New Uganda Airline
 

hi there!!!!!

Anybody here from Uganda.

Just read- a new Start up Airline with a B737 that is on its way to Kampala. The company name is Skyjet and part of Alok Group.

My source- New Ugandan Airline "steals" Logo — Civil Aviation Forum | Airliners.net

Does anybody have details on this,, like phone number, office location, when they are starting operations, what routes planned or who is behind this company?

Pls adv/

Thanks

Keen to know who is behind this, as previously any attempt to form an airline based in Uganda has not lasted. Hope this one does better - anyone got any news about crewing for the 737-200 they are flying?

I am honestly tired of people coming up with these half-assed, half-baked start ups in Uganda. Whoever is behind skyjet and all the failures that came before it ala AfricaOne, East African, Victoria and those that I seem to have forgotten better get a grip. How they plan to come in and hope to be profitable flying 737-200's is beyond my reasoning. Kenya Airways, Ethiopian, South African are all flying the latest more fuel effiecient NG 737's. Besides that, they have all the market share to themselves.....so for the brains behind SkyJet, I am just dumbfounded. I may be wrong, but someone PLEASE quote me when SkyJet goes under. Until we get some serious minded individuals that do their homework, aviation in Uganda is DOOMED.:ok:

Skyjet Uganda trouble
 

Skyjet Uganda , a new start up company in Uganda tomorrow looks like is going to lose their Director of Operation, already, for not paying the salary .
I do not know looks like strange that those companies they just started and already they lose before getting airborne.

Proving Flight Friday
 

First proving flight for Skyjet is scheduled for Friday.

Anyone has their contacts,i couldnt find any website.

re info contact
 

for further info and contact you must look on the and than on the Carree site you have to look By the way if they schedule their flight as they schedule their salary payment
well I feel sorry for those passengers

Skyjet Website
 

The Website is www.fly-skyjet.com.

Skyjet Website
 

The Website for Skyjet is wwwfly-skyjet dot com.

Scary
 

:eek:Their website is truly frightening

frightening ????
 

It i more frightening to know that I lost almost 5000 Euro in proficiency check on the B737 200 plus 4500 USD as Salary for the month of November because that s the salary for a D/O .
And if you guys are thinking to do better than I did ...well let me tell you they already are citing on you immediately after you send your application.
Do not the believe to the promises of this manager or his deputy manager .They are try to get free pilots has much as they can.
They should be ashamed of what they have done to me , mainly because they knew that I was without a job for long time and I needed money for me and my family and instead they make me pay for my own P/C on the B737 knowing that they were not going even to pay the miserable 4500USD per month salary.
To all of you that are starving to go to the Jet , do not start in this way ,stubbing others pilots .
Thank you to all of you
Maybe this is the right time to start to make the thinks going right in our category do not believe in false promises.
Regards
Riccardo Volante
P.S.
Stay away from them

RICCARDOVOLANTE, I truly sympathise with you in this unfortunate turn of events. I hope they get a reality check and do things the way they need to be done.
The way I see things, if there is a start up anywhere that is only hoping to get things started with one airplane and an old gas-guzzler. That is a red flag from the get go. IT is plain and clear they do not have sufficeint capital to fund the operation as it's getting off the ground and are hoping to merely get along till things turn for the better.
I smelled a rat right from the start. And besides, the public at large will not take such investments seriously. Why get on board an airplane that is owned by a company that is not established when I can get back on KQ, SAA, Ethiopian or the other companies that have reputations. Shame on Sly-Jet! And once again, someone PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE quote me when this "scraped together" airline goes under!

I'm out.

ugflyer
 

ugflyer
Thank your support.
If all we say "no" someday we will all have better life
Riccardo Volante

Thats right Riccardo we should all say no. You should have said no to paying for your pc mate. By you agreeing to pay for that you would have jumped ahead of the line of guys that said no to paying for their pc, you know that. Next time say 'no'. You are a professional pilot with hard earned qualifications and experience if they want your services they should pay to get you current. I do feel for you mate, I know what its like to be out of work and have to find a way to provide for a family. Its a harsh lesson but I hope you never pay for a pc or a type rating out of your own pcket again.

