Uganda.
KQ in July cut the number of flights to Uganda from 12 a week to nine citing low loads on the route as passengers kept off.
Uganda is one of the key routes for Kenya Airways with the most frequencies within the region and low demand on the destination is set to impact on the carrier’s earnings.
“There is a third wave in Uganda and we have had to restrict our flights by cutting on frequencies,” said KQ in an earlier interview.
The airline said the emerging waves of the virus has severely impacted on the carrier as each time it appears they are picking up, countries announce the outbreak of new restrictions.
Uganda has been battling the third wave that led to a total lockdown in the landlocked nation with restriction on movement from one district to another but has so far been partially lifted.
KQ has also been hit by restrictions on the UK route, which is one of the lucrative destination in Europe.
The carrier resumed the UK route in July with one flight a day but Kenyans are still restricted from travelling there as Nairobi has been placed under red list.
Kenya remains stuck in the UK’s travel red list following the latest update to the international travel in the last summer review by Britain, dealing a blow to tourism sector that has been banking on the lifting of the of the restrictions to boost the ailing industry.
The UK last week made some amends on the countries in red, amber and green list with Kenya remaining on the red list, eight months later since it was first placed there.
The lack of upgrading Kenya to amber list will see Brits abandon a trip to the country to avoid being slapped with a huge bill on return as all the returning British citizens from red countries are required to isolate for 10 days in a hotel at a cost of £2,285 (Sh246,780).
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