{"id":14683,"date":"2025-06-22T13:07:46","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T13:07:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ugandaupdatenews.com\/?p=14683"},"modified":"2025-06-22T13:07:52","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T13:07:52","slug":"my-experience-flying-the-ugandan-airlines-gatwick-to-entebbe-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/my-experience-flying-the-ugandan-airlines-gatwick-to-entebbe-this-week\/","title":{"rendered":"My Experience Flying the Ugandan Airlines Gatwick to Entebbe This Week"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Alex Kakande<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many Ugandans living in the diaspora, the direct flight from Gatwick Airport in London to Entebbe Airport was a sign of relief when it was announced. Who doesn\u2019t want to have a direct flight from London to Entebbe, Kampala? So, when the time came for me to book my flight, I was really excited. I was supporting Uganda Airlines, the Pearl of Africa, and felt it was my patriotic duty to fly our national airline. Like any other Ugandan, I believed it was our responsibility to support our national carrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the day I arrived at Gatwick Airport, one of the busiest airports in London, I found it to be not as large as Heathrow, but still quite significant. I must say, the check-in process was superb\u2014really good and very fast at the Uganda Airlines check-in point. Perhaps this should have been an indicator of what to expect going forward. While all the other airlines had long lines that day, with people waiting close to 30 minutes to check in, we at Uganda Airlines felt like we were in an executive suite. We walked right up, checked in within a minute, and were good to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After check-in and clearing border control, I had to walk to Section 25, where Uganda Airlines boards. This walk is quite long, and every single step from the center of Gatwick Airport to Section 25 felt like a journey to a deserted area. I didn\u2019t explore other sections, especially those occupied by larger international airlines, but I could tell that Section 25 might be the worst part of Gatwick Airport. The toilets were filthy dirty, and the floor seemed neglected for ages. It felt completely abandoned, with no options for buying something to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Ugandan Spirit, It seems that whoever was tasked with booking slots at Gatwick Airport was given different prices for various sections and chose the cheapest available option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, Section 25 of Gatwick Airport is the dirtiest I\u2019ve ever seen; not even our Entebbe Airport toilets compares when it comes to cleanliness. The toilets in Section 25, where Uganda Airlines chose to operate, were comparable to those in poorly maintained restrooms on Kampala Road that are maintained by KCCA. The floor was in terrible condition, but hey, it\u2019s part of London, and we were about to fly to directly to Uganda. There was no point in sulking; I accepted the situation for the few minutes I had to wait before boarding an amazing flight back home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it came to the flight, the flight attendants were among the best I\u2019ve ever experienced\u2014professional and attentive. The ladies and gentlemen wore smiles like badges of honor, and their attention to detail was remarkable from the moment we boarded until we landed. This truly embodied the spirit of Ubuntu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n