By Sadique Bamwita
Kampala
Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has revealed seven (7) airline operators currently operating without Air service licenses.
Among the seven Airline Operators are Uganda Airlines, Eagle Air, DHL Kampala Ltd, Kush Air Uganda, Aviation Fellowship, Kampala Executive Aviation and Aero Maintenance.
These companies met the top management of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) on March 7,2024 to seek for renewal of Air service licenses which expired last year.
The Chairperson Board of Directors for Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), Justice Steven Kavuma also former Deputy Chief Justice, noted that it’s mandatory for all air operators seeking Air service license or renewal of Air service license to present their applications before the Aviation regulatory body for hearing and scrutiny.
While speaking to Journalists in Kampala, Justice Steven Kavuma, revealed that seven airline companies wrote to Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA),five of them seeking for renewal of their Air service license while two of them are seeking for the Air service license for the first time.
He said upon thorough scrutiny those that meet the required requirements will have their licenses renewed or be granted Air service license.
“We invited stakeholders in the Aviation sector to present to us their applications for Air service License. Upon hearing their presentations, we are now considering their application for renewal or to grant them Air service License. We shall sit and screen all the seven airline operators and thereafter licence those that satisfy the requirements.
He revealed that Uganda currently has 26 airline operators and out of them Five are seeking to renew their license while the two are seeking to get licence for the first time so as to be able to operate legally in the Aviation sector.
“I urge all stakeholders to follow the necessary channels of communication in order to be able to get their licenses, “Justice Kavuma appealed to stakeholders.
He added that the Civil Aviation Authority is performing well as shown by the recent International Civil Aviation Organization audit. He said they advise government on matters related to air services revealing that so far Uganda has concluded bilateral air services with 56 countries.
The Deputy Director General Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), Olive Birungi Lumonya, said for purposes of quality assurance, every year all airline operators are required to apply for renewal of Air service license and then the authority issues license to those that satisfy the set requirements.
“It was necessary to meet the different key players in the Aviation sector and remember every year airlines write to us seeking for renewal of their licenses. In our interaction with the airline operators, we discovered they face challenges and as regulators we shall address them.
She says that the authority recently underwent a Universal safety oversight audit by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and its performance is rated good at 72.2% .
“In terms of security audit at Entebbe International Airport, Uganda performed very well as there was no significant safety concern registered,” she says adding that they have set up a new passenger building terminal which looks so elegant at Entebbe International Airport.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Uganda Airlines, Jennifer Bamunturaki, expressed optimism that the national airline will have its Air service license renewed saying they have put everything in place required to be licensed. She also revealed that the airline has so far expanded its routes from five to thirteen.
“As we expand more routes, we make more revenue. We have so far received foreign operator permits for Lusaka, Riyadh and now we are working on Guangzhou and London. We are building capacities of our technical staff, “Mrs. Bamunturaki revealed.
She added that they intend to have a third party ground handling in the coming financial year 2024/2025 where they shall improve the business class through provision of transport to esteemed clients.
The accountable manager for Kush Air Uganda, a company seeking for renewal of its license, Ivan Denis Wanamba, asked Uganda Civil Aviation Authority to increase its technical staff saying the available few ones delay service delivery.
