ENTEBBE.
By Johannah Nantongo
Uganda Airlines has announced the resumption of its long-haul flights to London in the United Kingdom and Mumbai in India, effective March 7, 2026.
The development marks a major step toward restoring the airline’s intercontinental network following months of operational disruption.
In a travel update issued on March 5, 2026, the national carrier said the resumption of the routes follows a period of temporary interruptions that affected its wide-body 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 added that flights to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates remain under review, urging passengers to monitor official channels for further updates.
“Dubai, United Arab Emirates is currently being monitored; please check the website and social media platforms for more updates,” the statement added.
Uganda Airlines also said passengers affected by the disruptions will be offered free ticket revalidation and encouraged them to contact the airline’s customer care team or their travel agents for assistance.
The airline thanked travellers for their patience during the disruption period, saying it appreciates the “patience, loyalty and continued support of our guests during the recent temporary disruptions.”
According to a report by 256 Business News, the restoration of long-haul services comes after Uganda Airlines secured a short-term wet lease agreement with Ethiopian Airlines for a Boeing 787-8 aircraft to temporarily cover capacity gaps caused by maintenance checks on its wide-body fleet.
Industry sources told 256 Business News that the leased aircraft is expected to operate for approximately two months while the airline works to return at least one of its Airbus A330-800 aircraft to service after completing mandatory maintenance.
The wet lease — an arrangement where an airline provides aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance to another carrier — is commonly used to address short-term operational challenges such as maintenance events or sudden disruptions.
The arrangement follows a difficult period for Uganda Airlines’ long-haul operations.
The airline’s wide-body fleet has faced intermittent grounding since December 2025, when one of its Airbus A330-800 aircraft, registration 5X-CRN, was stranded in Lagos, Nigeria, for several weeks.
Although the aircraft eventually returned to Entebbe in January 2026, it could not immediately resume flights because its engines had reached the end of their allowable operating cycle and required further maintenance before being cleared for operations.
The airline’s second Airbus A330-800, registration 5X-NIL, was later grounded in mid-February after a routine borescope inspection revealed cracks in turbine blades, necessitating additional technical checks.
The Boeing 787-8 provided by Ethiopian Airlines is expected to help stabilise the long-haul network while those issues are resolved.
According to 256 Business News, the aircraft assigned to Uganda Airlines, registration ET-ASI, joined the Ethiopian fleet in May 2015 and was the 298th Boeing 787 built by the manufacturer.
Configured with 270 seats, the aircraft offers slightly higher capacity than the 258-seat Airbus A330-800 aircraft normally operated by Uganda Airlines.
However, the Ethiopian aircraft uses a two-class cabin configuration and does not include the premium economy section that Uganda Airlines introduced on its A330 fleet to cater to both business and leisure travellers.
Despite the different cabin configuration, the additional seating capacity could prove valuable as travel patterns shift amid geopolitical tensions affecting parts of the Middle East.
For Uganda Airlines, maintaining continuity on its London route is particularly important because it serves both passenger traffic and cargo operations, linking Uganda directly to one of the world’s major aviation hubs and a large diaspora market.
Flights to Dubai and Mumbai also play a key role in connecting Uganda to major trade and travel markets in the Middle East and South Asia.
The temporary leasing arrangement is expected to remain in place until at least one of Uganda Airlines’ Airbus A330-800 aircraft completes maintenance and returns to operational service.