RwandAir & Rwandan Aviation News 2024

[rwandan-flyer]

Small event, RwandAir operated its very first charter flight to Saudi Arabia on behalf of Rwandan Muslim pilgrims (usually they passed through other airports). For statistics lovers, around 100 passengers on board the 154-seat B737-800 (https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/1746 ... m-pilgrims -on-rwandairs-direct-flight-to-mecca). The question is to know if RwandAir will operate more charters flights or seasonal regular flights with the opening of reservation flights, focusing on religious traffic with Africa.

Point-to-point traffic with Jeddah is low with Kigali, but RwandAir serves Nigeria (1,500,000 Nigerians live in Saudi Arabia https://www.atlmoney.com/blog/top-15-co ... -nigerian- diaspora-population/), Kenya (200,000 Kenyans live in Saudi Arabia) and Uganda (150,000 Ugandans live in Saudi Arabia https://nilepost.co.ug/news/197240/salam-tv-covers-the -landing-of-new-saudi-ambassador-in-uganda) 3 countries with a big demand for both religious tourism and the community market.

So, I don't really believe in regular flights, but we'll see. Note at this time almost the entire fleet of RwandAir 737-800s including the freighter were flying between the Middle East and Rwanda https://i44.servimg.com/u/f44/11/28/71/03/captu758.jpg.

I don't really believe in signs, but now I'm starting to ask myself questions. A new delegation from the Lufthansa group visited Rwanda this week. It was the group's vice president for the Africa, Middle East and Europe region.

Since 2020, the big boss of Luthansa Carsten Spohr (https://uk.marketscreener.com/quote/sto ... -30056960/), 2 presidents of Brussels Airlines Peter Gerber and Christina Foerster member of the group executive board (https://www.ktpress.rw/2022/11/kagame-r ... rd-member/) and Dorothea von Boxberg (https ://www.linkedin.com/posts/dorothea-von-box ... 63169-XFGn), Matthias Grunau the network manager of Swiss International Airlines (https://www.linkedin.com/ posts/kevin-markette-79a9197_nairobi-kigali-rwanda-activity-7133120223385124866-ZVtl) went to Rwanda. Sometimes for conferences but followed by discussions with the Rwandan authorities with also a showcase of new products


We see in the photo a representative of Brussels Airlines in Rwanda (far right) and the representative of the Lufthansa group in East Africa far left

RDB Deputy Managing Director @nmukazayire and Tourism Director @michaellaru welcomed @Lufthansa Group Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Ms. Lorenza Maggio, and her delegation for discussions on the operations of the airline in Rwanda and collaboration opportunities for growth.https://x.com/RDBrwanda/status/17990104 ... 30/photo/4

More flights for Brussels Airlines in the medium term? Arrival of Lufthansa which could tag its flights via Nairobi? Arrival of Discover Airlines (a subsidiary of Lufthansa) which could tag its flights via Zanzibar, Mombasa or Kilimanjaro? Well, I don't really believe in an arrival of Swiss, Edelweiss or Austrian Airlines.

[rwandan-flyer]

RwandAir plans return to daily service on its Kigali Lagos route from October 2024. Probably related to the fact that RwandAir was able to recover part of the funds blocked in Nigeria.

https://travelbusinessnewsng.com/2024/0 ... isy-barro/

Currently, RwandAir operates 5 flights per week. The line had more than 100,000 pax. Regarding point-to-point, we are almost at 23,000 pax between Kigali and Lagos in 2023. 3rd market in Africa for Lagos outside West Africa. At the same level as Lagos Cairo, but behind Lagos Nairobi and Lagos Johannesburg.

Abuja remains at 3 flights per week. A little over 10,000 pax point-to-point between Kigali and Abuja in 2023 (10 times less in 2017 when the route opened). No plan to return 4 flights per week. Accra (P2P between Kigali and Accra 8,533 in 2023) will therefore remain served non-stop on Mondays, sometimes by A330.

In any case, the Kigali hub is essential.

