Meridian to be called 'Air Uganda'; launch in November

29 August 2007

Meridian Africa Airlines Uganda Ltd will be launched in November and operate as Air Uganda. The company has acquired two McDonnel Douglas DC9 aircraft from South African leasing firm Tour Craft. "We expect to commence commercial services on 10 November," Meridien's chief executive Pietro Niedda, told the media.

Air Uganda will initially operate a daily service to Nairobi, with two flights a day from Monday to Friday and a single flight each on Saturday and Sunday. Dar es Salaam will be served by five flights a week, with three going through Kilimanjaro Airport while Juba, in southern Sudan, will be served three times a week.

The new carrier recently received an endorsement from President Yoweri Museveni when he announced last week that the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (Akfed) would launch an airline to take the place of the defunct Uganda Airlines. (See: Aga Khan to help start new Ugandan airline) The airline has been assigned the International Air Transport Association code U7. Company officials expect to get an air operator's certificate from the Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority towards the end of September.

Niedda said the DC9s have been acquired on a wet lease, and are only a stopgap measure till Air Uganda acquires an MD87 aircraft in February 2008 and another in May. The aircraft will be configured to a 99-seat layout, with the 20 business class seats and 79 economy seats. He said the carrier was considering a switch to Bombardier's new CRJ-700 or -900 series.

Air Uganda has so far recruited eight Ugandan cockpit crew (four pilots and four first officers), who are scheduled to complete their conversion courses and attain type certification on the MD87 in December.

Cabin attendants and ground staff have also been recruited. The cabin attendants will soon undergo a certification course so as to work on the DC9.