Ruwanda Air Expansion

Expansion on course for RwandAir

Bookings are now open in global reservation systems for RwandAir’s flights WB200 sectors between Lagos and Accra, for which the airline has received approvals for fifth freedom right flights, to a good part prompted by Nigeria’s ongoing aviation crisis which has seen services suspended or cancelled with alarming frequency by local airlines.

RwandAir in contrast provides reliable departures and arrivals and besides operating a fleet of new aircraft also enjoys an excellent safety record.

Next to be launched will be flights to Harare/Zimbabwe, in conjunction with a stopover in Lusaka/Zambia, delinking the Johannesburg flights which will become nonstop services again.

Also confirmed now is the date for the launch of services to London’s Gatwick Airport – there were reportedly no slots available at Heathrow – and the launch date appears to be May 26 of this year.

An Airbus A330 in a three-class configuration of Business, Premium Economy and Economy will fly four times a week, every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday between Kigali and the UK’s capital, leaving Kigali around mid-day and arriving in London around 8 pm.

The return flights will be prompt with short turnaround of just 1 1/2 hours, then landing back home in Kigali once again at 0700 am the next morning, i.e., Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Immediate connections are available for travelers from across Eastern Africa including Entebbe, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and other airports in the region though connectivity from across the airline’s network is assured too.

According to usually well-informed sources, RwandAir has adjusted their expansion plans by giving priority to launch services to Mumbai in April and London Gatwick at the end of May over initial suggestions of launching a route to Guangzhou, with even New York now coming ahead of China flights.

To launch services to the US, however, certain logistical requirements are to be met such as having Kigali International Airport approved by the FAA as a Category One airport facility besides the likely acquisition of a third wide-bodied aircraft from Airbus.