By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: The Uganda National Airlines Company Limited has been issued with an air operation license by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), a move that will officially allow it to take to the skies as expected in August.
The renewable one year license was issued on July 26, 2019 and will expire on July 25, 2020.
Uganda Airlines was expected to start operation in July 2019 however, it missed its scheduled start for the commercial flights because it didn’t have a licence.
“This is the biggest milestone in operationalising our commercial flights,” Uganda Airlines posted on its facebook page shortly after receiving the licence.
Monica Azuba Ntege the Minister of Works and Transport told the Press this
week that the airline shall fly in August. The launch routes will be Nairobi, Dar
Es Salaam, and Mogadishu.
These destinations, the minister said, will be operated first to orient staff
and service providers. Other destinations will come after August.
The national carrier has been doing test flights in regional destinations,
including Dar Es Salaam, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA)
President Museveni on April 23 2019 received two bombardier CRJ900 jets at Entebbe International Airport. The aircrafts touched the ground at 9:55am amid ululations from guests signaling the official revival of Uganda’s national carrier, which was grounded in 2001.
People danced and shouted at the new dawn. The word Uganda Airlines spotted on the sides of the planes means that Uganda has finally got a national carrier. The two air crafts have registration number 5x-KOB and 5x-EQU.
Government paid Shillings 280 billion for the first two planes through a supplementary budget approval by Parliament. The Uganda National Airlines Company will operate the CRJ900 in dual-class configuration with 76 economy seats and 12 first class seats.
According to the manufacturer, the new model atmosphere cabin sets new standards of passenger experience in the regional jet market segment.
