Uganda’s national carrier, Uganda Airlines, on Tuesday received the first of two Airbus A330-800neo aircraft at the Entebbe International Airport.
The planes were procured by the Ugandan government in preparation for building its international long-haul flight network which is due to commence next year. The second plane is scheduled to be received in January 2021.
The plane has a capacity of 20 passengers in business class, 24 in premium economy class and 210 in economy class, according to Uganda’s Ministry of Works and Transport.
A statement from the airline said delivery of the plane marked a “new era” in its operations noting that passengers will enjoy “superior comfort” and usher in “high operating and service standards” at a time the aviation industry has been ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The A330neo’s operational efficiencies, range and payload characteristics make it the most ideal aircraft for Uganda Airlines route structure. It will allow the national carrier to efficiently expand its network from its hub at Entebbe International Airport, to connect Uganda to intercontinental destinations in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.”
Uganda Airlines was established in May 1976 as the national carrier of Uganda. The airlines collapsed in May 2001 after years of losses and mismanagement. Efforts to privatise it failed.
In 2018, President Museveni told Parliament that the government would revive Uganda’s defunct national carrier. The airline, which is wholly owned by the Ugandan government, relaunched its operations in August last year and flies to a number of destinations including Nairobi, Juba and Dar es Salaam. It is one of the flagship projects of the administration of President Yoweri Museveni.
Source: CGTN Africa
