Ugandan business community is set to reap big from the newly revived Uganda Airlines as the company plans to hire local service providers for nearly everything needed on board.
While addressing the press at their offices in Entebbe, Jennifer Bamuturaki the commercial director Uganda Airlines said they have hired Ugandans for different jobs including pilots, Engineers, the entire cabin crew among others.
These were hired during a recruitment process which Bamuturaki says was well advertised and based on everyone’s expertise.
Now, the food, cushions, cabin crew uniforms and any other services needed by the airlines will be sourced from within the country. She however warns that those that meet international standards.
“The Airline will come up with the menu, we may not serve matooke, but surely Ugandans will enjoy local delicacies on board. We cannot leave Ugandan designers to go hiring people from other countries. We have already contacted our local designers to work on this” she explained.
On the concern that the planes are spending 90 days on ground, Bamuturaki said they are currently meeting other airlines and discussing bilateral partnerships. They are also awaiting certification from the civil aviation authority here in Uganda as well as permission from other countries’ CAAs.
“Civil Aviation Authority needs to approve pilots, engineers, security of the planes, and training of cabin crew among other things. Commercially, we are writing to CAAs in other countries” she added.
The bombardiers will fly to Nairobi, Bujumbura, Juba, Dar-es salaam, Zanzibar and later Khartoum among other destinations. The two planes which were fully paid for are expected to start commercial flights in July this year.
