Uganda has announced plans to revive its national airline. This, after the previous national carrier collapsed in 2001.
The airline will be a candidate for an initial public offering and will see closer co-operation with other carriers, if all goes according to plan, according to Bloomberg. Uganda Airlines will be based at Entebbe airport, and its chief role will be to boost travel links and provide competition that will drive down fares, according to Ugandan Transport Minister Monica Azuba Ntege.
The airline will also have a cargo arm, while prospective partners include Emirates, South African Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airways.
The Ugandan government will spend US$319 million in aircraft acquisition – four Bombardier CRJ900s for regional routes, and two Airbus A330-800 Neo aircraft for long-haul flights by 2021. Delivery of the latter is expected by end-2020.
In an effort to support tourism, the airline will provide links to four regional airfields. In addition, an international airport close to the Congolese border is set to open in 2021, serving as a hub for Uganda’s oil sector.
