New airline partnership connects Southern and East Africa more seamlessly

Travellers flying between Southern and East Africa now have more flexible routing options, following a new commercial partnership between South Africa's second-largest airline by number of flights, CemAir, and Kenya Airways, the flag carrier airline of Kenya. The agreement marks a meaningful step towards improving regional air connectivity and simplifying multi-leg journeys across the two networks.

Implemented as a Special Prorate Agreement (SPA), the partnership introduces interline-style cooperation, allowing passengers to book selected connecting itineraries more seamlessly. In practical terms, this means smoother transfers, coordinated ticketing, and improved journey planning when combining flights operated by both carriers.

For travellers, the benefits are immediate: easier access to a wider range of destinations across Southern and East Africa, greater flexibility when building itineraries, and a more streamlined travel experience overall. Whether you’re connecting via key hubs or planning a multi-country trip, the collaboration enhances convenience for both leisure and business travel.

Both airlines have indicated that this agreement is only the first phase of a broader strategic relationship. Further cooperation - potentially including deeper network integration - remains under discussion, subject to regulatory and operational approvals.

The Special Prorate Agreement (SPA) is now live, offering travellers expanded options across the region.

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Zambia: Zambia Airways to launch a new regional service to East Africa!

The national airline of the Republic of Zambia, Zambia Airways, has announced the launch of a new regional service to East Africa. Effective 27 June 2024, the airline will operate three return flights from Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) in Lusaka to Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, Kenya. Flights will be operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

• Lusaka 07:00 > 10:30 Dar es Salaam 11:15 > 12:35 Nairobi 13:20 > 15:20 Lusaka on Tuesdays and Thursdays
• Lusaka 07:00 > 11:00 Nairobi 11:45 > 13:05 Dar es Salaam 13:50 > 15:20 Lusaka on Saturdays

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South Africa: Airlink and United Airlines (USA) announce codeshare and loyalty program agreement!

South African privately-owned regional carrier Airlink and United Airlines, one of the major American airlines, have announced a codeshare agreement that will offer customers more connections between the U.S. and Southern Africa than any other airline partnership. According to the two airlines, the new agreement, which is subject to government approval, will offer one stop connections from the U.S. to 45 destinations in Southern Africa and East Africa, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Tanzania, Uganda and the DR Congo. Additionally, United Airlines will be the first airline to combine its loyalty program with Airlink, allowing MileagePlus members to earn and redeem miles when they travel on Airlink’s flights. The airlines expect full implementation of the codeshare agreement to come into effect in the coming months.
Earlier this year, United Airlines launched a new service between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in the New York metropolitan area and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and between Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Washington, D.C. and Kotoka International Airport (ACC) in Accra, Ghana, which is expected to operate daily this December and January. The airline’s popular service between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town will also resume on 01 December 2021.

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Uganda: Uganda Airlines to resume operations!

Uganda's flag carrier, Uganda Airlines, has announced the resumption of international flights. Effective 01 October 2020, the airline will restart its service with scheduled return flights from Entebbe International Airport (EBB) in Entebbe to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam, Juba Airport (JUB) in Juba and Aden Adde International Airport (MGQ) in Mogadishu. At a later stage, Uganda Airlines will also resume flights to Bujumbura, Kilimanjaro, Mombasa and Zanzibar. The airline also plans to launch scheduled operations to Kinshasa, Lusaka, Harare and Johannesburg. We'll keep you posted!

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Uganda Airlines to launch a nonstop service between Entebbe <> Mombasa!

The flag carrier of Uganda, Uganda Airlines, is set to launch a new nonstop service between Entebbe International Airport (EBB) in Entebbe, Uganda, and Moi International Airport (MBA) in Mombasa, Kenya. Effective 11 November 2019, the airline will operate three weekly return flights to Mombasa on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays on board a Bombardier CRJ900ER. The flight time between Entebbe and Mombasa is one hour and 50 minutes. Mombasa will be Uganda Airlines' seventh destination since the airline resumed operations in August 2019.

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Rwanda to ban single-use plastics!

The Government of Rwanda is set to ban the manufacture, importation, use and sale of single-use plastic items, such as plastic packaging materials for food and other products, plastic bags, cups, straws and coffee stirrers. It has granted a three-month grace period to importers and retailers of single-use plastic items to phase them out before starting to penalise them, while manufacturers have been given a two-year grace period. According to Vincent Biruta, Rwanda's Minister for Environment, single-use plastic bottles are not affected by the ban. Rwanda banned imports of polythene bags already in 2008. We'll keep you posted!

