Uganda Airlines has once again found itself in the headlines—not for expansion or innovation, but for a ballooning wage bill that starkly contrasts its troubled performance. The national carrier, which is still heavily reliant on taxpayer subsidies and yet to post a profit, is now retiring its Bombardier CRJ 900 fleet due to spare part scarcity. Ironically, this decision comes even as its executives and senior staff enjoy salaries more befitting global aviation giants.
Leaked salary details paint a troubling picture. The Chief Executive Officer reportedly earns UGX 87 million monthly, while the Director of Maintenance takes home UGX 80 million and the Chief Financial Officer receives UGX 73 million. Pilots are said to pocket UGX 60 million, with other managers in ICT, finance, HR, and quality assurance earning between UGX 36–58 million. These figures have sparked outrage, given that the airline is still a loss-making entity with limited routes and shrinking operational capacity.
The retirement of the CRJ 900 fleet raises deeper questions about decision-making and accountability. Bombardier’s exit from the regional jet market was no secret, yet Uganda Airlines went ahead with a multimillion-dollar investment in aircraft whose sustainability was already in doubt. The lack of foresight points to inadequate due diligence, and many Ugandans are asking: with such highly paid executives, how could such a costly miscalculation occur?
Regional comparisons only deepen the unease. Kenya Airways, a member of the global SkyTeam alliance with far more extensive operations, reportedly pays its CEO between UGX 55–65 million. RwandAir, with a larger route network and international partnerships, pays its executives UGX 45–60 million. Even Ethiopian Airlines, the continent’s most successful carrier, is renowned for linking executive pay to performance while maintaining a lean and efficient cost structure. By contrast, Uganda Airlines’ salary scale appears detached from its reality on the ground.
For many critics, the airline has become a symbol of prestige at the expense of accountability. With grounded planes, disrupted routes, and public confidence waning, the contrast between lavish pay and weak performance is impossible to ignore. Parliament’s COSASE committee is now probing the matter, and Ugandans are demanding answers: Who approved the flawed aircraft purchase? What benchmarks justify the exorbitant pay? And most importantly, what reforms will ensure the airline serves national interest instead of draining public coffers? Until then, Uganda Airlines may carry the national flag, but its credibility is stuck in a holding pattern.
