RwandAir hopes to buy Boeing 787 Dreamliners

[sn26567]

The airline has just taken delivery of their first new aircraft ever, a Boeing 737-800 with Sky Interior. According to RwandAir CEO John Mirenge this is just the beginning. He stated that they hope to increase their current fleet of six aircraft to 12 over the next five years and up to 18 by 2020. Currently they operate a fleet of two Boeing 737-500s, one Boeing 737-800 (a second one coming in October), two CRJ-200s and one Dash 8. By 2020, they hope to take delivery of additional Boeing 737s, ATR-72, Embraer regional jets and Boeing 787 Dreamliners — new.

Mirenge hopes to fly the Dreamliners to China, Europe and possibly the East Coast of the United States. The airline hopes to create a hub of air transportation in Kigali, providing the demand for the larger aircraft.

It seems that flying the Dreamliner by 2015 might be a bit optimistic. It might be difficult to get a delivery slot by then and Kigali is in the process of building a new airport to better handle the expected increase of traffic, but is not set to be completed until 2018.

It is unusual for an airline to be so candid about their future plans of aircraft purchases and future routes. However, RwandAir is a different sort of airline and definitely has created a positive momentum.

Source: Airline Reporter

[RoMax]

I haven't seen an official confirmation yet, but it seems Rwandair bought LN17 and LN19 which were previously assigned to RAM.
Though these aircraft are already build, it may easily take another year or even more before they are delivered. There are still several early 787's stored and waiting for rework (which takes quite some months for each aircraft), the latest of this one will not be delivered before 2015. Previously these aircraft were assigned to ANA, RAM and I believe some to LAN and/or JAL. Currently these are planned for Transaero (4 of which 3 already undergoing rework), Lion Air (5 of which one undergoing rework and the other 4 still stored) and two for RwandAir it seems now.

All the other early aircraft LN7-LN30 are either already delivered (ANA, JAL, Air India) or undergoing rework (2 left for Air India) or undergoing pre-delivery testing (2 also for Air India).

Those 11 aircraft that ANA, JAL, LAN, RAM didn't want to take, were easy, cheap and fast solutions for airlines like Lion Air, RwandAir or Transaero who want relative cheap, 'new' long haul aircraft and don't really care they consume some % more fuel (or can take slightly less payload) than originally specified by Boeing for the 787. Though it shouldn't be the normal way of working of course, these 3 airlines are happy with them, but the original airlines are not happy at all that they have to wait longer for the aircraft they ordered.

[Conti764]

Anyone knows something about the status of the new Kigali International Airport?

[rwandan-flyer]

In April 2013 rumors said that China Communications construction company won the tender. But it was false. Aeroport de Lyon was also interested, but according to me they think that current project is too big for Rwanda.

They are a little bit right, some projects such as new airports at Dakar or Luanda are suspended since one or two years.

This month governement announced that a company won the tender, but the name will be give later. There are also pbs with compensation to the population

[quixoticguide]

Currently they operate 2 B737, 2 B738, 2 CRJ-900 and 1 Dash 8 (according to their website and airfleets).

And I saw one of their B738 in Dubai:

[rwandan-flyer]

No B787 until 2017, for RwandAir. Brand new B787 ??

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-0 ... early-787s

I know they were also in talk with Airbus 4 years ago, they were interested by the A320 / A330 and even ATR.

But talks with Airbus ATR have failed due to bad diplomatic relations with France, about the Genocide in Rwanda.

The airline planned to start service to Europe and China in 2015, either plans are put on hold or the airline will lease a long haul aircraft.

[AF036]

RAM B787 cn 17 and 19 were indeed rumored for RwandAir.
On this 787 dedicated blog: http://nyc787.blogspot.de/ they are still noted for RAM.
There is nothing official about that and they are still stored on R11/29 at KPAE wearing RAM colors.

Along with them cn's 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18 & 22 are also stored on R11/29 at KPAE waiting their fate!

[RoMax]

RAM B787 cn 17 and 19 were indeed rumored for RwandAir.
On this 787 dedicated blog: http://nyc787.blogspot.de/ they are still noted for RAM.
There is nothing official about that and they are still stored on R11/29 at KPAE wearing RAM colors.

Along with them cn's 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18 & 22 are also stored on R11/29 at KPAE waiting their fate!

Transaero was supposed to take four of them and Lion Air five, but Lion Air decided to order more 737's instead and delay a widebody order to a later moment and Transaero decided to move away from these early 787-8's. Instead, Transaero is looking at ordering more 747-8i's (they currently have 4 on order) or the 787-9 instead of its smaller base version.

http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/ ... or-b787-9s

[rwandan-flyer]

There is a strong chance that they lease a B787, instead of an A330 (according to me). The delivery could happen within the space of the next 12 months

Posted on 11 February 2015

Alan Peaford @Grandpois · 12 h il y a 12 heures

@FlyRwandAir decision in the next few weeks for Dreamliner or A330 to fulfil Asian and European ambitions.

Alan Peaford is the Editor of Arabian Aerospace African Aerospace and UK's ADS Advance. He''s currently in Rwanda, probably to prepare the African Aviation Summit that will take place at Dubai, in May 2015. Girma Wake, the RwandAir chairman will be among special guests.