National Carrier Under Fire: Uganda Airlines Grapples with Passenger Fury Over Persistent Disruptions
ENTEBBE, Uganda — A wave of frustration is crashing over Uganda’s national carrier as passengers take to social media to voice their grievances against persistent flight delays and cancellations, sparking a heated debate about reliability, patriotism, and the challenges of running a flag carrier.
The controversy ignited after prominent journalist Sudhir Byaruhanga detailed a frustrating ordeal on X (formerly Twitter). He reported that a scheduled Wednesday flight from Entebbe to Zanzibar was abruptly cancelled and moved to Thursday. The situation worsened for the return journey; the Wednesday flight from Zanzibar back to Entebbe was first delayed until midnight, only for passengers who had already arrived at the airport to be told it was postponed again to Thursday.
“Uganda Airlines, if you don’t pull up your socks and stop operating an airline like a taxi, then people will opt for other airlines plying the same routes and forfeit their patriotism,” Byaruhanga wrote in a post that garnered significant engagement, with over 1,700 reposts and 117,000 views.
His experience is not isolated. Other travelers have recounted similar disruptions on routes like Entebbe to Johannesburg, where flights have been pushed from midnight to 5 a.m., sometimes coupled with lost luggage. These incidents force passengers to incur unplanned hotel expenses, reschedule critical business meetings, and absorb other logistical costs—a bitter pill to swallow given the airline’s premium ticket prices and its status as a taxpayer-funded entity.
The backlash has prompted a defensive response from some quarters. Commentator Samson Kasumba replied to the criticism, urging understanding for the airline’s operational realities. “No one will cancel a flight for the sake of it,” he argued. “An airline is a more expensive business than a taxi and it has tight safety regulations. It can only fly when it can fly.” Kasumba also hinted at potential financial viability issues, noting he had flown on a regional flight with fewer than 30 passengers, suggesting thin routes may be a factor.
Another X user, Beewol, articulated the core of the passengers’ practical dilemma: “With Uganda Airlines you can’t risk making time-sensitive plans before you’ve left the airport… then BOOM! The flight is delayed… and now you have to dig into your pocket to cater for the delays.”
The public airing of these complaints arrives at a critical juncture for Uganda Airlines, which faces increasing competition from established and often more reliable regional carriers like RwandAir. The online debate now pits calls for operational excellence and accountability against appeals for national pride and patience with a complex, capital-intensive business.
As the discussion continues to trend online, Uganda Airlines has yet to issue a formal public statement addressing the specific incidents raised by Byaruhanga and other travelers. The carrier’s response, or lack thereof, will be closely watched by a customer base increasingly weighing convenience against national loyalty.
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