The Government has issued a new directive to all civil servants on travelling using Uganda Airlines, the country’s flagship national passenger and cargo carrier.

The Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, said on Wednesday that Cabinet decided that all government officials must take this carrier whenever they are going to destinations it flies to.

“Unless your destination does not have Uganda Airlines as one of the routes, which is being plied by the airlines; we want to caution accounting officers in government, the ministries, and all agencies, and departments of government that they should comply with this directive of Cabinet,” he said.

In August 2019, President Yoweri Museveni directed all government officials in these ministries, departments, agencies and parastatals to fly the carrier to all destinations it would be flying to once it commences operations.

This is contained in a Cabinet memo dated August 5, 2019, that said all its ministers and ministers of state must ensure that that directive is carried out.

Uganda Airlines started operations in 2019, providing scheduled air transportation services in East Africa and near international markets.

Aviation industry watchers say it is poised to make significant strides in its global connectivity as it prepares to launch flights to Mumbai, India, and Lagos, Nigeria, starting from October 7, 2023.

In August 2023, its chief executive officer, Jenifer Bamuturaki, told the media that the company would soon announce new routes. The move followed a visit by officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to Uganda in early August 2023.

The team inspected the Uganda Civil Aviation aerodrome infrastructure to determine the possibility of the Abuja route. She also launched a Uganda Airlines Mobile application that will enable customers to book flights online as well as track flight schedules, among other services.

Other new international routes planned for commencement include Guangzhou, London, Jeddah, and Riyadh.

Uganda Airlines was awarded the World's Youngest Aircraft Fleet Award, given by Ch-Aviation in 2021 and 2022.

Its vision is to be a world-class airline, exceeding customer expectations through high-quality service, global connectivity, and commitment to excellence.