Royal Dutch Airlines KLM has temporarily suspended flights to and from Entebbe International Airport, citing travel and entry restrictions linked to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

 

It comes as governments tighten health controls for travellers arriving from countries affected by the outbreak.

Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) Senior Communications Manager Vianney Luggya confirmed the suspension but referred inquiries to the airline.

KLM Country Manager Rukia Otema said flights to Entebbe would be suspended for two weeks because of Ebola-related restrictions affecting airline crews.“We are suspending flights for two weeks to Entebbe because it’s mentioned among the countries with Ebola cases. If our pilots happen to fly to Uganda, they will be isolated for 21 days,” she said.

In a statement issued on May 29, KLM said it had cancelled flights to and from Entebbe scheduled for May 30 and June 1, 2026. Flight tracking data showed two Amsterdam-Entebbe services, which operate via Kigali, were cancelled.

The airline said affected passengers would be contacted directly regarding rebooking or refunds and advised travellers to check their flight status.

Crew concernsKLM said Entebbe is not currently classified as an active Ebola risk zone. However, some countries have introduced entry requirements for travellers who have recently been in Uganda, and those measures also apply to airline crews.

The carrier said the restrictions could affect its ability to operate scheduled services and that it was monitoring developments before deciding on future operations.

The suspension follows a similar move by Uganda Airlines, which on May 23 halted flights between Entebbe and Kinshasa, citing passenger and public safety concerns following new Ebola containment measures.

Several countries have since tightened screening and entry requirements for travellers arriving from affected areas.

Brussels Airlines last week said some restrictions could affect crew deployment on routes involving Uganda and the DRC.

Emirates has also advised passengers to check destination-specific health and entry requirements before travel.

The restrictions are beginning to affect air travel across East and Central Africa as governments seek to contain the outbreak.

Airlines operating regional and long-haul services face the challenge of complying with differing health regulations across multiple jurisdictions, raising the risk of schedule disruptions.

© Copyright 2026 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).