NEW FARE WAR ON ENTEBBE – NAIROBI ROUTE
Inspite of continuously high fuel prices and inflationary pressures on airlines have fares between Entebbe and Nairobi started to move again, downwards that is.
According to travel agents, keenly monitoring these developments to give their clients the best possible deal, return flights now sell from US Dollars 268, all inclusive on Fly 540, closely followed by Air Uganda from where tickets are available at US Dollars 270. Yet, market leader Kenya Airways is not far behind either with the lowest fare quoted at US Dollars 273, making it a tight race where only 5 US Dollars separate the three carriers flying daily on the route.
Kenya Airways seems to be making the most of it, courtesy of their frequent flyer programme, where even the lowest fares attract ‘miles’, which can eventually be turned into free tickets, while Air Uganda’s ‘Celestair’ frequent flyer programme remains restricted to lesser options at this time how to utilize miles credit, at least in comparison to KQ.
Trends also remain steady in Kenya Airways’ favour in regard of onward connections into the wider region and across the continent, where it captures the lion’s share of connecting traffic via Nairobi, while Air Uganda offers, at least on the key regional routes, nonstop flights for instance to Dar es Salaam.
Current inflation levels have hit the travel market too and those who can and do travel inevitably seek the best connections, best deals, best benefits via their frequent flyer memberships and departure times best suited to their needs. The ‘battle over the East African skies – reloaded’.
Watch this space.
