Uganda Airlines one year in the skies
On August 29, Uganda’s revived national carrier, Uganda Airlines, celebrated its first year of operations since it took to the skies after almost twenty years since it was liquidated by the government. According to the Chief Executive Officer of Uganda National Airline Company, Cornwell Muleya, over 75,000 passengers have been transported over the course of the year.
As the airport awaits reopening (following closure due to the COVID-19 global pandemic), Cornwell Muleya announced that the company has also finalized the recruitment of staff to work in new larger aircraft for the longer routes. that Uganda Airlines plans to start flying.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Uganda Airlines shall continue with its plans to make its mark on the African continent and beyond.
“Our plans are ongoing and on course, we committed at the beginning that in addition to developing the regional networks of which we have developed nine, we still have a few more to get to the eighteen or twenty that we require for Africa. We said we are going to extend the network to intercontinental destinations, we want to go to London, we want to go to Dubai, we want to go to Guangzhou with the A330s. As a start we also want to connect to West Africa and Southern Africa where that capacity is required.
“The company has also finalized the recruiting staff for two new Airibus A330 aircraft that are expected in the country by December so we have been busy bringing in the skills that will require pilots, engineers,flight attendants and a lot more skills that are required for that aircraft so we can look forward to next year,” said Muleya.
This year embattled South African airways that had direct flights to OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg out of Entebbe International Airport closed shop in a restructuring of its regional routes creating an opportunity for the national carrier to fill the gap prior to the lock down in March. Meanwhile, Uganda airspace remains closed to international scheduled passenger flights as the Civil Aviation Authority puts in place Standard Operational Procedures (SOPS) in observance of COVID-19 requirements.
Initially founded under the Idi Amin’s regime, following the collapse of East African Airlines, Uganda Airlines was established in 1976 as the National Carrier. Airlines’ operations also included the lucrative ground and cargo handling until its liquidation in 2001.
