Uganda Airlines to Resume London and Mumbai Flights After Aircraft Repairs

Uganda Airlines will resume its long-haul services to London and Mumbai on March 7, 2026, ending a suspension that left intercontinental passengers stranded for several weeks following an unplanned grounding of the airline’s wide-body fleet.

The national carrier confirmed the resumption in a travel advisory issued on Thursday, March 5, saying flights between Entebbe International Airport and the two cities would restart as scheduled. The airline did not, however, clarify whether all technical work on the affected aircraft had been fully completed before their return to service.

The disruption began on February 20 when Uganda Airlines grounded both of its Airbus A330-800neo jets for unscheduled maintenance. The two aircraft form the entire backbone of the airline’s long-haul operations, serving destinations including London, Mumbai, Dubai and Lagos. With both planes out of service simultaneously, the airline had no option but to suspend its intercontinental routes entirely, leaving passengers to seek alternative travel arrangements at short notice.

To restore operations, Uganda Airlines is reported to have temporarily leased a Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Ethiopian Airlines, though the carrier has not officially confirmed this arrangement. If accurate, the deal would have given the airline access to a replacement wide-body aircraft capable of operating the long-haul routes while its own jets underwent repairs.

Not all routes are returning at the same time. Flights to Dubai remain under review, with the airline citing restricted airspace in the United Arab Emirates and the broader Middle East as the reason for the continued hold. The airspace disruptions are linked to rising tensions surrounding the conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran, which has led to partial closures across parts of the region. Uganda Airlines said it is monitoring the situation and has not yet confirmed when Dubai services will resume.

The grounding exposed the risks that come with operating a small long-haul fleet. With only two wide-body aircraft in its inventory, any maintenance issue affecting even one of them places significant strain on the airline’s ability to maintain scheduled intercontinental services. The simultaneous grounding of both jets compounded that vulnerability, leaving the airline without a fallback option and forcing a complete halt to its most high-profile routes.

Uganda Airlines launched its Airbus A330-800neo operations as part of an ambitious expansion of its intercontinental network, with London Heathrow and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai among its flagship destinations. The routes are central to the airline’s long-term strategy of positioning Entebbe as a regional hub connecting East Africa to major global cities.

The airline has not issued a full explanation of what caused the unscheduled maintenance or what specific repairs were carried out on the aircraft. Passengers on affected routes were advised to check with the airline directly for updated booking and flight information.