National Airlines (Uganda)
 

Hi folks,
this colourscheme looks exactly like the US carrier National Airlines' paintjob.
Its a shame.

Helldog
 

Helldog
thanks for your support but I do not accept any MORAL lesson from you because I remind you that for you was all right the fact that I have to accept to pay 5000 $USD for a training bond for the 208 in Tanzania .Ooops but that was all right for you because you did want any enemy in the Tanzania environment even if that would be stubbing other pilots.
Do am I wrong?Do not look the little toothpick in the of your brother pilot but look in the big pole you have in you eye.Do I have to remind you how much did you care about my case in Tanzania?Where even there for the arrogance and the willing of many pilots to stubbs others pilots I lost time , money and son on?
I hope that now you got a good job you will never have to pass over the body of another colleague.
By the way I have more 750 tt hours on B737 as PIC and FO and the only one to apply for that job in Uganda where pilot without experience ready to fly for free .I have been the only one that never the less I am without a job I did not make any deal for my salary .When the time came and I did see my salary on my account I resigned someone else instead went down to Uganda to fly for free.
So I guess do not give me moral lesson

rowboat737
 

Ricardo,

I ferried N326DL to Entebbe last month! After what I saw there, I wonder if they will make it off the ground!

Sorry to hear of your situation with Skyjet!

rowboat737
 

Thanks for you support.
I asked to fly the airplane with you guys ,but they did not even care about it.
For me it was going to be a very good refreshment training at no extra cost but those guys in Skyjet they were more worry about the cost of the extra bed in the hotel than getting on back in shape for me.
Safety it seems like is not a big deal for them.

Well Riccardo, I think that you should look back at the advice I took the time to give you, I met up with you at Arusha Airport and I gave you details of operators in Tanzania and gave you an honest opinion of the operator you were looking to work for. I see nothing wrong with signing a bond, if you were asked to pay for a rating then you did the right thing turning it down. Lets get one thing straight mate, I have ever and will never pay for a rating in out of my own pocket but I will sign a bond to show my commitment to the job. I never payed for the Caravan rating mate, I started on the 206 and was required to move to the van and I was bonded for the cost of the rating. Now back to your job in Arusha, you turned down the job for what ever reason you saw fit, dont blame me and every other pilot in Tanzania at the time for your problems.

Anyway this is quite pointless, if you are in Uganda I might see you around sometime maybe we can talk face to face next time I am there.

Remember mate you came to me for advice, now that I know more about you and your experience......my advice to you is to get out of Africa, go back to your European home and get a job on a 737 with a reputable operator that will pay you good money on time. Why are you in Africa man?

Helldog
 

Helldog
I will for sure will met you in Uganda face to face ,
Another advice to you take your advice for your self because you are talking to a person that know Tanzania and their operators before even you where born
As far paying for a bond you know more than I do that the guy asked me 5000$USD in Cash pay out from my pocket for training Bond that he was giving back to me to after 2 years of work.
Now get you out Africa and go back to your homeland where are looking for pilots and pay more and on time so you can learn what means WORK and not voluntary pilot job

Riccardo why are you so angry mate? You seem to think the world is against you man. No one is out to get you, I am simply asking why you are persisting with these dodgy African operators when you seem well qualified.

Fair enough, next time I am in Entebbe I will let you know and we can have a beer and you can tell me exactly why your misfortune has caused so much anger towards myself and other pilots I know.

Until we meet, best of luck.

Hi guys i saw the website of this company,it looks like they are already operating and expanding if everything they show its true!
Ricardo im sorry about ur loss.Just a few questions because im thinking to take the risk and apply to them!
How is living conditions,comfortable?Accomodation is covered by them?
Whats the salary and how many years commitment?Work schedule is hard?
Captains are competent?How many aircrafts they have,its not very clear from the website.
Thanks and wish u best of luck with the next job if u already left.

rowboat737
 

Hi Air Tanzania...

