A wave of flight disruptions stretching from Munich to Madrid has laid bare the immense pressure on global aviation, a scenario not unfamiliar to Ugandan travellers.
Of late, Uganda Airlines has come under criticism for flight delays and cancellations, but Jennifer Bamuturaki, Uganda Airlines CEO, says such operational hurdles are, regrettably, a worldwide seasonal phenomenon.
Bamuturaki notes that while the airline strives for seamless operations, global disruptions are an industry-wide challenge during this period.
“We are acutely aware of the inconvenience caused to our valued passengers when schedules are interrupted,” Bamuturaki says.
“While we at Uganda Airlines do not, of course, enjoy the disruptions caused by flight cancellations and delays, it is important to note that this is not a new or isolated situation. At this time of the year, when many people are travelling, airports and airlines across the globe, from Europe to Africa, experience significant operational pressures.”
Data from European flight monitoring agencies paints a stark picture, with more than 4,145 delayed flights and 40 cancellations across the continent’s major hubs.
Airports in Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Oslo were among the hardest hit, with brutal winter weather compounding staffing and logistical challenges, leaving travellers stranded in terminals.
The European meltdown saw staggering figures: Paris Charles de Gaulle recorded 467 delays, Frankfurt 328, and Amsterdam Schiphol 298. Even airports with few cancellations, like Munich and Madrid, grappled with hundreds of delayed flights, causing a ripple effect on connections worldwide.
“For Ugandan travellers and those using Entebbe International Airport as a hub, these overseas disruptions have directly impacted connecting flights. For instance, a cancellation in London or Brussels can mean missed links to Entebbe, and vice-versa,” adds Bamuturaki.
She emphasises that Uganda Airlines remains focused on minimising local disruptions through proactive communication and contingency planning. “Our commitment is to ensure our passengers reach their destinations safely and with minimal inconvenience, despite the global industry strains,” she adds.
Indeed it is an inconvenience internationally. Especially when Covid 19 struck the whole world some years back. However, in such a disturbance for the country of Uganda the domestic air travel seems to be nil. Uganda Airlines seems not to have any interest in air travel domestically. With the killer roads spread out all over this country, cheap air travel might just improve the economic situation of this poor state and save lives.
Soekarno-Hatta Airport (CGK) in Jakarta, Indonesia Archipelago is a massive aviation hub, handling tens of millions of passengers annually (over 37 million domestic in 2024) and hundreds of thousands of aircraft movements yearly, making it Indonesia’s busiest airport and a major global player, with recent holiday peaks seeing over 12,000 flights in 10 days. Mind you one counts about 20 other major national and international airports in this country. Soekarno Hatta is the primary gateway for the archipelago, dominating DOMESTIC traffic and seeing significant international growth, with ongoing expansions to increase capacity. Uganda Airlines to think that because it siphons tax payer money like there is no tomorrow, owns Entebbe Airport and Uganda air travel, is very unfortunate indeed.
My wife and I have had flights booked since August. We were flying back to London at 1am tomorrow and was just told they have “rescheduled” us to 23:40!
An entire 22 hours with no discussion or compensation offered. Trying to call their helpline with no answer. This has caused huge disruption to our work and means we have to now pay for a hotel in Entebbe and extra parking in London. Extremely poor.and doesn’t reflect our experience of Uganda as a whole which has been amazing.