New airlines born

By Stephen IlungoleAFRICAONE (East Africa) airline, a subsidiary of Das Air Limited, yesterday made its maiden flight from London to Entebbe International Airport amid revived hopes that the continent’s airline industry was getting back to normal after the collapse of Uganda Airlines and SA Alliance Air.The airline, that has entered the aviation business with a US$89m investment, said it will expand its shareholding by listing the company on the local bourse, the Uganda Securities Exchange, in the near future.Officials said the airline was part of the new Pan-African and AfricaOne airline organisation, which has Ugandans, Tanzanians and Nigerians as its initial shareholders.Capt. Joe Roy piloted the spacious McDonnell Douglas DC 10-30 aircraft with a seating capacity of 267 seats from London, UK without any passengers. It touched down at 09:14am. Roy said, “As you know, people want a start-up and that is what we have done. Now everybody will know that we are serious. It is an expensive venture to fly an empty aircraft but we feel it is worth it because we want our cabin crew to learn from our own aircraft because that is where they will be working.” Roy, also the Das Air and AfricaOne (East Africa) chairman pledged the public an excellent service. He said the airline, that will have Frederick Ochieng-Obbo as its Chief Executive Officer, will initially fly to East and West Africa, the Middle East and most of the routes SA Alliance Air used to fly. He said the airline will be officially launched at Entebbe on April 29 and later in Nigeria before beginning commercial flights in May. He said their fleet would increase before the official launching, with an addition of three aircraft being overhauled in Miami in the US.“We feel this is the way forward for our continent that has been lacking transport for some time. We are trying at this moment to start from where others stopped. We have incorporated what was left. We are excited about the idea and hope to provide the best service,” Roy said.Ochieng-Obbo said the first cabin crew for the first aircraft, currently undergoing training, includes 16 Nigerians, 12 Tanzanians and 23 Ugandans. He said the number will be increased.The Civil Aviation boss, Ambrose Akandonda, said AfricaOne airline had brought him joy because he issued them with a license just a month ago, amid several complaints.“In fact, there were queries about our action but we assured them that we go through legal processes before a licence is issued. “We are not only excited that our dream has come true, but also that AfricaOne airline is going to promote regional and Pan-Africanism,” Akandonda said.