About Airlink and Qatar Airways, CH Aviation says thah Airlins wants to expand its flights in Africa. There is talk of a Kigali Johannesburg route. It would be interesting if this were to happen. One might think that RwandAir only operates one daily flight (iso 2 flights a day) and that Airlink operates one flight per day with the aim of using the Johannesburg hubs for RwandAir customers (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, ....) and the Kigali hub for Airlink customers (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Rep of Congo, Gabon, Doha, Dubai). Kenya and Tanzania are already served by Airlink.

Both airlines will have to operate one leg during the night with a morning arrival to get the highest numbers of connections in Kigali and Johannesburg.

Like twenty years ago when RwandAir sent its MD80s to Johannesburg on Sundays and South African Airways its 737-200s and 737-800s to Kigali on Wednesdays both airlines using code share

Airlink had applied for the right to serve Kigali in 2014. 7 flights per week in..ERJ 135 (https://www.greengazette.co.za/notices/ ... 7999-00816). Kigali was again in the radar in 2017 with the arrival of the first ERJ-190s (http://lowvelder.co.za/404428/embraer-e ... e-airlink/)

Point-to-point demand around 40,000 pax between Kigali and Johannesburg fell with covid, but recovered a little in 2023 (around 21,000 pax per year).

The partnership with Qatar Airways could also help gain access to Central and East African routes such as Johannesburg OR Tambo-Kigali, where RwandAir currently dominates.

Il s'agit d'un autre article, mais je mets le lien de Ch Aviation qui cite le pdg d'Airlink https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/143861 ... as-airlink

[musayann]

RwandAir plans return to daily service on its Kigali Lagos route from October 2024. Probably related to the fact that RwandAir was able to recover part of the funds blocked in Nigeria.

https://travelbusinessnewsng.com/2024/0 ... isy-barro/

Currently, RwandAir operates 5 flights per week. The line had more than 100,000 pax. Regarding point-to-point, we are almost at 23,000 pax between Kigali and Lagos in 2023. 3rd market in Africa for Lagos outside West Africa. At the same level as Lagos Cairo, but behind Lagos Nairobi and Lagos Johannesburg.

Abuja remains at 3 flights per week. A little over 10,000 pax point-to-point between Kigali and Abuja in 2023 (10 times less in 2017 when the route opened). No plan to return 4 flights per week. Accra (P2P between Kigali and Accra 8,533 in 2023) will therefore remain served non-stop on Mondays, sometimes by A330.

In any case, the Kigali hub is essential.

About Airlink and Qatar Airways, CH Aviation says thah Airlins wants to expand its flights in Africa. There is talk of a Kigali Johannesburg route. It would be interesting if this were to happen. One might think that RwandAir only operates one daily flight (iso 2 flights a day) and that Airlink operates one flight per day with the aim of using the Johannesburg hubs for RwandAir customers (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, ....) and the Kigali hub for Airlink customers (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Rep of Congo, Gabon, Doha, Dubai). Kenya and Tanzania are already served by Airlink.

Both airlines will have to operate one leg during the night with a morning arrival to get the highest numbers of connections in Kigali and Johannesburg.

Like twenty years ago when RwandAir sent its MD80s to Johannesburg on Sundays and South African Airways its 737-200s and 737-800s to Kigali on Wednesdays both airlines using code share

Airlink had applied for the right to serve Kigali in 2014. 7 flights per week in..ERJ 135 (https://www.greengazette.co.za/notices/ ... 7999-00816). Kigali was again in the radar in 2017 with the arrival of the first ERJ-190s (http://lowvelder.co.za/404428/embraer-e ... e-airlink/)

Point-to-point demand around 40,000 pax between Kigali and Johannesburg fell with covid, but recovered a little in 2023 (around 21,000 pax per year).

The partnership with Qatar Airways could also help gain access to Central and East African routes such as Johannesburg OR Tambo-Kigali, where RwandAir currently dominates.

