Uganda Airlines is wet-leasing Boeing 787 aircraft from Ethiopian Airlines to restore long-haul routes after its two Airbus A330-800s had to undergo unscheduled maintenance.
The airline has not indicated the nature of the maintenance, but the situation has added to upheaval at the carrier soon after it sought a change of leadership.
Chief executive Jenifer Bamuturaki has been succeeded by acting head Girma Wake – a former chief of Ethiopian Airlines.
But the carrier, around the same time, had to take its two long-haul jets “temporarily out of service” for “unscheduled maintenance”.
It did not specify the nature of the maintenance but the A330-800s – powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines – had been operating intercontinental services for the airline.
The airline has turned to Wake’s former employer to address the lack of capacity, wet-leasing an Ethiopian 787 from 7 March.
“This short-term arrangement ensures operational continuity on the airline’s long-haul routes while enhancing network reliability and service delivery for our valued passengers,” says Uganda Airlines.
It states that it is restoring services to London and Mumbai. The carrier says it is monitoring the situation in Dubai, which has been subject to airspace closures as a result of the Iranian conflict.
