Air Uganda

Meridiana Africa Airlines (Uganda) Limited, trading as Air Uganda,[2] was a privately owned airline in Uganda from 2007 to 2014. It suspended its operations when the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) revoked the airline's air operator's certificate.[3]

Not to be confused with Uganda Airlines or Uganda Air Cargo.
Air Uganda
IATA ICAO Callsign
U7 UGA UGANDA
Founded2007
Ceased operations2014
Operating basesEntebbe International Airport
Focus citiesKampala, Entebbe
Frequent-flyer programCelestars
Fleet size0 (see below)
Destinations9 (suspended)
Parent companyCelestair (Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development)
Headquarters4 Wampewo Avenue
Kololo, Kampala, Uganda
Key peopleCornwell Muleya, CEO[1]

Air Uganda had been widely recognized as the national carrier since the collapse of Uganda Airlines in May 2001.[4]

Headquartered in Kampala[5] and with its operations base at Entebbe International Airport, Air Uganda used three aircraft to operate scheduled flights between Entebbe and various countries in eastern and central Africa.

History

Air Uganda was formed in 2007 and began commercial flight operations on 15 November 2007.[6] It transported over 70,000 passengers within its first twelve months, with an average load factor of 70 percent between Entebbe and Juba, South Sudan. The load factor between Entebbe and Nairobi averaged 60 percent during the first year of operation.[7]

In the fourth quarter of 2011, Air Uganda announced plans to start domestic service during 2012. This required the airline to acquire appropriate aircraft to serve the domestic market.[4]

In 2012, Air Uganda began self-handling at its hub at Entebbe International Airport and was authorised to handle any other airline that used its handling services. The move saved the airline at least US$700,000 annually.[8][9]

In November 2013, the airline marked the sixth anniversary of its founding. At that time, it was the only Ugandan airline licensed by the UCAA to operate regularly scheduled flights to neighboring countries.[10]

In May 2014, Air Uganda became a full member of the African Airlines Association, a trade organization of the industry on the continent.[11] In the same month, the airline was admitted to the International Air Transport Association.[12]

On 17 July 2014, Air Uganda suspended operations indefinitely after the issuer of its licence, the UCAA, ran into problems. The UCAA had failed a safety audit by the International Civil Aviation Organization in June 2014, resulting in the UCAA withdrawing licenses it had issued to air operators.[13] At the time, Air Uganda said its potential re-certification was weeks away and that lessors had recalled their aircraft, opening a window for other carriers to grow passenger volumes in its area of operations.

Corporate affairs

Ownership and associated companies
An Air Uganda McDonnell Douglas MD-87 at Entebbe International Airport, pictured in August 2009

Meridiana Africa Airlines (Uganda) Limited was wholly owned by the Celestair Group, which in turn is owned by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED). AKFED also controls Air Burkina and Air Mali, the national airlines of Burkina Faso and Mali respectively, and has an interest in Europe in Meridiana.[14]

Because it was a private company, annual reports for Air Uganda were not published. In the absence of these, the little information that became available is shown below:

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Turnover
Profits
Number of employees 180
Number of passengers (000s) 70 155 170
Passenger load factor (%) 65%
Number of aircraft (at year-end) 3 4 3
Notes/sources [15] [16][17]
[18]		 [19]

Destinations

Code share agreements and partnerships

During the second half of 2008, Air Uganda signed codeshare agreements with Air Tanzania on the Entebbe / Kilimanjaro International Airport, Entebbe / Dar es Salaam, and Entebbe / Zanzibar routes, which both airlines serviced. Code share agreements were also signed with Brussels Airlines on the Entebbe / Juba, South Sudan route serviced by Air Uganda and on the Entebbe / Brussels route serviced by Brussels Airlines. These arrangements were soon followed by similar agreements between Air Uganda and Qatar Airways [20]

In early 2009, Air Uganda made arrangements with Marsland Aviation for the latter to transport Air Uganda ticketed passengers between Juba and Khartoum and between Khartoum and Juba. Air Uganda traveled this route two days a week. Marsland Aviation carried Air Uganda passengers five days a week when Air Uganda did not service the route.[21]

In June 2010, Air Uganda signed a code share agreement with Rwandair on the Entebbe / Kigali route. Air Uganda served the route with a daily morning flight, while Rwandair provided a daily evening flight. Both airlines served the route with CRJ-200 aircraft.[22] Those arrangements were halted by Air Uganda effective March 2012.[23]

On 14 August 2013, a new codeshare agreement was entered between Air Uganda and Rwandair on the Entebbe / Kigali route. The agreement became effective immediately.[24]

In January 2014, Air Uganda signed a codeshare agreement with Precision Air of Tanzania on the Entebbe / Dar es Salaam and the Entebbe / Kilimanjaro International Airport routes.[25][26]

As of November 2013, Air Uganda maintained Interline partnerships with the following airlines: Brussels Airlines, Emirates, Kenya Airways, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, Air Mali, Precision Air, Hahn Air, and RwandAir.[27]

