African Insights - Out of Africa Ezine Newsletter
January 2004
 

Flying in Africa…

Over the Christmas Holidays there were all kinds of flying stories in the news. People’s flights were canceled and diverted, others sent back to where they came from.  Many of the people who stayed at the Inn here where I live and work, told me of long lines, checks and re-checks, which made me think back to my experiences with flying, after all I used to be a Gold Card Frequent Flyer with British Airways, that was until I got to Africa, from then on there were experiences that me laugh, smile, get frustrated, but most of all flying in Africa was fun, reasonably safe, and always an experience.  In this first newsletter of the New Year I thought of relaying some of those experiences.

To begin with if you fly an African Airline in Kenya or Uganda, most often it is on time.  You always get a meal even on a short flight, they can serve sandwiches, coffee, soda, and other drinks on a 45-minute flight from Kigali to Nairobi. It would be nice if United and American Airlines followed suit.  Staff is professional and delightful, friendly and will assist you in every way to make your flight comfortable.  Ugandan Airlines was probably the friendliest and also one of the most humorous.  While waiting to take off in Nairobi for Kampala, the announcement came over the speaker.  “We will be somewhat delayed, our pilot has just thrown up and has to leave the plane, and we are awaiting the arrival of a new pilot. “  It gets better, hang on and fasten your seatbelt.

Flying high with a Reggae Band:

Air Rwanda was back in service and I was on one of their first flights after the 1994 war.  A small plane with Rwandan colors, seating 18 with two pilots who had just purchased a fresh supply of liquor at the Duty Free Shop at Entebbe Airport.  I was the first one aboard, found a spot where I thought I could take some pictures and got comfortable, when I noticed a large group coming out of the Terminal for the plane.  A Jamaican Reggae Band on tour of East Africa was joining me.  Colorful, noisy, filled with laughter and humor as they settled in. 

As we gained altitude, this Rasta Band wanted to get a bit closer to their idea of God through the use of the herb.  I thought we were high enough, as we were flying over Lake Victoria toward Kigali, but my Jamaican friends were looking for another altitude.  The cabin was filled with the aroma of Bhang (Marijuana); I was entering this state of bliss through the second hand smoke, having declined an offer to take a few puffs myself.  The pilots did not seem to mind, the instruments came out and the music began while cruising in a small plane over Lake Victoria…my thoughts were…no one would ever believe this, but only in Africa could something like this happen.

As we went we through customs, I saw one of the Rwandese soldiers pull out a bag of the herb and hold it up.  My thoughts were that they would be a bit late for their concert tonight.

Are those bullet holes on the tail of your plane?

In Africa you may not have the choice of all kinds of airlines as you attempt to fly into a place that may not be on a major traffic route such as Nairobi or Kampala.  There were times in 1994 in when getting into Kigali was quite difficult.  I tried finding something, someone and some friends sent me here and there and finally in a backstreet of downtown Kampala I found the owner of a plane who was willing to take me to Kigali.  We negotiated for a fair price, hmmm, and the next morning I showed up at the airport where he was fueling his plane, waving at me.  I took the time to look over the plane and noticed some holes on the tail of plane.  I was a bit startled, it was one thing that this plane was quite old, but bullet holes, not a good omen.  I turned to the pilot and asked, “Are those bullet holes in your plane?”  He smiled and simply nodded and held the ladder for me to get in.

Flying over Lake Victoria in a small plane is a delight, then veering off toward the land of a thousand hills, you can see the hamlets and villages beneath you, the terraced hillsides, the rivers and streams here and there. 

Soon we were near Kigali and hit a sort of fogbank and the Pilot seemed to be straining himself looking down, glancing at the instruments mumbling something that they were not working properly.  He then turned to me and asked, “Do you know where Kanombe Airport is?” 

This is exciting, I am in a plane with bullet holes in it, the instruments don’t work and this seasoned pilot is lost.  I started staring into the fog, and saw a house here and there, finally I saw the runway of the airport and we proceeded to land, no radio on board, I should have checked on that before we took off.

As soon as we landed we were surrounded by the RPF (Rwanda Patriotic Front) now RPA (Rwanda Patriotic Army).  They wanted to know what we were doing landing in the wrong manner, buzzing over town and who we were, fortunately one of my friends knew someone, who knew someone and I was able to go.  What a way to fly!

In Flight Refreshments:

“Welcome to Tropicana Airlines.  To help you enjoy your flight with us we will be serving in-flight refreshments,” the pilot announced over the intercom with a heavy Russian accent.  After we were in the air, the pilot came on again announcing to the 5 passengers of this thirty some seat plane, “Please help yourself to soda in the back of the plane in the red cooler, peanuts are in basket besides the cooler.”  So much for in-flight refreshment being served, but then at least we got something…

Let us pray?

Moyo, Uganda is at the edge of the known earth (border of South Sudan), not really, but most likely you have not heard of it or visited it.  City Lodge is my hotel of choice, warm water basin prepared in the morning over open fire.  This, is the north of Uganda, home of the Kony Rebels, formerly known as the “Lord’s Holy Ghost Army.”  No scheduled airlines fly here, you have to find a way.  When all else fails, there is M.A.F. (Missionary Aviation Fellowship).  You have to make reservations, take a light load, pay up front and show up on time.  It is probably one of the safest ways to fly in third world countries, the planes are immaculately maintained and then there is over the intercom “Welcome to M.A.F. flight to Gulu and Moyo.  Before we take off let us pray.  The Dutch pilot then proceeded to pray for our flight and safety, and we certainly needed it going to Moyo.  It was probably one of the most peaceful flights of my life and I repeated the experience often when I went to Moyo. 

“Our flight is being delayed”

Our Ugandan Airline Plane taxied toward the Jomo Kenyatta airport runway in Nairobi.  In an hour we would be arriving at Entebbe.  I was traveling with one of my co-workers who was about 25 at that time, freshly graduated from Cambridge and had a delightful sense British humor.  She had bought some Roses in Nairobi (Kenya is one of biggest exporters of flowers to Europe), which were in her arms as she sat next to me.

When we were in the Terminal she came up to me, (she was 25 and I was 52 years old and said loudly, “thank you for the flowers honey.”  Something that other passengers overheard and probably wondered about this couple, all the while she was having the time of her life, giggling away for having pulled of the prank.

Now we were seated and awaiting take-off when the voice of one of our flight attendants came across the intercom.  “Due to a strike by the Kenyan air-controllers our flight will be delayed by as much as three or more hours.  We have decided to serve food and drinks now and have a party.”  The response was applause and laughter with a few sighs in between.

This would never happen at any American airport or airline, but here in Africa it was the only thing to do while the plane was being held up.  That celebrant spirit is what I have always found as one of the most endearing qualities of Africa and Africans.

One of the Ugandan Airline Attendants came to our row smiling and saying, “I understand you are celebrating a special occasion and are on your honeymoon, here is a bottle of champagne.”  My coworker smiled and graciously accepted while I squirmed in my seat…we did fly on to Entebbe a few hours later well fed and my co-worker who still lives in Africa had a story to tell about her boss.

Flying in Africa leaves memorable experiences, there are many more but there is not enough room on this page to put them all down.  Above are a just few of them…jon

  Sad to say, but Uganda Airlines is no more, I did enjoy the services of that airline for some years and Africa misses a great airline.