After bagging a massive order from Air India, Airbus and Boeing are eyeing a potential order from Uganda Airlines for approximately six to seven aircraft. According to sources, the airline is looking out for mid-range aircraft for a smooth transition between A330-800 and Bombardier CRJ900s.
Boeing is likely to pitch its 737MAX series, a popular narrowbody choice across the globe for joint cargo and passenger operations, offering a high payload, 20% fuel-efficiency and 14% lowered airframe maintenance, making it a very cost-effective option as per Boeing.
Airbus has two models for the offer, the A320neos and A220s. The A321neo and its larger version the A321 XLR offers a significant increase in range over the MAX series that can help the airline in lower-capacity service from its African hub for regional as well as Middle East services, claims Airbus.
Speaking to local media, Jennifer Bamuturaki, CEO, Uganda Airlines confirmed the news of Airbus, Boeing and Embraer coming up with offers to the airlines, Ministry of Works and Transport, and Uganda’s Civil Aviation Authority.
“We want an aircraft that can do Dubai, Mumbai or London when we have low loads. We also want a mid-range one on those routes where the A330 is either too big or unavailable,” Bamuturaki further added.
The Uganda Airlines has been struggling to make profits for the last several years, due to slow network development, high operating costs and low demand.
For the financial year ending 2022, Ugandan Airlines recorded $72 million loss, up almost $27 million from 2021. The airline is planning to break even by 2027, and fleet modernization is definitely on the cards to achieve that goal.