Competition in the Ugandan air service sector is set to receive a shot in the arm with the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) having received four new applications for air services licenses (ASLs) after having greenlighted startup Bar Aviation (HE, Kajjansi) earlier this year, according to local media reports.
New Vision newspaper reports that Ugandan engineering and construction company Dott Services Limited, Safari Air International Limited, freight company Panafrica Aviation Limited, and Aberdair Aviation Uganda Limited - the Ugandan affiliate of Kenya's Aberdair Aviation Group - will defend their ASL applications before the UCAA on May 5, 2022.
They report the licenses are for the following:
- Dott Services Limited has applied for an ASL to operate a Cessna 510;
- Safari Air International Limited has applied for an ASL to operate Cessna Aircraft Company 421C Golden Eagle, Beech (twin piston) Baron G58, and the Fuji FA-200 Aero Subaru single-piston-powered monoplane;
- Panafric Aviation Limited has applied for an ASL using Piper (twin turboprop) PA-34 Seneca; and
- Aberdair Aviation Uganda Limited has applied for an ASL using DHC-8-300, E110, and Airbus H125 helicopter.
The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) was not immediately available for comment.
As reported, Bar Aviation launched domestic schedules from Entebbe to four national parks in the country in an interline partnership with Uganda Airlines (UR, Entebbe) on February 1, 2022, with a Cessna (single turboprop)208B Grand Caravan.
Uganda currently has only four scheduled active airlines, including national carrier Uganda Airlines, which holds about 46% market share (in terms of weekly aircraft seat capacity) at Entebbe/Kampala; AirKenya subsidiary AeroLink Uganda (A8, Entebbe) has a 45% market share, and Eagle Air (EGU, Entebbe), which provides domestic and charter flights to East and Central Africa.