Fleet
Air Uganda Bombardier CRJ-200ER at Entebbe International Airport
McDonnell Douglas MD-87 taxiing to runway 17 at Entebbe International Airport

The Air Uganda fleet consisted of the following aircraft as of April 2014, although in July 2014 they were reported as being returned to the European contractor from which they were leased:[28][29][30][31]

Air Uganda
Aircraft In fleet On
order		 Passengers Notes
Bombardier CRJ200 3 0 50
Total 3 0

    Incidents and accidents
    • On 9 January 2010, the United States Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, warned of a possible terrorist threat on Air Uganda planes traveling between Juba, South Sudan, and Entebbe, Uganda. According to the embassy, it had received information that indicated "a desire by regional extremists to conduct a deadly attack on board Air Uganda aircraft." According to the Sudanese foreign ministry, however, the threat was not considered serious. The Uganda People's Defence Force said they had been aware of this information since early December 2009, although a Ugandan government spokesman said there was nothing to support such claims.[32]

    See also

    References
    1. Thome, Wolfgang (8 April 2013). "New Chief At Air Uganda". eTN Global Travel Industry News. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    2. Thome, Wolfgang (3 February 2013). "Uganda Government Considering Stake In Air Uganda". eTN Global Travel Industry News. Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    3. "Air Uganda suspends operations". www.newvision.co.ug. Retrieved 2017-09-05.
    4. "Air Uganda To Begin Domestic Service". New Vision. 21 November 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-11-22. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
    5. ["New Vision". Archived from the original on 2013-12-14. Retrieved 2014-06-11. Air Uganda Increases Flights to Dar, New Vision, 23 February 2009, retrieved 19 October 2009
    6. "Air Uganda Opens Flights to Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania". Sudan Tribune from Reuters. 16 November 2007. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    7. Wakabi, Michael (7 November 2008). "Air Uganda Expecting to Break Even In 2009". The East African. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    8. Wakabi, Michael (20 November 2011). "Air Uganda's Turnaround On Course As It Begins Fifth Year". The EastAfrican. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    9. Thome, Wolfgang (11 December 2011). "ENHAS Loses Out As CAA Approves Self Handling for Air Uganda Come January 2012". Wolfgang H. Thome's Blog. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    10. Thome, Wolfgang (16 November 2013). "U7 Now 6 Years Old". eTN Global Travel Industry News. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    11. Thome, Wolfgang (21 May 2014). "Air Uganda Joins African Airline Association – IATA Next". ETN Global Travel Industry News. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
    12. Thome, Wolfgang (24 May 2014). "Air Uganda Joins IATA". ETN Global Travel Industry News. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
    13. Juma, Victor (21 July 2014). "Air Uganda suspension big gain for Kenya carrier". Daily Nation. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
    14. "About Air Uganda". Air Uganda. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
    15. "Air Uganda flies high on code sharing deals". Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
    16. "Digital Brochure". Retrieved 6 February 2013.
    17. CAPA, Aviation Analysis (1 August 2013). "Uganda Plans To Relaunch Uganda Airlines And Invest USD400 Million In Airport Developments". CAPA Centre for Aviation & Innovata. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    18. Khisa, Isaac (21 June 2014). "Three Airlines To Re-Apply for Operation Certificates In Uganda". The EastAfrican. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
    19. Eisman-Reynard, Hannah (2013). "Air Uganda". Africa Outlook. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
    20. Wakabi, Michael (19 October 2008). "Air Uganda In Deal for Europe, Far East Routes". Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    21. Thome, Wolfgang (6 February 2009). "Wolfgang's East Africa Tourism Report: Air Uganda Adds Khartoum". eTN Global Travel Industry News. Archived from the original on 2017-03-15. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    22. Ngarambe, Alex (1 June 2010). "RwandAir, Air Uganda Ink Code Share Deal". The New Times (Rwanda) via AllAfrica.com. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    23. Thome, Wolfgang (27 January 2012). "Air Uganda Terminates Codeshare Agreement With RwandAir". eTN Global Travel Industry News. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    24. "More Codeshare Flights Between Air Uganda And RwandAir". eTN Global Travel Industry News. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    25. By Daily News, Reporter (21 January 2014). "Precision Air Partners With Air Uganda". Daily News. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    26. Guardian, Reporter (21 January 2014). "Precision Air, Air Uganda Partner To Boost Efficiency". IPP Media from The Guardian. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    27. "Our Airline Partners: Our Interline Partners". Air Uganda. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    28. "About U7: Our Fleet". Air Uganda. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    29. "Air Uganda Fleet In April 2014". CH Aviation. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    30. "Air Uganda Takes Delivery of Third CRJ-200". eTN Global Travel Industry News. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
    31. Oluka, Benon Herbert (21 July 2014). "Suspended Air Uganda to return leased planes". The Observer. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
    32. "US warns of attacks on Uganda-Sudan planes". BBC. 9 January 2010. Archived from the original on 10 January 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
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