Uganda Airlines needs to do a lot to attract customers

By James William Mugeni

Editor, the Bombardier CRJ 900 is good sounding it is such an eye-catching phrase or naming. It is such an exciting moment for Ugandans especially those who are airborne already like me. What does the new airline bring with it? I saw my people from the Eastern region happy that there are two pilots from the East to be specific an Adhola from Tororo and an Etesot from Teso land what a way of looking at things! I could as well say that in my clan I could be the only one airborne come rain come sunshine I will have to fly to get back to Uganda. But will I use Uganda airlines?

I want to be very sincere and say it here that Uganda Airlines needs to do a lot of work to make me and others use it. We saw debates raging on with claims that the planes are procured fraudulently and up to now the claims that the planes are for by some private individuals is very bad public relations for an airline that is being born.

What is the domestic relationship of these new birds? We sincerely have a situation that looks like the planes have taken off and left the passengers in Uganda. I will illustrate this using my experience and see who continues to get excited. To fly out of Uganda to America I had to sell my, "ka plot,'' something that looks like giving off your life fortune. In other words, Uganda Airlines must make flight realistic if anything.

America has 87,000 flights in a day 2,000 planes in the air per hour and 5000 planes in space at peak hour. Here are the options I have for a journey in America in the state where I leave. It is $52 to cover the 8-hour journey by bus or $163 for 1hr and 30 minutes by plane Des-Moines to Chicago and both are affordable for me. It is now a matter of choice and urgency for me to decide what means to use to a destination I want in America.

I can work for three days and my earning in three days can make me airborne not selling a cow, land or taking a loan as we do in Uganda to take a flight. Do the new birds have an effect on the business hours between Rukungiri, Kabale, Mbarara, Kampala, Jinja, Gulu, Arua or these journeys remain the usual 12hrs nightmare? What will it cost to fly Entebbe Tororo what is the comparative advantage?

To keep the 2,000 aeroplanes per hour in the air, America the planes make almost everyone in America a potential passenger there are a few modifications as in business class, economy, private and cargo planes etc. You download an application on your phone and when you just have a trip to make adverts chock your phone on available options for travel.

Whoever is buying the planes must participate in creating flying populations otherwise my statement that the planes have taken off and left the passengers is very true. When your entire population is moving towards running on bodaboda for quicker means for connection the planes are a very ambitious plan that will not be any different from the first experience with the planes we collapsed.

While writing this article, athletics where I was a national coach in Uganda is just the nearest example I can quote. We had the PENN RELAYS in America. Kenya had athletes running over the weekend. Uganda did not meaning nobody took flight, Kenya had athletes at the DRAKE RELAYS over the weekend and there was no Ugandan athlete meaning no flight by a Ugandan youth. We have just had the Under 20 African athletics championship where Kenya fielded a complete team enough athletes to fill the bombardier and Uganda had only five athletes in Abidjan in Ivory coast meaning we can't fly the bombardier in this sector. The London Marathon both men and women Sunday were won by Kenyans followed by Ethiopians there was no Ugandan participating. Yes, we had our Stephen Kiprotich a lone runner in Hamburg in Germany over the weekend vividly this tells you our flight behaviour in my sports sector. And what does it mean? Talent area could be an area for corporate social responsibility for Uganda airlines to stimulate growth.

Then the bad mouthing right from parliament to the streets, this means the planes must start off with very serious members in the industry who believe in connecting with the people. The community close to those at home and abroad who must be turned into one Uganda airline family. Their members must not only fly people to their next destination but must inspire and engage with Ugandans and make our communities a better place for all. I am in the diaspora community that is bombarded with the best commercials fly the Emirates, fly Qatar, fly KLM, fly Delta and among the 87,000 planes that take off in America in a day the options are for the best deal. The airline must stimulate growth to back up the air industry. The US 2,000 planes per hour in space to zero (0) planes per hour in Uganda air space shows opportunity but can we turn this nightmare around? Below is a work statement of American airlines.

Airlines for America (A4A) advocates on behalf of its members to shape crucial policies and measures that promote safety, security and a healthy U.S. airline industry. They work collaboratively with airlines, labour, Congress and the Administration and other groups to improve air travel for everyone. Annually, commercial aviation helps drive nearly $1.5 trillion in US economic activity and more than 10 million US jobs. A4A vigorously advocates on behalf of the American airline industry as a model of safety, customer service and environmental responsibility and as the indispensable network that drives the nation's economy and global competitiveness.

A4A members don't just work in the community, they also live there too. Their members participate in several community-based programs such as Habitat for Humanity, Kaboom! Red Cross, UNICEF, March of Dimes and disaster relief charities, as well as educational initiatives to help the next generation fulfil their potential. They are all one community.

Yes, we have the planes let us have the population to fly.

The writer is a medical clinical officer/certified public Manager in the US