British Airways’ last flight out of Uganda

Entebbe. At exactly 1am on Saturday October 3, a light drizzle flushed through Entebbe dusting layers of grime that had settled on the town earlier in the day.

It was a symbolic night as Uganda yet again said farewell to a second airline in a space of just one year.

The drizzle had come in time for employees of Entebbe Handling Services (ENHAS) and others to capture the final moments through their phone cameras, before British Airways (BA) hit the runway.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, at the British Airways offices in Kampala, Faith Chaitezvi, the airline country manager, who declined our request for an interview, together with another gentleman were the lone figures on the premises that once housed more than 30 staff.

In a short conversation Chaitezvi told this newspaper they would remain open until October 20 as key staff wind up with unfinished business.

First forward by 11pm passengers were starting to stream through the Entebbe International Airport scanners to board what could be British Airways’ - at least for now - last flight in and out of Uganda.

After 24 years of operation, in June British Airways finally pulled the plug on its flights to Uganda noting the route was no longer ‘commercially viable’. Amid the drizzle, the Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft belt through the traditional water cannon splash saluting its contribution to Uganda’s aviation sector.

It was a quiet night but noticeably most people at the airport seemed to understand this was British Airways’ last flight.

Many stretched through the glass windows to catch sight of the 211seater aircraft, which would later hit the skies at exactly 1:20am. Some did not know what to make of it but to others it was a disappointment that the airline’s 24-year journey had come to an end.

With the Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft taxing away and eventually disappearing into the deep night, it was back to business. (NMG)