Uganda Airlines is facing renewed scrutiny following a series of flight delays and cancellations that have left passengers stranded thus public criticism, particularly on social media.
Over the past week, intending travellers have shared accounts of missed flights and confusion at Entebbe International Airport, accusing the national carrier of poor communication and inadequate customer support. Some passengers said they were left waiting at check-in counters as schedules changed without clear explanations.
In a statement issued on December 13, the airline acknowledged disruptions to its scheduled operations, saying it was working to restore normal services. However, the explanation did little to calm frustrated travellers online.
The debate intensified after businessman Andrew Mwenda posted a video on X on December 15 showing congested check-in counters, unattended luggage, and stranded passengers.
“The tragedy happening at Uganda Airlines is far beyond even my worst predictions. One plane is stuck in Lagos, another in London, passengers stranded and the airline rapidly falling apart,” Mwenda wrote, in comments that quickly drew public attention. In the background of the video, a woman’s voice claims airline staff abandoned their counters after passengers complained about poor service.
Responding to the criticism, Uganda Airlines Executive Director Jenifer Bamuturaki strongly defended the airline, attributing the disruptions to unavoidable technical challenges rather than mismanagement.
“We’re having what we call aircraft on ground—one CRJ and one Airbus. There’s one in Lagos because we cannot find the spare part. It’s not because we don’t have it in our stores, but because it’s not a part that is ordinarily stocked,” Bamuturaki said.
She dismissed claims that aircraft were simultaneously stranded in multiple destinations.
“It is not true that we were stuck both in Lagos and London. As we speak now, the Airbus from London landed about an hour and a half ago. The disruptions are simply because we’ve had technicals,” she explained.
Bamuturaki noted that Uganda Airlines operates a small fleet, making it vulnerable when even a few aircraft are grounded.
“Remember, we have seven aircraft, including a leased one. When two are out, that already causes a knock-on effect; flights get delayed, flights get cancelled. That’s really what is causing all this,” she said.
She further pointed to operational constraints beyond the airline’s control.
“There’s something people may not have noticed. In the industry we have what we call NOTAMs—Notices to Airmen. Many regional airports we operate have restrictions on when we can land or take off. Once you have a delay at Entebbe, it affects your ability to land or depart elsewhere, forcing further delays and creating a ripple effect,” Bamuturaki added.
Acknowledging passenger frustration, the executive director conceded that the airline has fallen short of customer expectations.
“No, that’s not true that we are indifferent. We are letting down a lot of our customers. This is a high season, people are travelling for Christmas, children are finishing school and coming home. These disruptions are very annoying, and that’s why we’re seeing this negative but positive criticism,” she said.
She argued that public anger reflects emotional investment in the national carrier.
“The fact that people are upset means they have passion for Uganda Airlines. How we communicate and manage expectations is very important,” Bamuturaki said.
On mitigation measures, she explained that affected passengers are being assisted where possible.
“We are booking some passengers on different airlines, but because it’s peak season, most flights are already full. We are rescheduling others on our own flights and booking hotels. We have also optimised our schedule so that we don’t over promise until all aircraft are back on the line,” she noted.
Looking ahead, Bamuturaki said the airline’s focus is on consolidation rather than expansion.
She noted, “In 2026, we are not launching new routes. We want to improve our customer experience and business processes so that we can offer a consistently good service,”