Tanzania: Kilimanjaro International Airport introduced new time-consuming visa processing rules

The government of Tanzania has introduced new visa processing rules at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), which serves the cities of Arusha and Moshi in the north of the East African country. International travellers entitled to get their visa on arrival now need to complete the following process:

• Queue for a Government Control Number
• Pay for the Government Control Number at a bank
• Queue for Immigration to check and issue the visa

The changes at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) mean that the visa on arrival process can take in excess of two hours. Travellers planning to visit Tanzania can also apply for their visa online. The process usually takes two to three weeks.

Tanzania to ban single-use plastic bags! [update]

update (16 May 2019): The office of the Vice President of Tanzania has released an official notice to travelers planning to visit Tanzania regarding the ban of plastic carrier bags.

 
Tanzania is set to ban the production, importation, sale and use of all single-use plastic bags by July 2019 from 01 June 2019. Single-use non-biodegradable plastics have been identified by the United Nations as one of the world’s biggest environmental challenges. Tanzania will join its East African neighbours Rwanda and Kenya, which have already banned single-use plastic bags. Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania, implemented a ban of light plastics already back in 2006. Namibia has also banned plastic bags, but only in its game parks and nature reserves!

Tanzania launched an electronica visa application service!

Tanzania has launched an electronic visa application service for foreign nationals wishing to visit the East African country (including Zanzibar). The country provides single entry visa, multiple entry visa, transit visa and business visa. The introduction of the so-called "eVisa" aims at removing unneccessary bureaucracy and delays that foreign visitors to Tanzania had to deal with in the past. The Government of Tanzania also expects to boast the state revenue as all visa fees will be be paid by applicants electronically through it's e-payment system. As of today (30 November 2018) the website of the eVisa-service is only available in a mix of Englisch and Swahili.

screenshot via https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa/

Rwanda to introduce a new visa regime on 01 January 2018!

Rwanda is set to establish a new visa regime on 01 January 2018. The new regulations include the introduction of 30-day visa on arrival for travellers from across the world. Rwanda already has such a system in place for all African countries and a number of countries outside the continent.

Nationals of Australia, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom, and United States of America will be issued with entry visa valid for a period up to 30 days and pay for a visa ($30) upon arrival without prior application. [src.]

The new visa regime also adresses areas like visa reciprocity for specific countries whose citizens get free visas with 90 days validity, visa waiver for particular diplomatic and service passport holders and specific 90 day visa on arrival for travelers from the COMESA (The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) region. It also allows Rwandans living abroad with dual nationality to use national IDs to enter Rwanda as well as foreign residents to use their resident IDs for entry.

Public announcement on the NEW visa regime of @RwandaGov - https://t.co/dw1t1mb3pq pic.twitter.com/YykQTejtu5

— Immigration | Rwanda (@Rwandamigration) November 16, 2017

Google Street View now covers seven National Parks in Uganda!

Google just announced that it has, in cooperation with the Uganda Wildlife Authoriry (UWA), added imagery of seven of Uganda's National Parks to Street View, including Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Mount Elgon National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Semuliki National Park and the Kidepo Valley National Park. Until now, Street View was only available for Uganda's capital Kampala and for Entebbe, the location the country's major international airport, Entebbe International Airport (EBB).

Rwanda: Rwandair to launch flights to the USA in 2017!

Rwanda's national carrier, Rwandair, just confirmed on twitter that it is planning to introduce flights between Kigali International Airport (KGL) in Kigali and the USA in 2017. According to news reports in Rwanda, the airline will enter the US market with a route to New York. Rwandair also plans to acquire another Airbus A350 XWB wide-body plane for it's flights between Kigali and New York.

US flights are planned for 2017. @NewTimesRwanda @igihe https://t.co/3Eijssosr6

— RwandAir (@FlyRwandAir) November 8, 2016

Rwandair currently operates flights to 19 destinations and is planning to launch services to London-Gatwick in the UK (in 2017), Mumbai in India, Conakry in Guinea, Bamako in Mali, as well as to Dakar in Senegal, Harare in Zimbabwe, Lilongwe in Malawi and Durban in South Africa.

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Rwanda introduced new visa fees!

Rwanda's Directorate of Immigration and Emigration has announced new visa fees for travellers coming to visit the East African country. As of today (01 August 2016), the new transit and entry visa costs 20 UK Pounds, 27 Euros or 30 US Dollars, while the new tourist and family visa costs 35 UK Pounds, 45 Euros or 50 US Dollar. Rwanda's new visa fees will remain applicable for (at least) the next 12 months.

Uganda reduces fee for a single entry visa by half! >>

RwandAir to launch direct flights between Kigali <> Mumbai!

