Uganda Airlines has taken delivery of the first of two newly leased aircraft, a wet-leased Boeing 737-800 operated in partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, as the national carrier moves to strengthen its regional network and boost operational flexibility.

 The latest addition comes on the back of a partnership with Ethiopian Airlines that has grown significantly in recent months.

From March 7, Uganda Airlines had been operating a wet-leased Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from its Ethiopian counterpart to maintain long-haul services after both of its own Airbus A330-800 aircraft were grounded for unscheduled maintenance — disrupting flights to London Gatwick, Mumbai and Dubai.

That crisis period now appears to be behind the airline. The Airbus A330-800neo returned to service on the London Gatwick route on May 4, having already resumed operations on the Dubai and Mumbai routes from April 17, following months of maintenance work attributed to Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine problems.

The swift resolution of the long-haul grounding was widely credited to Acting CEO Girma Wake, who assumed the role in February following a presidential directive.

Wake, a former CEO of Ethiopian Airlines from 2004 to 2011 and later its chairman until 2023, is seen as the architect of the airline's transformation into Africa's most profitable carrier — and his relationships at Ethiopian Airlines proved pivotal in securing timely wet-lease support.

With long-haul operations now stabilized, Uganda Airlines is turning its attention to strengthening its short and medium-haul capacity. The government had previously approved plans to wet-lease a Boeing 737-800 as part of a broader push to expand the carrier's passenger and cargo network. A second leased aircraft is expected to follow shortly.