I ferried N326DL to Entebbe, Uganda last month.....Skyjet's first 737 delivery.

Alok Group from Sudan is financing the start-up, but from what I saw, I wish them LUCK!!

rowboat737
 

Ricardo..

When the "Big Chief" is driving around in a BMW, and the ops has no reliable Internet, no fax, and the top floor of their "ops building" is going to be used as "crew quarters"....that's telling you something, my friend!

And if they do get their AOC and get the routes going, if they don't adopt Western procedures as far as crew CRM, progressive maintenance, etc, they will be targeting for disaster!

Skyjet
 

From what I here there are bigger plans. Alok Group is Sudanese. I assume long term aim is to have a carrier but based in South Sudan. The Skyjet B732 is just a stop gap and I agree a very expensive one and they are bound to loose money on it. Not a good start, poor choice in acft.

Just my 10 cents worth.

?????
 

Well
It is a big group Alok Group.
They have big plans.
"Big Chief" is driving around in a BMW.
and.................than ??????
They can not afford to pay a miserable 4500USD$ for one month salary????
But what kind of big group is this?????Does sound like an international corporation.Look like a down town west side bar............
If was one of the board director or the president of this big group I would be ashamed of such attitude.

Need to Know
In your vast aviation experience, what aircraft would you have chosen.
The B737-200 is the bast for the price. But then what do I know.

Vast Knowledge Indeed !!!
 

Nope, never claim to have vast knowledge. Although what I do know is that the B732 initial outlay is not much. The operating costs, spares and fuel and is huge and has no long term benefit for a new start up airline to grow. Me - the RJ100 on the cheaper side but then preferred a EMB170/190 if you really want a solid base.....but this is expensive.

Again, just my 10 cents worth.

do you know the meaning of contract?
 

do you know the meaning of contract?
you are loosing the face with your friends and future clients .
I received the answer from the Italian embassy . Shame , but what kind of people are you? You do not even know the meaning of contract? start and end?
credential to obtain AOC? You need a crew. Future ? yea right and that is nothing. I just finished talking with another person that know you from the old job .
He says that you do not even know to run a company .

Hey Riccardo, a company in SA is looking for 737-200 captains through the agency Touch Aviation captains see if that link works.:ok:

Thank you
 

Thank you Helldog.
I already apply to them long time ago and again few days back.
I sure appreciate your info anyway. You got a drink on me for the next time we see each other.
Thank you
Riccardo Volante

No worries mate. See you around sometime, good luck with the job.

So did the SkyJet operation ever make it off the ground?

I'm passing through there AGAIN this week, I'll try to find out. I know many of the pilots there.

Another shady operator, managed by some thugs.
A new startup company, operating a single 737-200: What t.f. do you expect??? I wouldn't even waste my time trying to find out any further details.

Any new airline starting to operate and deserving attention (other than that of the tax-office), would have to come up with something more respectful than that. Experienced management, proper maintenance, new airplanes and certainly a fleet of more than one plane; present a business-plan, decent website, and transparent organisation. Stuff like that.

However, any no-goodnick manager can come up with $50.000,- and lease some kind of junky old airplane. Then he either finds some naive investors, or partners who want to wash some money. After half a year or so, the "airline" is declared bankrupt, the money is gone, and so is the CEO. :}

Wake up: There is no pilot-job, there never was one.

Daily Monitor Article 26Jan09
 

Skyjet for Juba passenger route
Tom Magumba & Justus Lyatuu
Kampala

Passengers plying the Entebbe-Juba route have another option of boarding Skyjet- a local cargo airline that has upgraded to carrying passengers.

The aircraft is scheduled to ply the Entebbe-Juba-Khartoum and Khartoum-Juba-Entebbe daily starting February 1. This is not only likely to break the monopoly of Eagle Air and Air Uganda - the only passenger planes that have been operating from Entebbe airport to Juba - it could spark a new wave of competition on the route.

