Uganda Airlines was the flag carrier of Uganda will see the skies soon, as plans to revive the Airlines are underway. According to the Daily Monitor the government is still the process of making decisions on whether to lease or buy new aircraft. The Airline’s founding institution as a subsidiary of the government-owned Ugandan Development Corporation (UDC) has been tasked with reinstating the national carrier, and given a timeline of only six months. If all goes as planned, Uganda should be having a national airline in operation by early next year.
Speaking to the Daily Monitor, UDC executive director, Mr Fred Ogene, said there is goodwill at all levels of government to quickly re-establish the national airlines.
[signoff icon=”quote-circled”]“Government has agreed to put back the national carrier. And we (UDC) have been put in charge to ensure that happens. At the moment we are trying to establish its economic viability. We are on track but we haven’t decided yet on the model and structure to use. However, there is government good will and we are looking at doing our work quickly and in the best way possible.”[/signoff]
In 2013, there were attempts to revive the Airlines but discussions never took place until October 2014, four months after Air Uganda licence was suspended by the Civil Aviation Authority due to safety concerns and not meeting International guidelines. A few weeks back, British Airways that has operated in Uganda for over 24 years has suspended flights between Entebbe International Airport and Heathrow, London, citing the route as not “commercially viable.”