Rwanda's flag carrier, RwandAir, is set to launch direct flights between Kigali International Airport (KGL) in Kigali and Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) in Mumbai in the last quarter of 2016 (December?). RwandAir will be operating four weekly flights to Mumbai with its brand new A330-300, a state of the art triple class 274 wide-body seater equipped with full flat beds in business class and unmatched leg room in premium economy, with inflight entertainment and Wi-Fi as well as GSM connectivity across all three classes.

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Uganda reduces fee for a single entry visa by half!

The Government of Uganda has halved the fee for a single entry visa in a move to boost the country's tourism sector. With effect from today (22 July 2016), travellers visiting Uganda only have to pay USD50 instead of USD100 for their visa. According to a press statement issued by Immigration Uganda, all Uganda borders have been notified to effect the change.

Effective today June 22, Uganda’s single entry visa reduces to $50 from $100 in a move… https://t.co/YwwiMILxpK pic.twitter.com/LhNapgydPg

— Uganda Media Centre (@UgandaMediaCent) July 22, 2016

Uganda has introduced an online visa application system!

Uganda has introduced an online visa application system (Uganda e-Visa) on 01 July 2016. Anyone intending to visit Uganda for tourism, business, study or other reasons is now required to obtain a visa online. The following types of visa are applicable:

• multiple-entry visa
• diplomatic and offical visa
• ordinary visa
• East Africa Tourist Visa (multiple entry valid for 90 days to Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda)
• transit visa

How to apply online:

1. Choose visa or permit type
2. Fill in the application form
3. Add the required documents
   (see https://visas.immigration.go.ug/#/help/visa)
4. Submit your online visa application

If the application gets approved, an approval letter will be sent as an attachment to the email provided by the applicant. This needs to be printed out and be presented together with a valid passport/travel document at the port of entry.

Through the month of July 2016, it is still possible to get visa on arrival. However, the traveller arriving in Uganda has to go through the new electronic application process at the port of entry. This will only apply during July 2016, after which all visa applications shall be online.

Uganda e-Visa

Uganda bans public smoking!

Uganda has introduced stringent new laws banning public smoking and dealing in tobacco products. The new law bans smoking in bars, restaurants and hotels. Smokers must also be at least 50m away from public spaces, such as schools, hospitals and other public places. Offenders to the new legislations face a $60 (£41, €54, ZAR950) fine or a two-month jail term.
The sale of electronic cigarettes, flavoured tobacco for water pipes or shishas and single cigarettes is also banned under the new law. The government of Uganda furthermore tightened rules on labelling, advertising and selling tobacco to under-21s.

Uganda: Gorilla permit promotion in April, May & November 2016!

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has launched a gorilla tracking promotion and a chimpanzee tracking promotion valid during the months of April and May 2016 (01 April - 31 May 2016) as well as during November 2016 (01 - 30 November 2016). According to a facebook post by the UWA, during the promotions foreign non residents will pay US$450 instead of US$600 for a gorilla permit and USD100 instead of USD150 for a chimpanzee permit. Foreign residents will pay US$400 (US$500) for gorilla tracking and USD75 (USD100) for chimpanzee tracking, while East Africans will part with Ush150,000 (Ush 250,000) for a gorilla permit and Ush75,000 (Ush100,000) for a chimpanzee permit. For more information please contact the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Posted by Uganda Wildlife Authority on Tuesday, 23 February 2016

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Rwanda: 487 of Kigali's city transport buses connected to 4G LTE Internet

A total of 487 city transport buses in Rwanda's capital Kigali have been fitted with routers, which allow passengers on board to have full access to free super-fast 4G LTE internet. All buses are belonging to Kigali Bus Services, Royal Express and Rwanda Federation of Transport Cooperative (RFTC). The new service is part of the "Smart Kigali" initiative, which was launched in 2013 with the aim of providing free wireless connection as well as improving internet connectivity and access around Kigali.

Brussels Airlines adds fifth weekly nonstop flight to Entebbe (Uganda)!

The flag carrier of Belgium, Brussels Airlines, is set to introduce a fifth weekly nonstop flight between Brussels Airport (BRU) in Brussels and Entebbe International Airport (EBB) in Entebbe (Uganda). The airline will operate an Airbus A330-200 in a Business/Economy two class cabin layout on the route. The five flights combine Entebbe with Kigali International Airport (KGL) in Kigali (Rwanda) enroute back to Brussels. Earlier this year, Brussels Airlines shifted one of its two flights between Brussels and Bujumbura International Airport (BJM) in Bujumbura in Burundi to Entebbe International Airport.

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