A South Sudanese disability rights activist, Mandela Isaac, has strongly condemned Uganda Airlines after three South Sudanese passengers with disabilities were forced to disembark from a flight from Juba to Entebbe, Uganda.
Last Sunday, three individuals who were part of an eight-member delegation traveling to attend a capacity-building training organized by Light for the World were removed from a plane shortly before departure despite completing standard check-in procedures.
According to activists, the incident highlights challenges regarding accessibility, airline policies, and the rights of persons with disabilities in regional aviation.
Uganda Airlines officials cited an internal policy limiting the transportation of passengers with disabilities to a maximum of four per flight.
Mandela criticized the decision as discriminatory, humiliating, and a direct violation of international human rights and freedom of movement principles.
“We have a training for persons with disabilities from South Sudan which started on Monday in Entebbe, Uganda. We were eight persons with disabilities and two personal assistants, making a total of ten,” he explained. “Our logistics manager booked tickets with Uganda Airlines, but after we checked in and were given boarding passes and boarded the plane, three members of the team with disabilities, two women and one man, were asked to disembark and left stranded at Juba International Airport.”
“When pressed for an explanation, staff cited a company policy capping the number of passengers with disabilities at four per flight,” Mandela added.
Refusing the airline’s offer of local accommodation, the affected passengers made their own travel arrangements and took a flight the following day. The delay caused them to miss the opening sessions of the training.
Mandela contends that removing passengers who fulfilled every requirement and were formally cleared to board is discriminatory and humiliating.
“The airline’s policy violates fundamental human rights standards that protect equality and freedom of movement, and the carrier must take responsibility and account for the systemic discrimination,” he stated.
According to the activist, South Sudan ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in March 2024, yet travelers with impairments continue to face systemic obstacles at the airport. He called on Uganda Airlines to account for its actions, revise its regulations, and ensure transparent booking policies for passengers with disabilities.
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