On Friday, the Parliamentary budget committee rejected the Shs85 billion budget request from the ministry of works and transport to procure a spare engine for bombardier CRJ900 aircraft operated by Uganda Airlines.
The budget committee rejected the proposal on the grounds that it is too soon for the airline to ask for an engine. The MPs resolved that instead, Shs57b of the funds, be used to fund the procurement of road maintenance equipment for the 16 new administrative units in the country.
The national carrier was revamped in 2018 and started operations in 2019.
The Uganda Airlines management responded to the developments today.
While speaking in an interview, the Corporate Affairs & Public Relations Manager at Uganda Airlines, Rahim Shakila Lamar, explained that the Shs85 billion they are seeking Parliament to approve is the total yearly allocation from the government for the airline’s operations but not for purchasing aircraft engines.
“The cost of the CRJ engine is approximately $7.5m (about Shs26b) which is a part of the Shs85b total budget,” Shakila said.
Shakila noted that the engine is meant to be a reserve. She further explained that engine failures cannot be controlled due to the unpredictable environments in which the fleet is operated, adding that if the engine is not in reserve, it may cause disruptions in the operations of the airline.
“Otherwise, if we have CRJ in aircraft on ground (AOG) mode because of engine failure, we might be grounded for some time while in the queue waiting, resulting in delays, cancellations of flights, and loss of charter business. This would mean a loss of business, “she said.
The government has spent over Shs1.5 trillion since revamping Uganda Airlines in 2018.
The national airlines currently operate two bombardier CRJ 90 fleets on its regional routes to Nairobi, Juba dare s salaam, Mogadishu, Bujumbura, Mombasa, and Kilimanjaro. It also has one Airbus craft.