Il s'agit d'un autre article, mais je mets le lien de Ch Aviation qui cite le pdg d'Airlink https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/143861 ... as-airlink

Do you have any information about their current fleet plan? It seems that one 737 (9XR-WF) has been stored since mid-January, and while their Dash 8s are not all out of service, it’s rare to find both in service at the same time. Usually, only one is in service at a time.

They’ve been experiencing issues with aircraft availability, particularly for the 3 PM flight to Nairobi that they added for the summer. It seems they ended up removing it.

I recently flew with them to Nairobi, and on that day, the 3 PM flight was rescheduled to 10 PM due to aircraft availability. I had a 5:30 PM ticket, but my seat was given to someone else who either had a connection or a business class ticket from the 3 PM flight. I was rescheduled to the 10 PM flight, which meant waiting for five hours, even though my original flight was on time. However, they upgraded me to business class, which made the wait a bit less painful. The 10 PM flight was also full, but the passengers, especially Kenyans, were quite angry about the 7-hour delay.

I believe that aircraft availability is affecting them, especially on regional routes. There is significant potential on these regional routes if they had enough aircraft to fully capitalize on the demand.

[rwandan-flyer]

Do you have any information about their current fleet plan? It seems that one 737 (9XR-WF) has been stored since mid-January, and while their Dash 8s are not all out of service, it’s rare to find both in service at the same time. Usually, only one is in service at a time.

They’ve been experiencing issues with aircraft availability, particularly for the 3 PM flight to Nairobi that they added for the summer. It seems they ended up removing it.

I recently flew with them to Nairobi, and on that day, the 3 PM flight was rescheduled to 10 PM due to aircraft availability. I had a 5:30 PM ticket, but my seat was given to someone else who either had a connection or a business class ticket from the 3 PM flight. I was rescheduled to the 10 PM flight, which meant waiting for five hours, even though my original flight was on time. However, they upgraded me to business class, which made the wait a bit less painful. The 10 PM flight was also full, but the passengers, especially Kenyans, were quite angry about the 7-hour delay.

I believe that aircraft availability is affecting them, especially on regional routes. There is significant potential on these regional routes if they had enough aircraft to fully capitalize on the demand.

In deed flights to Nairobi but also to Entebbe and Dar Es Salaam are facing to some huge delays since some weeks. Some flights to Dar Es Salaam are operated durng the night instead during the daylight, because they have some troubles with the Q400NG. It was the case before covid, but it was the real schedule.

They have also some troubles on the long haul network. Some Paris flights left Kigali in the morning and not in the night during the summer. I guess delays were planned since few days because each time it happens the aircraft leaves Kigali at the same time (8h30-9h). The use of A330s every day to London and 3 times a week to Paris / Brussels and almost every day to Lagos means that the A330 no longer serves Dubai. That's probably why they have added more cargo flights to United Arab Emirates (Dubai DWC and Sharjah)

I will ask about the B737 NG 9XR-WF. I know that Qatar Airways wanted to add Max for RwandAir, but RwandAir wanted to add 2nd hand B737NG before to add brand new aircraft. However things have changed with the suspension of flights to Mumbai. The B737NG has limitations to operate the route without fuel stop. But due to the strong demand, the most of time the aircraft has made fuel stop at Mombasa, because the aircraft was fully loaded.

About the regional fleet, last info that i had late 2023- early 2024 RwandAir still planning to add ERJ E2 to replace at least the CRJ-900NGs but probably the Q400NGs. The CRJ-900NG starts to be not suitable some regional routes such as to Harare, Lusaka or Cape Town due to the demand. The Cape Town Harare Kigali route had many delays and the route were reduced from daily to 3 flights a week.

However i think no thing will happen till the deal with Qatar Airways won't be signed. My guess is that the fleet could be like that:

ERJ E2 to replace CRJ, Q400NG and the 2 B737-700s (one left the fleet last year). The A321Neo (QR has ordered 50 and some can be use by RwandAir) to replace the B737-800s and to keep the A330s.