Skyjet Aviation Uganda Ltd Chairman Hamad Tamale Musoke said this was a joint venture with Sudan-based Alok Group of Companies who also own a local airline operating in Southern Sudan.

Alok Group owns a 30 per cent stake while the 70 per cent is for Mr Mosoke and Captain Ahmed - all Ugandan businessmen.
“We want to feel the transport gap to Southern Sudan and we hope the passengers will benefit from our services,” he said at a function to launch the airline’s passenger operations last week.

Skyjet has been operating at Entebbe Airport since 2003 as a cargo plane. Its B737-232 has already been registered in Uganda and the second plane a B767 - planned to serve the long-haul routes - is expected by end of May 2009.

Mr Musoke said the airline is designated to fly to North Sudan, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. Some of these regional and international routes will be used immediately and others in the medium term to mark the first phase before venturing into Europe. He said they were already formalising issues of accreditation in these countries through the respective embassies and ministries of foreign affairs.

Mr Musoke said their first passenger flight with capacity of 110 passengers is scheduled for February 1 offering a baggage allowance of 30kg and 40kg for those travelling in the “economy” and “first” class respectively. “We are launching at a time when there so many challenges like fluctuating fuel prices and competition but we are prepared for all this,” Mr Musoke said adding that will employ 350 Ugandans both directly and indirectly through forward and backward linkages.

Skyjet Commercial Manager Emmanuel Okware declined to comment on the rates however, they are not expected to beat the existing ones.

More Info on Skyjet from the Press
 

Uganda’s Skyjet taking to the skies again

http://www.eturbonews.com/files/imag...-grass032s.jpg Image via artistsagainstwindfarms.com


By Wolfgang H. Thome | Jan 26, 2009
KAMPALA, Uganda (eTN) - After an anxious wait, when bureaucrats and politicians dragged their feet to grant the final permissions to Uganda’s latest airline to at last take to the skies, all systems are now go for Skyjet.
The airline’s aircraft sat on the ground for weeks after getting its Air Operator Certificate (AOC), costing investors much loss. However, the long wait has now ended.
Commercial director Emmanuel Okware briefed this correspondent on the airline’s plans and confirmed that they would operate daily early morning flights from Entebbe to Juba and then on to Khartoum, before returning in the afternoon via Juba again to Entebbe. It remains to be seen if Air Uganda will make any changes to their Juba flights so that a morning and afternoon departure from Entebbe will offer better choices to travelers.
Skyjet has been given designated carrier‚ status by the Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority to fly to Southern Sudan, Sudan, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Djibouti, South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania.
Flights will commence with a Boeing 737-200 previously operated in the US. A second aircraft is expected to join their fleet by May this year, also from the US, before by end 2009 a B767 is due to join the fleet for the longer routes, also coming from the same previous owners. The airline will eventually commence a three times a week flight to Cairo, via Khartoum, probably when their second aircraft is operational.
Skyjet’s two letter code is UQ‚ or Uniform Quebec‚ in airline lexicon, assigned a few weeks ago by the International Air Transport Association.
Bookings can be made through the leading global reservation systems like Galileo and Amadeus to facilitate business through travel agents, although Skyjet, of course, accepts direct bookings.
The airline will be e-ticket compliant and launch fares for the Juba and Khartoum routes are a bargain.
The baggage allowance is 30 and 40 KG, respectively in Y and C Class.

And one last report
 

mhuaa.................

I was in Uganda when ViaUganda was operating. They had a 737 200 and did not last long.

From what I hear, SkyJet will not last long either. Spoke with an oke I know in Entebbe earlier who knows the guz there and he tells me they do have good financing from some group in Sudan (money laundering) so how long they want to support it is a big question. Once the bills really start coming due I think not long. They have some management that is full of lies, fancy promises, and hot air. The 767, if it ever were to come, is an old model that has been retired from the west, similar to the 737. Odds are it will not come.

Daron