Uganda Airlines versus Uganda Professional Pilots’ Association (UPPA)

The Aviator Africa has learnt of an ongoing feud between the Uganda Pilots Association and Uganda Airlines. It all started when the President of the pilot’s association penned a letter on the 19th of December 2023 to the CEO of Uganda Airlines based on complaints from its pilot members. UPPA copied the Ministry of Works and Transport, UCAA, and the Uganda Airlines Board.  Among the issues raised were:

• Not adhering to crew flight duty period (FDP)
• Lack of insurance for pilots on international routes.
• Scrapping of gratuity for pilots.
• Understaffing, which has led to over working pilots.

Uganda Airlines management raised a concern on how the matters were being addressed. Asserting that the manner in which the issues were being raised was in breach of the confidentiality policy of the company, the concerned members of UPPA should have addressed their grievances through proper channels to ensure high safety standards.

About UPPA, the Uganda Professional Pilots Association, also known as the Aeronautical Association of Uganda (AAU) objective, is to promote and safeguard the interests of pilots and aeronautical engineers in Uganda.

Our team has gathered some info on the issues raised;

What is FDP? Crew FDP stands for Crew Flight Duty Period. It refers to the total time a flight crew member is on duty, including pre-flight preparation, actual flight time, and post-flight duties. It’s crucial for aviation safety as it helps regulate the amount of time pilots can work to prevent fatigue, ensuring alertness during flights and reducing the risk of errors.

Flight Duty Period (FDP) management is a crucial aspect of aviation safety. It involves regulating the amount of time a flight crew member is on duty, considering factors like flight time, standby time, and rest periods. FDP regulations vary by aviation authorities, such as the FAA in the United States or EASA in Europe, Asian CAAs, etc, but all using the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) guidelines

The Aviator Africa has learn’t the that the confusion started when the annual  FDP hours for the company were not in sync  with UCAA regulations due to some confusion in  interpreting regulations. We are yet to learn whether the error was given due attention? If so, why is UPPA getting involved?

We haven’t gotten any update on the insurance issue that was raised. But our question is, how are flights being performed without the required insurance covers? Because the CAAs at these destinations receive all the documents of the aircraft, including insurance, to be able to authorise it to fly in their territory.

Another question our team raised was, if UPPA/ AAU represents pilots and engineers. Who represents the cabin crew? Because FDP affects all crew, including Cabin crew.

About gratuity, the question still remains whether UPPA has the mandate to negotiate benefits of its members. We shall keep you updated on the developments as the matters are sorted by the responsible parties.