Kampala, Uganda: City businessman Dr Sudhir Ruparelia has been caught up in mounting flight disruptions at Uganda Airlines after the national carrier grounded both of its long-haul aircraft due to unscheduled maintenance.
“My Sunday flight was cancelled,” Sudhir confirmed in a WhatsApp chat with this reporter, after his scheduled London trip was abruptly called off. The businessman was reportedly set to travel for high-level engagements in the United Kingdom tied to property and finance interests under the Ruparelia Group.
The disruption initially affected the Entebbe–Mumbai route (UR 430/431), which was formally cancelled for February 21 due to operational reasons. Under normal operations, UR 430 departs Entebbe at 13:20hrs and arrives in Mumbai at 23:00hrs, while the return leg, UR 431, departs Mumbai at 01:10hrs and lands in Entebbe at 05:50hrs.
Subsequent developments extended to the Entebbe–London service — one of the airline’s flagship long-haul routes and a key revenue stream.
The cancellation follows a travel advisory issued by Uganda Airlines on February 20, 2026, confirming temporary disruption of its long-haul services.
In its official notice on Friday, the airline said two of its long-haul aircraft are temporarily out of service due to unscheduled maintenance. “We understand that this may cause concern and inconvenience,” the airline stated, assuring passengers that safety and comfort remain its highest priority.
Passengers have been offered rebooking on partner airlines, schedule adjustments, or the option to rebook for a future date without change fees.
The London route, launched with diplomatic and commercial significance, was designed to connect Uganda directly to Europe, while the Mumbai route taps into strong trade, medical travel and business traffic between Uganda and India.
Uganda Airlines resumed operations in 2019 after nearly two decades of dormancy, with government investing in a fleet that includes Airbus A330-800neo aircraft for long-haul operations and CRJ-900s for regional routes.
However, aviation analysts have long warned that operating intercontinental routes with a minimal wide-body fleet creates limited buffer for maintenance contingencies. Grounding both aircraft simultaneously exposes vulnerabilities in schedule resilience.
Recovery Efforts
Uganda Airlines says it is working around the clock to source required components and technical expertise to restore the aircraft to service. Passengers booked on London and Mumbai flights have been advised to check updates via the airline’s website and contact its global call centre for assistance.
The duration of the disruption remains unclear.
For high-profile passengers like Sudhir — and hundreds of other travellers — the episode underscores the operational strain facing Uganda’s flag carrier as it balances ambitious intercontinental expansion with fleet sustainability.
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