The National carrier Uganda Airlines has reported to COSASE a significant boost in organizational performance, with cumulative revenue since 2019 reaching an impressive Shs. 1.2 trillion
Presenting to COSASE chaired by Medard Ssegona, the airlines CEO Jennifer Bamuturaki said that the passenger numbers have risen from just 71,000 in 2019 to 419,000 bringing the accumulative airline carriage to 1.1 million passengers since operations began.
CEO Jennifer Bamuturaki
At Entebbe International Airport, Uganda Airlines accounts for 23.4% of all air traffic a remarkable achievement for a relatively young airline.
In a move towards promoting local economic growth, the airline reports that 90% of its supplies are sourced locally with a workforce currently stands at over 500 employees, with only 4% being expatriates.
Meanwhile Bamuturaki has responded to recent social media allegations questioning the safety of the airline clarifying that all Uganda Airlines aircraft are in good condition and meet stringent international safety standards.
She however revealed that its only one aircraft CRJ-900 which is grounded due to engine mechanical conditions and it’s being replaced with a new one and it’s worked on by Ugandan engineers.
Reports had suggested that the airline had grounded its CRJ-900 aircraft because they were “junk,” raising concerns over lack of manufacturer support for spare parts.
Ms Bamuturaki clarified that the perception was a misunderstanding of standard airline operations.
She explained that the airline recorded a Shs237.855 billion loss in 2024, down from Shs324.9 billion in 2023, attributing the bulk of the losses to high fuel costs, aircraft depreciation, and crew allowances.
“The largest contributor to our losses is fuel, followed by depreciation and crew allowances,” she said, emphasizing that other costs are categorized as direct and indirect expenses.
Uganda Airlines operates four Bombardier CRJ-900 narrow-body jets and two Airbus A330-800neo wide-body planes.
Bamuturaki emphasized that passenger safety remains a top priority, and there is no cause for concern regarding the airline’s operations.
