Jubba Airways Resumes International Flights as Somalia Expands Air Links

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somali airline Jubba Airways has resumed international operations, reconnecting Mogadishu with destinations in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya as Somalia’s aviation sector continues to expand.

The airline’s return was marked at Aden Adde International Airport, where its first arriving aircraft received a traditional water salute from the airport’s fire service.

Jubba Airways is restarting both international and domestic services, initially operating with four aircraft, including two large aircraft and two mid-sized planes.

Speaking at the ceremony on behalf of the company’s chairman, Muhyadin Ali said the airline had returned with strengthened management, finances and operations, outlining plans to rebuild its network.

Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Farah Nuh, who formally opened the resumed operations, welcomed the airline’s return and its longstanding role in Somalia’s aviation industry.

He said the country needed more international flights and improved connections to the rest of the world as demand for air travel and business links continued to grow.

The resumption comes less than three weeks after the minister inaugurated SalamAir’s first direct service between Mogadishu and Muscat on Aug. 31, restoring a direct air link with Oman after more than three decades.

At the time, the ministry said around 10 international airlines were serving Somalia, with additional carriers expected to enter the market.

The return of Jubba Airways adds a Somali-owned carrier to a growing network of airlines operating from Mogadishu, increasing options for passengers travelling between Somalia and major regional and Middle Eastern destinations.

The airline’s return also restores direct connections with several markets that are important for Somali trade, business, education and travel.

Members of both houses of parliament and senior government officials attended the launch, with some calling on Jubba Airways to consider reduced fares for Somali students and teachers.

They also praised the airline for maintaining operations during some of Somalia’s most difficult years and for its contribution to domestic connectivity and economic activity.

The federal government has been seeking to rebuild Somalia’s civil aviation sector and attract more international carriers as passenger traffic and commercial activity increase.

Aden Adde International Airport has gradually expanded its international schedule over the past decade, while the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation says it expects more airlines to begin operations and existing agreements with carriers serving Somalia to be renewed.

The return marks an effort by Jubba airways to re-establish a broader presence in the regional aviation market, while for Somalia it adds another carrier to an expanding network linking Mogadishu with Africa and the Middle East.