Uganda-Boeing deal opens new contest for Dreamliner engines
Uganda Airlines aircraft at Entebbe Airport on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda, on April 23, 2019. The airline’s Boeing fleet deal has triggered a new engine competition between GE and Rolls-Royce for its future Dreamliners.
Uganda Airlines’ decision to commit to a fleet of Boeing aircraft has settled one of the biggest questions hanging over the national carrier’s expansion plans. But as the airline celebrates a landmark acquisition expected to reshape its future, a new contest over who will power the airline’s future Boeing 787 Dreamliners is emerging behind the scenes.
On June 10, the Ugandan carrier announced a firm commitment with Boeing for the acquisition of ten aircraft — four Boeing 787 Dreamliners, four Boeing 737 MAX 8s and two converted cargo freighters, comprising a Boeing 767 freighter and a Boeing 737 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF).