[rwandan-flyer]

-I didn't notice that, but Egyptair will deploy its A320Neo (SU-GFO) to Kigali from tonight instead of the 737-800 (delivered between 2006 and 2017). This is the first airline to regularly serve Rwanda with an A320Neo.

In terms of configuration, depending on the 737-800, almost the same munber of seats or less seats. But I would say that it is mainly the product offered on this route that will be better than on the 737-800NG. There is very good feedback on the A320Neo. Egyptair only has 8 A320Neo. In Africa, they fly to Abidjan and flew to Douala when the route was launched.

DLA is now served by B737-800. Most Egytpair routes are operated with B737-800s, except for Johannesburg (A330-300 / B787), N'Djamena (A330-300 / B737-800), Lagos (A330-300 / B737-800) or Abuja (A330-200 / B737-800). This is a good sign sent to customers in Kigali and Entebbe. On KGL, the company had already added a 3rd weekly flight last year (more capacity than before covid)

By the way, Kenya Airways occasionally sends its 737-800s 1 to 2 times a day to Kigali instead of its ERJ 190s. The airline operates up to 4 flights per day until the end of October 2024.

[musayann]

Do you have any information about their current fleet plan? It seems that one 737 (9XR-WF) has been stored since mid-January, and while their Dash 8s are not all out of service, it’s rare to find both in service at the same time. Usually, only one is in service at a time.

They’ve been experiencing issues with aircraft availability, particularly for the 3 PM flight to Nairobi that they added for the summer. It seems they ended up removing it.

I recently flew with them to Nairobi, and on that day, the 3 PM flight was rescheduled to 10 PM due to aircraft availability. I had a 5:30 PM ticket, but my seat was given to someone else who either had a connection or a business class ticket from the 3 PM flight. I was rescheduled to the 10 PM flight, which meant waiting for five hours, even though my original flight was on time. However, they upgraded me to business class, which made the wait a bit less painful. The 10 PM flight was also full, but the passengers, especially Kenyans, were quite angry about the 7-hour delay.

I believe that aircraft availability is affecting them, especially on regional routes. There is significant potential on these regional routes if they had enough aircraft to fully capitalize on the demand.

In deed flights to Nairobi but also to Entebbe and Dar Es Salaam are facing to some huge delays since some weeks. Some flights to Dar Es Salaam are operated durng the night instead during the daylight, because they have some troubles with the Q400NG. It was the case before covid, but it was the real schedule.

They have also some troubles on the long haul network. Some Paris flights left Kigali in the morning and not in the night during the summer. I guess delays were planned since few days because each time it happens the aircraft leaves Kigali at the same time (8h30-9h). The use of A330s every day to London and 3 times a week to Paris / Brussels and almost every day to Lagos means that the A330 no longer serves Dubai. That's probably why they have added more cargo flights to United Arab Emirates (Dubai DWC and Sharjah)

I will ask about the B737 NG 9XR-WF. I know that Qatar Airways wanted to add Max for RwandAir, but RwandAir wanted to add 2nd hand B737NG before to add brand new aircraft. However things have changed with the suspension of flights to Mumbai. The B737NG has limitations to operate the route without fuel stop. But due to the strong demand, the most of time the aircraft has made fuel stop at Mombasa, because the aircraft was fully loaded.

About the regional fleet, last info that i had late 2023- early 2024 RwandAir still planning to add ERJ E2 to replace at least the CRJ-900NGs but probably the Q400NGs. The CRJ-900NG starts to be not suitable some regional routes such as to Harare, Lusaka or Cape Town due to the demand. The Cape Town Harare Kigali route had many delays and the route were reduced from daily to 3 flights a week.

However i think no thing will happen till the deal with Qatar Airways won't be signed. My guess is that the fleet could be like that:

ERJ E2 to replace CRJ, Q400NG and the 2 B737-700s (one left the fleet last year). The A321Neo (QR has ordered 50 and some can be use by RwandAir) to replace the B737-800s and to keep the A330s.

Thanks a lot for the information. I agree; it’s unlikely that the fleet expansion will happen before the deal with Qatar is finalized.

