Uganda Airlines is Uganda’s national carrier. The airline was revamped in 2019 after the government decided that having a national carrier was highly needed.
The airline is fully owned and funded by the government, with 50 percent shareholding each by the ministries of Works and Transport. Being a young and highly ambitious airline, Uganda airlines has come aboard with great customer favors and considerations. There are a number of reasons why any travel enthusiast should opt to have his next flight with Uganda Airlines.
As always, at Guide2Uganda we bring to you everything you need to know about Uganda’s Tourism and travel. Below are reasons why you shouldn’t miss booking the next flight with Uganda Airlines.
Revamping of Uganda Airlines
The Ugandan government decided to relaunch the airline earlier in 2016. This was done for several reasons; primarily being to ensure regional links for Ugandan nationals, (they no longer had to take expensive and lengthy flights through other countries), to support tourism, and to encourage the development of the emerging oil industry in the country.
More so, the airline was revamped to help government reduce on foreign travel expenditure as all government travels were mandated to be conducted by the airline provided it served the intended destination. With all these considerations underplay and its affordability rate, the airline has its people at heart and thus no reason to why you shouldn’t book it for your next flight.
Modern aircraft fleet
Uganda Airlines is one of the world’s airlines flying the most modern fleet of aircraft. Recently, it won the award for World’s Youngest Aircraft Fleet for 2021 from ch-aviation, with an average aircraft age of only 1.15 years. The airline operates a fleet of four Bombardier CRJ900 on shorter regional routes trolling up and down the coast of East Africa and two Airbus A330-841 for long haul routes.
With a seating capacity of 76 passengers, the Bombadier CRJ900 aircraft is known for its great design improvements and conic nozzle which enhances fuel economy by 5.5%. The CRJ900 model also has improved economics, a great cabin and configured in a two-class seating configuration, with 12 first class seats and 64 coach seats all comfortable for a memorable travel.
The Airbus A330-841 have a fully integrated IFE by SPI with 10.1” video, Piuma AQ that also features headrest, generous In-Arm Table, power supply for electronic charge and light weight design features which give the name Piuma AQ (the Italian for feather) to this model. Coat hook, literature and amenity pocket improve comfort on board. The aircraft also boosts of a passenger-centric comfort seat, a Comoda AQ , with large and reclining 8” backrest to have your flight all comfortable.
Uganda Airlines’ Flights to varied destinations
In Africa, the Uganda Airline Destinations are:
- Entebbe, Uganda
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Bujumbura, Burundi
- Mogadishu, Somalia
- Juba, South Sudan
- Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
- Mombasa, Kenya
- Kinshasa, D.R. Congo
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Zanzibar, Tanzania
- Lagos, Nigeria
The airline also serves international destinations including Dubai, London, Mumbai and Guangzhou.
Earlier this year, the carrier secured an incredibly rare London Heathrow slot with an aim to offer five flights a week. This in addition to flights to Dubai, Guangzhou, and Mumbai with its Airbus A330-800 fleet. However, these flights have not yet begun as both the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority is to authorize their service, and the UK is under lockdown until July this year.
Additionally, Uganda has signed bilateral air service agreements with 47 countries around the world to prepare for future flights to these countries’ spaces. All this provides and will provide customers access to a number of destinations for both timely and cheap flights.
Uganda Airline Service Comparisons Between Destinations
Uganda Airlines clients can compare services for different routes quickly and easily with the Uganda Airlines App. Information such as flight duration, estimated cost and aircraft used are all provided to give an overall picture of what each route has to offer using innovative app.
Customer satisfaction ratings, safety scores and transit times are also available so passengers can get a fully informed view of potential journeys. This information can help travelers decide which airline is best suited to their needs and budget before they book their tickets.
Great environment aboard
For quality and effective service, the airline has expanded its pilot workforce to 50 pilots (with five being female, two of which are rated to fly the A330-800) and signed a deal with Rolls-Royce for total care of its Trent 7000 A330-800 engines. This deal means that the planes keep flying no matter what, and that passengers can be confident that they are in safe hands thanks to the expert outsourcing of maintenance.
On this note, we cannot forget to mention the great on-board care by the hosts and hostesses aboard. Different meals both local and foreign not forgetting the famous yummy Ugandan rolex with “nyanyambisi”. All this gives customers a great feel throughout their journeys.
Uganda Airlines Safety Records and Review Ratings
It’s important to check the safety ratings and records of an airline before booking a flight. Fortunately, Uganda Airlines is one of the most highly rated airlines in Africa, with excellent scores from Airline Ratings, Safeties and Aviation Safety Network. Uganda airline has had no major incidents since it began operations in 2019, and it has also maintained a top spot for on-time performance among African carriers.
Customer Feedback on In-flight Experience
Uganda Airlines consistently receives high reviews for its in-flight comfort and amenities, with customers noting the spacious seating, well-stocked galley, good customer service and delicious food.
The airline has earned stellar kudos for its positive atmosphere and friendly staff. In addition, passengers often remark on the wide variety of entertainment options onboard – from movies to TV shows to music onboard.
Read Uganda Airlines Reviews.
Learning from history
Uganda Airlines has a long aviation history, having been originally founded in the late 1970s with two Boeing 707s. It operated long-haul international routes to Europe and the Middle East, and eventually grew large enough to partner with other regional airlines like South African Airways and Air Tanzania. However, by the late 1990s, air travel growth had slowed and it was struggling to remain profitable.
The government made moves to privatize the airline and move it to a corporate model. However, due to inevitable circumstances, the government failed to secure the right bid for the airline and took the unfortunate action to liquidate the carrier in 2001. Since then, the country’s aviation gap had been filled by charter operators, with its citizens forced to fly on international competitors.
During its initial operations, the airlines had a great customer-airline relation with little or no known serious inconsistencies. Interestingly, Uganda Airlines seems to be avoiding all the mistakes of not only its predecessors, but other new airlines in Africa by focusing on profitable routes and having her customers at heart.
However, the current marketplace is full of obstacles and it may take more than a vision to survive in a consolidating environment. But with all endeavors being under taken by the airline, we can vividly predict that customer safety and satisfaction is always catered for.
Viva Uganda.
About Memoir Uganda – Showcasing Uganda
We are a comprehensive tourism and travel media company unleashing information about Uganda. We offer, among others, an all-inclusive guide on everything Uganda such as itineraries, consular information, timely and updated tour and travel news and general information about visiting and living in Uganda.
To us, Uganda is more than a tour destination. It is our homeland. Our knowledge about Uganda is ocean deep and we love showing the country’s splendid beauty to the world. We aim at sharing and showcasing Uganda to the tiniest bit, better than anyone else. We also aim at conserving our home land through our un wavered efforts towards climate change awareness.
Our Memoir Magazine showcases Uganda’s diverse potential in detail that is often left out and unknown. You ought never to miss a copy. We robustly believe that traveling should make the world a better place for everyone.
