Uganda Airlines admits crisis with its A330 grounded in Nigeria

Uganda Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Jenifer Bamuturaki, has confirmed that the national carrier is experiencing a severe operational crisis, attributing mass cancellations and extensive delays to the grounding of two aircraft, including one of its two Airbus A330 Neos currently stuck in Lagos, Nigeria. 

The disruptions have escalated during the busy festive travel season, leading to scenes of passenger chaos and distress at Entebbe International Airport over the past weekend.

The CEO explained that the airline is operating with a reduced fleet.

“We have had quite a bit of disruption with cancellations and delays and these have been caused by the fact that we are two aircraft less. We have seven aircraft including a wet lease but we have one Airbus and one CRJ that are on ground with technical faults,” she said.

This shortage of two aircraft, she said, has had a "knock-on effect" across the entire network. 

Bamuturaki stated that the airline is now forced to either combine scheduled flights or delay them extensively. 

The problems have been further compounded by unexpected Notices to Airmen (NOTAMS) that have resulted in flight delays causing destination airports to close before the aircraft can land.

The most critical factor in the current disruption is the grounding of one of the airline’s flagship wide-body planes. 

Bamuturaki confirmed the A330 is "grounded in Lagos" and is currently unavailable for long-haul routes. 

The airline is actively working with the manufacturer to source the necessary parts to return the aircraft to service. 

Addressing rumours circulated by journalist Andrew Mwenda that a second A330 was also grounded in London, the CEO offered a clarification: 

"There was a bit of confusion among the public that we have an aircraft that is stuck in London as well but that isn't true; as we speak it should be landing within one hour from London." 

However, the availability of only a single Airbus drastically limits the airline's capacity, causing significant discomfort for its guests during this period.

The technical faults have translated into public relations turmoil for the airline. 

Last weekend, videos widely shared on social media showed stranded passengers at Entebbe Airport check-in counters, with some resorting to dumping their luggage in frustration due to lack of service and communication. 

Passengers complained of not being informed of the delays and cancellations. 

CEO Bamuturaki acknowledged the discomfort experienced by guests, describing the situation as "not a good time for us." The airline now faces the challenge of managing customer expectations while working "around the clock" to resolve the technical faults and restore its full flight schedule.