Uganda Airlines extends Airbus A320 contract – flights secured until 2026!

Uganda Airlines extends Airbus A320 contract – flights secured until 2026!

Uganda Airlines has extended the contract with Danish wet lease and charter airline DAT to keep the Airbus A320, which has been in operation since November 2024, based in Entebbe until May 2026. [aerotelegraph] reports that the jet will be used on key routes to Johannesburg, Nairobi, Kinshasa and Lagos. This decision was made to address capacity constraints on these busy routes previously affected by the airline's smaller CRJ900 aircraft.

The A320 not only provides a solution to increasing travel demand during the busy winter months, but also enables an increase in cargo capacity - a key growth area for Uganda Airlines. The company's CEO, Jenifer Bamuturaki, highlighted that the additional capacity is necessary to maintain schedule integrity while parts of the existing fleet undergo maintenance.

Expansion of the fleet

Uganda Airlines has taken another step by taking delivery of a second Airbus A320-200 under a short-term wet lease agreement with Lithuanian airline DAT. According to [pulse], this 9.3-year-old medium-haul aircraft will join Uganda Airlines' existing fleet, which currently consists of four CRJ900LRs and two A330-800Ns. This additional aircraft is configured with 12 business class seats and 144 economy seats, doubling the capacity of the 90-seat CRJ900.

The acquisition of this Airbus A320 is expected to help improve operational efficiency and address challenges on popular routes. The acquisition follows a one-year wet lease agreement with Global Airways, which ended in April 2024 and was previously used on the Johannesburg route.

Future strategies

To further expand its international network, Uganda Airlines has received new approvals for foreign flights to destinations such as Saudi Arabia, Zambia and Zimbabwe and is also working on approval for Guangzhou, China. The airline plans to develop a hub concept in Entebbe to connect international travelers with Uganda's tourism and regional markets.

Overall, these measures strategically position Uganda Airlines to meet market challenges and serve travelers during peak seasons while continuing to support the airline's growth and development.