Entebbe — Frustration boiled over at Entebbe Airport as passengers voiced anger over Uganda Airlines’ ongoing delays, with some flights postponed by days rather than hours.
Social media reports and eyewitness accounts described tense scenes at check-in counters and waiting lounges, where passengers demanded answers from airline officials.
“What is this nonsense? Enough is enough; we are tired. You are only prioritising Nigerians as if we Ugandans don’t have work to do. I may even lose my job while [officials] are hiding. We are Ugandans—how are you helping us? What is your job here?” charged an aggrieved Uganda Airlines passenger.
Journalist Andrew Mwenda highlighted the scale of the crisis, citing a flight to Dubai delayed by 26 hours and others to Lagos and Johannesburg postponed by up to three days. Travellers reported poor communication, no hotel accommodations, and mounting financial and professional pressures due to missed flights.
Uganda Airlines, operating a limited fleet of seven aircraft—including two wide-body A330-800neos for long-haul routes—attributed the delays to technical faults and peak seasonal demand.
CEO Jenifer Bamuturaki issued an apology for the disruptions, while spokesperson Shakila Rahim Lamar described them as “unplanned technical problems” with ripple effects across routes to Dubai, Zanzibar, Lagos, London, and Johannesburg.
To address the crisis, the airline announced plans to expand its fleet, hire more crew, and repair grounded aircraft. Meanwhile, the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has launched an investigation into the operational and safety impacts of the disruptions.
Critics argue that poor management and communication have eroded public trust in the national carrier, relaunched in 2019.
Julius Mukunda, Executive Director of the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG), has called for professional management and robust oversight of Uganda Airlines, warning that poor governance could cost taxpayers millions. “The solution is simple: we need business and aviation experts to run Uganda Airlines.”