The ERJ would be a great fit and would finally enable them to open their Mombasa and Luanda routes.

I just came across some interesting news (https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/1974 ... th-in-2023): they increased their revenue by 80% last year, surpassing 2019 levels. However, the article doesn’t clarify whether they are operationally profitable or the extent of any operational losses.

It was a good decision to cut some struggling routes like Mumbai this year, which should further strengthen their financial performance. With the rise in travel demand this year, I believe they’ll achieve even higher revenue. I hope they can reach operational profitability soon, just like Kenya Airways recently did.

[rwandan-flyer]

More infos there Musayann

For several years, the Rwandan authorities have been publishing a report called Fiscal Risk Statement. This report provides an overview of the financial health of state-owned companies. We do not know whether the companies are making profits or not. But at least we know their turnover, debt level, state contribution and subsidies. https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/144439 ... growth-ceo

The report then concludes the fiscal risk by saying if the future of the state-owned companies is financially viable.

RwandAir (https://www.minecofin.gov.rw/index.php? ... 01e6531114, p23,24,28,29,30)

Turnover:

2019: 223 M Euros
2021: 181 M Euros
2023: 415 M Euros

State contribution

2019: 39%
2021: 44%
2023: 31%

Subsidies:

2019: 87 M Euros
2021: 97M Euros
2023: 128 M Euros

State-guaranteed external debt: 27M Euros
Airline's non gauranteed debt stock: 41M Euros

[rwandan-flyer]

Big surprise in Kigali this evening. The visit of the 68 seater A321 of BeOnd (Maldives) based in Dubai. Plane was delivered few days ago. The plane is flying from Dubai DWC to Kigali via Cairo. I think it's a charter flight for a tour operator specialized in luxury tourism.

Since fifteen years, there have been several flights per year to Kigali: TCS, Safrans du Monde, National Geographic Expeditions, 4 Seasons,....

Kigali has thus had visits of 757s from TCS and National Geographic Expeditions (often leased from TUI or Icelandair), the A321Neo from La Compagnie, the A319 from Emirates Executive Jet (the luxury subsidiary of Emirates Airlines), the B777-200LR from Crystal Cruises, the B757 and A321Neo from Four Seasons (sometimes leased from Titan Airways), the B757 from Abercrombie & Kent, .......



CNBC Africa is unfortunately not very talkative. But we learn that Turkish Airlines is optimistic about demand in East Africa. Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda are its most dynamic markets. What the airline will do. Add more flights? More than 7 flights per week. There are enough waves of connections in Istanbul. Or to operate more flights with A330 or put in 787-9 which has more seat than the A330 (well I would be surprised for the 787-9).

In East Africa, Turkish Airlines serves almost all countries except Burundi: Somalia, Sudan (suspended due to the conflict in Sudan), Djiobuti, South Sudan, Seychelles, Eritrea, Ethiopia (Star Alliance partnership with Ethiopian), Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda (big code share partnership with RwandAir).

https://x.com/cnbcafrica/status/1830606011498926369

[rwandan-flyer]

RwandAir continues to clean up its network. After closing routes** during covid, closed its routes to Mumbai. Cape Town has joined the list. Indeed, from October 27, 2024, the Kigali Cape Town line via Harare will close. No information on the reasons. But we can estimate that the line was not working very well or not very well anymore (https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/2019 ... wn-flights)

The aircraft was no longer suitable. Certainly during peak periods, there were sometimes 737s or A330s, but most often the flights were operated in CRJ 900s. Kenya Airways also serves Cape Town in ERJ 190 via Livingstone in Zambia. But it also offers non-stop flights in B737-800s (night flights) and B787-8s during the day light flights. Ethiopian uses mainly in B787-9. The CRJs had a lot of technical problems and on Cape Town the flight was often in late

The Harare Cape Town section has been operated for some time in competition with Airlink (although these 2 airlines will probably be partners when Qatar Airways formalizes its acquisition of RwandAir). Airlink flies there in ERJ 190

