Uganda Airlines is grappling with a severe operational crisis after the grounding of two aircraft triggered widespread flight cancellations and delays during the busy festive travel season, its chief executive said.
Chief executive Jenifer Bamuturaki said the carrier was operating with a reduced fleet, including the loss of one of its two long-haul Airbus A330 Neo jets, currently grounded in Lagos.
“We have had quite a bit of disruption with cancellations and delays, and these have been caused by the fact that we are two aircraft less,” Bamuturaki said, adding that the airline has seven aircraft in total, including one on wet lease.
She said one Airbus aircraft and one regional CRJ were grounded due to technical faults, creating knock-on effects across the airline’s entire network.
The disruptions intensified over the weekend, with scenes of passenger congestion and frustration reported at Entebbe International Airport.
Bamuturaki said the airline has been forced to either combine flights or delay departures significantly. The situation has been compounded by unexpected Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), which in some cases caused destination airports to close before delayed aircraft could land.
The most serious constraint is the unavailability of the grounded A330, a flagship aircraft used for long-haul services. Bamuturaki said Uganda Airlines is working with the manufacturer to secure replacement parts and return the aircraft to service.
She also dismissed claims that a second A330 was stranded in London, describing the reports as incorrect.
“There was confusion among the public that we have an aircraft that is stuck in London as well, but that isn’t true,” she said, adding that the aircraft was expected to land shortly.
With only one operational wide-body aircraft, Uganda Airlines’ long-haul capacity has been sharply reduced, worsening delays and inconvenience for passengers during the peak travel period.
