KLM halts Entebbe services over Ebola controls

KLM has cancelled flights to and from Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport after Ebola-related travel controls made crew movements difficult, adding pressure on East Africa’s aviation links as governments tighten health screening for travellers connected to affected areas.

The Dutch carrier halted Entebbe services scheduled for May 30 and June 1, saying passengers would be contacted for rebooking or refunds. The affected flights linked Amsterdam with Entebbe via Kigali, a route used by business travellers, aid workers, diplomats and Ugandans travelling through Europe’s Schiphol hub. The disruption reflects the operational impact of public health measures even where an airport is not formally classified as an active transmission zone.

The cancellations follow expanded screening, entry restrictions and quarantine rules imposed by several countries after the World Health Organisation declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, a less common form of the virus for which there is no widely approved targeted vaccine or specific treatment.

Uganda has reported confirmed cases linked to the cross-border outbreak, while the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded a wider cluster of suspected infections and deaths, particularly in eastern areas where conflict, population movement and pressure on local health systems have complicated containment. Uganda has also tightened travel across parts of its western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, while allowing exemptions for cargo, essential supplies and response teams.

KLM’s decision shows how aviation disruption can arise not only from passenger demand or direct airport restrictions but from rules affecting crews. Airlines must ensure pilots and cabin staff can enter, transit, rest and return without being caught by quarantine or entry bans that could break duty-time schedules. Where rules vary across jurisdictions, the risk of stranding crews or breaching public health requirements can make a route commercially and operationally unworkable, even for a limited period.

Several governments have introduced additional checks for travellers who have been in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the Ebola incubation window, which can extend up to 21 days. Measures include temperature checks, health declarations, arrival screening, monitoring requirements, quarantine orders and entry restrictions for some categories of travellers. The United States expanded screening at selected airports, while Canada and several other countries announced temporary restrictions or mandatory monitoring for travellers from affected areas.

For Uganda, the suspension affects an important international gateway at Entebbe, which serves Kampala and handles much of the country’s long-haul air traffic. The airport is a key link for tourism, development agencies, conference travel and regional commerce. While other carriers continue to operate services, the loss of KLM flights narrows options for passengers needing direct access to the Netherlands and onward connections across Europe and North America.

The timing is sensitive for Uganda’s tourism and business sectors, which have worked to rebuild confidence after earlier disease outbreaks and pandemic-era travel disruption. Uganda’s economy relies on a mix of tourism, remittances, agriculture exports and international development activity, all of which depend on predictable air links. Even short suspensions can create uncertainty for travellers, tour operators and exporters using belly cargo space on passenger aircraft.

Health authorities have sought to balance containment with the need to keep borders and essential supply chains functioning. Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected people or contaminated materials, not through casual airborne transmission. That distinction has shaped international guidance, which generally favours targeted screening and contact monitoring over broad travel shutdowns. However, governments often apply stricter measures when cross-border spread is suspected or when health systems face limited capacity to trace exposed travellers.

Airlines are now monitoring regulatory changes across Africa, Europe, North America and the Gulf, where many passengers from East and Central Africa connect through major hubs. Carriers must also navigate crew layover rules, airport health protocols and insurance obligations. Industry executives have warned in past outbreaks that inconsistent rules can cause disproportionate disruption when different countries apply different definitions of exposure, transit risk and affected territory.