The schedules. Ethiopian offers a daily but in 787-9, but has a much larger network. Kenya Airways operates 2 flights per day and can cover its different connecting waves. RwandAir with 3 flights per week c'ant cover all its network. No possible to fly between Cape Town to West Africa or Central Africa without to sleep at Kigali. Like Ethiopian or KQ (although both operate 2 flights a day on some routes to West and Central Africa) but KQ or ET and can rely on others destinations (a bigger network than RwandAir)

As for Bombay it is "a good thing" that the airline is suspending its least profitable routes. We know the financial situation of the airline. Revenues are increasing, but still not profitable and still too dependent on aid from the Rwandan State. Obviously, Qatar Airways' stake will allow the Rwandan government to invest less money. But the airline's finances need to be cleaned up at least a little.

The CRJ will be probably deploy to incease some routes. I am thinking about the Kigali-Harare-Lusaka or Kigali Dar Es Salaam routes with the return of night flights (so 2 ​​flights per day). Or the reopening of the routes to Mombasa or the opening of its route to Zanzibar.

Bombay and Cape Town may return to the RwandAir network (in mi opinion) but with more suitable aircraft. The order for the Embraer E2 (the version could be the 195-E2) seems to still be on the table from what I was heard in early 2024. This aircraft will be well suited for serving Cape Town (this time perhaps non-stop). About Bombay, Qatar Airways could transfer a (very) small part of its order of A321Neo which can quietly go BOM non-stop (to eventually replace RwandAir's 737-800NG). I have no information, it is just a hypothesis. Even if in 2023 Qatar Airways wanted to transfer Max (Max8 or Max10, I was not told) to RwandAir which wanted for the moment to stay on second-hand B737NGs to increase its medium-haul fleet.

** : Dakar, Abidjan, Guangzhou, Tel Aviv, Juba. Goma, Kinshasa and Lubumbashi were suspended because the DR Congo suspended RwandAir's certificate due to the deterioration of relations between Rwanda and the DR Congo.

[rwandan-flyer]

RwandAir continues to clean up its network. After closing routes** during covid, closed its routes to Mumbai. Cape Town has joined the list. Indeed, from October 27, 2024, the Kigali Cape Town line via Harare will close. No information on the reasons. But we can estimate that the line was not working very well or not very well anymore (https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/2019 ... wn-flights)

Interesting info. The new RwandAir CCO comes from Emirates. Just my opinion, but i won't be a suprised to see more mouvments on the RwandAir network. Evaluate the most interesting routes by adding flights or opening routes reduce or close others. A more down-to-earth strategy.

After closing routes** during covid, closed its routes to Mumbai. Cape Town has joined the list. Indeed, from October 27, 2024, the Kigali Cape Town line via Harare will close. No information on the reasons. But we can estimate that the line was not working very well or not very well anymore (https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/2019 ... wn-flights)

The new Chief Commercial Officer has taken office this month and this is one of his ways of putting his stamp on things. I knew him from his Emirates days so he's quite capable.

Last year's O&D between Kigali and Cape Town was just 809 passengers, so barely 1 daily passenger each way.

In deed i have heard that RwandAir has made a major shake up in organizational chart since the covid.

https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtop ... &start=100

[rwandan-flyer]

We are talking again about Royal Air Maroc and Rwanda. The route was supposed to be launched during the IATA winter season in 2009, then in 2016. After a first meeting last year. Another one took place a few days ago with the commercial director of the company.

Rwanda Embassy in Morocco @RwandainMorocco
A fruitful meeting today between Amb. @umutonishakilla and Mrs. Kazzini Ilham, Chief Commercial Officer of @RAM_Maroc! They discussed strengthening ties and air connectivity between #Rwanda and #Morocco. @RwandaMFA
https://x.com/RwandainMorocco/status/18 ... 2515219947

RAM should launch its route to Kigali between 2027 and 2037, we have time^^. However, things could probably go faster with the arrival of more 737Max at La RAM. RAM has reactivated its partnership with Kenya Airways. I don't know if they will launch one with RwandAir in East Africa based on the fact that Qatar Airways has shares in La Royal Air Maroc. RAM also had its AT code on the Kigali Doha route when it was operated by QR.

