Uganda has relaunched its national carrier, Uganda Airlines.
Uganda’s national airline has launched commercial operations nearly 20 years after it vanished.
The inaugural flight from Entebbe to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, took place on Tuesday, carrying government officials and members of the press.
The Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said the revamped airline is a symbol of national pride, calling it “a new baby.”
Uganda Airlines ceased operations in 2001 amid financial difficulties.
Most state-owned flag carriers in Africa lose money, with Ethiopian Airlines as the notable exception.
Experts say Ethiopian has avoided the mistakes of other African carriers by not falling prey to political interference.
“We undertake to be a world-class airline that will exceed customer expectations through high-quality service,” Ugandan Airlines CEO Ephraim Bagenda said at a ceremony at Entebbe International Airport.
Minister @MonicaAzubaNte who led the delegation on our inaugural flight disembarks the plane.
She was welcomed and greeted by her Kenyan counterparts at JKIA in Nairobi this afternoon.#LetsGo#FlyUgandaAirlines pic.twitter.com/AJ4gDuTBxP— Uganda Airlines (@UG_Airlines) August 27, 2019
Currently, the carrier has only two planes in its fleet – another two have been ordered.
Air traffic in Africa is forecast to grow six percent per year over the next two decades, which Uganda Airlines hopes to take full advantage of.
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