Uganda Airlines, the national carrier, has bagged about Shs247m from transporting dead bodies of mainly Ugandans back home since its resumption of flights about two years ago, officials have said.

According to Mr Morris Ongwech, the manager-in-charge of cargo at Uganda Airlines, on average, a body that is fully packed in a specialised coffin is heavier than normal and weighs between 130 and 180 kilogrammes.

Mr Ongwech explained that each kilogramme is charged $8. This means that on average, transporting a dead body back home takes about Shs5m.

“From October 2021 when we commenced our flights, the airline has transported about 47 bodies into the country, mainly from United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Africa, which are countries where many of Uganda’s labourers are found,” Mr Ongwech said last week during a week-long first ever media-lab training of journalists by the airline in Kasese District.

Mr Ongwech further explained that on average, they pick and return home one body every week.
He said from the region, they don’t transport many bodies because of the already existing competition from other regional airlines such as the Kenya Airways.

“But since this is a national airline, we give discount to the bereaved families in transporting dead bodies back home as a sign of mourning alongside with them,” he said.
The official didn’t state how much discount the airline gives to the bereaved family.

Obtained data further shows that fruits and vegetables are the number one exports that the national airline carries out of the country, with the major destination being Europe.
Fish and flowers then follow in that order.

During the media lab training that mainly attracted editors and senior journalists from across various media houses, Mr Ofwono Opondo, the executive director of the Uganda Media Centre, and Ms Jennifer Bamuturaki, the Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Airlines, called upon the journalists to factually report about the revived national carrier.

“We are not saying you sweep the dirt under the carpet but when reporting about the national carrier, which is a very sensitive business globally, ensure you report from an informed and factual point of view,” Ms Bamuturaki said.

The Uganda Airlines is the flag carrier of the country. The company is a revival of the older Uganda Airlines, which operated from 1977 until 2001.
The current carrier began flying in August 2019 but got disruptions of Covid-19 lockdown that affected the entire globe.