The company will be able to capitalize on the significant growth in demand North America Rwanda and Europe Rwanda over the coming years. Kenya Airways, Brussels Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines Turkish Airlines, Egyptair are already benefiting from this by bringing more capacity than before covid. Its membership in the Oneworld alliance will also make it possible to tap into American Airlines or JetBlue pax (RAM has a partnership) via JFK or Miami. RAM serves Washington, Montreal, Miami, New York and soon Toronto. Destinations already under RwandAir code (WB) with Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways

I rounded the data, point to point for Kigali.

TOP 3 USA + TOP 3 Canada (Washington, New York, Chicago / Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa). 23,300 + 19,790

In Europe, the 5 major markets have a volume of 91,000 pax (Brussels, London, Paris, Geneva and Amsterdam).

About West Africa, Abidjan and Dakar are at just over 11,000 pax in 2023 with several flights per day to cover connections in Casablanca). Cairo has almost 8,000 pax per year, but a big detour and already served from Kigali. Accra and Lagos represent more than 30,000 pax, but a big detour and cities already connected to Kigali. The Kigali Casablanca point-to-point traffic was almost 2,100 pax in 2023.

[musayann]

RwandAir continues to clean up its network. After closing routes** during covid, closed its routes to Mumbai. Cape Town has joined the list. Indeed, from October 27, 2024, the Kigali Cape Town line via Harare will close. No information on the reasons. But we can estimate that the line was not working very well or not very well anymore (https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/2019 ... wn-flights)

Interesting info. The new RwandAir CCO comes from Emirates. Just my opinion, but i won't be a suprised to see more mouvments on the RwandAir network. Evaluate the most interesting routes by adding flights or opening routes reduce or close others. A more down-to-earth strategy.

The new Chief Commercial Officer has taken office this month and this is one of his ways of putting his stamp on things. I knew him from his Emirates days so he's quite capable.

Last year's O&D between Kigali and Cape Town was just 809 passengers, so barely 1 daily passenger each way.

In deed i have heard that RwandAir has made a major shake up in organizational chart since the covid.

https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtop ... &start=100

I saw that starting this week, RwandAir has reshuffled its regional routes’ departure times. They have also reduced the frequency to Kamembe and Dar es Salaam. I suspect that this was also due to one of the CRJs(9xr-wh) going into maintenance. I think it’s a smarter move considering that they don’t have enough aircraft to fill those routes.

@rwandan-flyer Do you have more info on that?

[rwandan-flyer]

I saw that starting this week, RwandAir has reshuffled its regional routes’ departure times. They have also reduced the frequency to Kamembe and Dar es Salaam. I suspect that this was also due to one of the CRJs(9xr-wh) going into maintenance. I think it’s a smarter move considering that they don’t have enough aircraft to fill those routes.

@rwandan-flyer Do you have more info on that?

In deed, they have made some modifications. Johannesburg is not longer severd via Lusaka on the daylight flight. Harare is now tagged with Lusaka.

But there are more modifications

The new director of flight operations arrived a year ago. Ex-pilot at Crossair, ex-chief pilot at EasyJet Swizterland, ex-chief pilot at FlyDubai and ex-vice president of flight operations at FlyDubai. This is Patrick Gonzenbach -

There is surely a link between the fact that FlyDubai now sells RwandAir tickets on its website (see screenshot below). I did not choose Warsaw by chance. Poland and Rwanda have had ties since Rwanda's independence (which is rare when you look at Rwanda's history) and I was able to witness it

For the first time in the history of the airline a Rwandan has become the company's chief pilot. This is Fred M. Karagwe


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RwandAir expands global reach through Euroairlines distribution deal

RwandAir has signed a strategic agreement with Spain's Euroairlines Group that will enable the African carrier to sell tickets through more than 60 global markets, significantly expanding its distribution network. https://atta.travel/resource/rwandair-e ... -deal.html

[rwandan-flyer]

A new report proposed by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, which I have just discovered. It is the Travel Expenditure Survey Report 2024 (Q2). https://www.statistics.gov.rw/publicati ... eport-2024

Daily expenses, international arrivals, reasons for stays in Rwanda, …

May to July 2024

Total arrivals by air:

74,215 non-Rwandans
40,793 Rwandans

I focus on markets outside Africa and outside Oceania and South America which are part of the rest of the world section in the report.

