Middle East–Entebbe flights resume gradually

Flights linking Uganda to key Middle East hubs are slowly resuming after weeks of disruption caused by escalating tensions in the Gulf region, according to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA).

Speaking during a corporate Iftar dinner organised for the Entebbe Muslim community, UCAA Director General Fred Bamwesigye said operations at Entebbe International Airport remain affected because of the aviation crisis in the Middle East.

“Right now we are operating at partial capacity at Entebbe Airport, because the Middle East has become a big aviation centre, about 65% of our business is disrupted,” Bamwesigye said.

Some airlines, however, have started restoring services. These, he said, include Air Arabia which has since resumed flights from Sharjah on Saturday. 

“Fly Dubai has also resumed morning flights to Dubai this morning, although they are yet to resume their evening flights.” he said 

However, Bamwesigye noted that several major carriers are still monitoring the situation before restarting operations.

“Qatar Airways in Doha and Emirates in Dubai, Uganda Airlines are yet to resume flights,” he said.

The disruptions follow the escalation of the conflict involving Iran and its regional adversaries after military strikes in late February triggered widespread security concerns across the Middle East. 

The crisis forced several countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iraq and Bahrain, to temporarily close their airspace, leading to the cancellation of thousands of flights globally. 

Major international airlines suspended or rerouted flights as the closures affected some of the world’s busiest aviation hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi. 

At one point, aviation data indicated that more than 4,000 flights were cancelled daily across the region, leaving hundreds of thousands of travellers stranded. 

Flights returning cautiouslyAirlines have begun gradually restoring services as authorities reopen parts of the airspace under strict monitoring.

Some carriers are operating limited schedules using approved air corridors while assessing safety conditions.

For instance, Qatar Airways has announced a restricted flight schedule for several days in March as it cautiously resumes operations from Doha following airspace disruptions. 

For Uganda, the impact has been particularly significant because a large share of passengers travelling through Entebbe rely on connections via Dubai, Doha and other Gulf airports.