Uganda Airlines has announced the resumption of its long-haul flights to London and Mumbai starting March 7, 2026, following weeks of disruptions caused by maintenance checks on its wide-body aircraft.
In a travel advisory issued on March 5, the airline said the reinstatement of the routes comes after securing a temporary aircraft through a wet-lease arrangement with Ethiopian Airlines to maintain its long-haul operations.
“We are pleased to announce the reinstatement of our long-haul operations to London, United Kingdom, and Mumbai, India, effective March 7, 2026,” the airline said in a statement.
The airline explained that the arrangement will help stabilize operations as its fleet undergoes mandatory technical maintenance.
Industry sources indicate that the carrier has leased a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Ethiopian Airlines to temporarily cover the capacity gap created by the grounding of its Airbus A330-800 aircraft.
A wet lease is an aviation arrangement in which an airline provides an aircraft together with crew, maintenance, and insurance to another carrier, usually for a short period to address operational disruptions.
Uganda Airlines’ long-haul operations have faced intermittent challenges since December 2025, when one of its Airbus A330-800 aircraft, registration 5X-CRN, experienced technical issues while operating in Lagos.
Although the aircraft later returned to Entebbe International Airport, it could not immediately resume operations after engineers determined that its engines required further maintenance.
The airline’s second Airbus A330-800 aircraft, registration 5X-NIL, was later grounded in February following routine inspections that revealed cracks in turbine blades, necessitating additional technical checks.
The leased Boeing 787-8, which has a seating capacity of about 270 passengers, is expected to operate on the long-haul routes for approximately two months as the airline works to return at least one of its Airbus aircraft to service.
However, unlike Uganda Airlines’ A330 aircraft, the leased Dreamliner has a two-class cabin configuration and does not include the premium economy section offered on the airline’s fleet.
Meanwhile, Uganda Airlines said flights to Dubai remain under review and advised passengers to monitor its official communication channels for updates.
The airline also urged travelers affected by the disruptions to contact its customer care team or their travel agents for ticket revalidation.
Officials thanked passengers for their patience and continued support during the temporary disruptions as the airline works to restore normal operations on its long-haul network.