6,671 Asians (main reason: business)
1,851 Rwandans living in Asia and returning to Rwanda (main reason: VFR (visiting relatives & friends))

16,093 Europeans (main reason: VFR)
3,169 Rwandans living in Europe and returning to Rwanda (main reason: VFR (visiting relatives & friends))

12,221 Americans (main reason: Gorillas)
2,203 Rwandans living in North America and returning to Rwanda (main reason: VFR (visiting relatives & friends))

These data only take into account arrivals to Rwanda. They do not include these same people who leave Rwanda (It may be tempting to multiply the data by 2, to make an estimate of arrivals and departures). The data does not take into account Rwandans living in Rwanda, but also foreigners who living in Rwanda and leave for business, tourism or to see friends or family.

I don't have the data for other African countries, but it must be one of the rare countries to have such a large gap between arrivals of people not from the diaspora and those from the Rwandan diaspora. And yet based on studies, Rwanda has a fairly large diaspora (345,800 Rwandans are said to be living abroad, 2013 figures page 13 https://publications.iom.int/books/mapp ... etherlands) but which doesn't mixe because of the country's history (ethnic groups, genocide against the Tutsi, executioners, refugees, political opponents). And the estimates are made from people who are joined by associations.

Belgium: 35,000 Rwandans (https://publications.iom.int/books/mapp ... ra-belgium)
UK: 10,000 to 15,000 Rwandans (https://publications.iom.int/books/mapp ... ed-kingdom)
Canada: 13,500 Rwandans (https://publications.iom.int/books/mapp ... lic-rwanda)
USA: 11,500 including 7,000 in Dallas but DFW is not the largest point-to-point market in the US for Kigali (https://publications.iom.int/system/fil ... the-US.pdf)

[rwandan-flyer]

According to this article, Kigali airport would have welcomed 1,700,000 passengers in 2023 (https://groundtime.rw/2024/12/02/satell ... l-airport/#). Surprised by this high figure, because before covid the traffic was around 1,200,000 passengers. Well I know the person behinf this, very good knowledge of air transport (he has IATA training). And he has contacts within Rwandan civil aviation thanks to his job (freelance photographer)

We will see the data from the Rwanda Stastical Yearbook (not often up to date). The closures of Mumbai and Cape Town and the well-managed Marburg virus crisis should not affect traffic thanks to the capacity increases of Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and Brussels Airlines. In any case, we must be close to reaching the capacity limit and Bugesera will not arrive before 2028..... But Rwandans have been advisors by Changi Singapore Airport Group since 2010 (consulting, management,....https://www.changiairport.com/en/cai.ht ... e26705da3b) and some trained by the prestigious Singapore Aviation Academy (https://www.google.com/search?q=rwanda+ ... s-wiz-serp)

Some data:

Amsterdam Kigali 132,424 pax. Jan24-Aug24: 81,951 pax (a little over - 7,000 pax for KLM vs 2023). For 2023 and 2024 between 5 and 6 flights per week. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrows ... le?lang=en Tag service using mainly A330-200 with Entebbe, but no data for AMS EBB
London Heathrow Kigali (5-7 flights per week mid 2023): 83,425 pax (https://www.caa.co.uk/Documents/Downloa ... 219f/16379). Jan24 - Sept24: 79,227 pax ( https://www.caa.co.uk/Documents/Downloa ... bfda/16794)(daily flight)

No data for Brussels.