Uganda secures two Airbus planes after the US lists country as kidnapping hotspot

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Uganda has bought two new Airbus A330-800 Neo order aircraft which will boost the revival of Uganda’s national carrier, Air Uganda.

This comes days after an American tourist and her driver were rescued unharmed after being kidnapped in a national park in southwestern Uganda.

Kimberley Sue Endecott, 35, was abducted by gunmen in Queen Elizabeth National Park, near the border with Democratic Republic of Congo, on April 2. The kidnappers later demanded a ransom of $500,000 for her release.

Monica Azuba Ntenge, Minister for Works and Transport, said Shs $10 million was already paid for each aircraft on April 5.

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Another payment will be made in October 2019 and a final one in October 2020, when the first A330 is expected to be delivered.

The two planes will are expected to boost the growth of second phase of Uganda’s aviation growth

It will be used for flights scheduled to the United Kingdom and the Far East.

Uganda Airlines had announced plans to begin commercial services in June and has said that it will operate 19 intra-African routes in the first phase.

The A330-800 features a three-class seating layout of 257 passengers comprising of 20 business, 28 premium economy and 213 economy class seats.

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The jetliner incorporates the latest-generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, along with multiple aerodynamic improvements.

The United States government has listed Uganda among the global kidnapping hotspots in a new risk indicator that Washington has introduced for travel advisories.

The latest move adds yet another hurdle to Uganda’s tourism sector.

The new risk indicator come a day after President Donald Trump called on Uganda to find kidnappers of a US tourist and her Ugandan driver released last weekend by their abductors after a five-day ordeal.

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