ROUTES AFRICA: RwandAir Boosts Frequencies to Johannesburg and Nairobi

RwandAir has introduced an additional daily flight between Kigali and Nairobi and will add a fourth weekly rotation between Kigali and Johannesburg this week to keep pace with growing demand on the two routes. The African carrier already operates two flights per day to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, but will add a third rotation, which will introduce an additional two banks of flights, providing passengers greater flexibility.

The existing flights depart Kigali at 07:00 and 16:00 and have been joined from July 1 by an 11:00 flight four days a week and a 20:45 service three days per week. An estimated 48,000 O&D passengers travelled on the airline’s flights between the two cities in the past year, giving it a 45 per cent share of the market. Kenya Airways dominates the traffic handling 55 per cent of the total 106,000 passengers.

Meanwhile, from July 6 a fourth weekly service to Johannesburg will be offered from Kigali, a route that the carrier does not face any current competition. It carried an estimated 22,000 O&D passengers between the two cities in the past year, up 60.3 per cent on the figure for the previous 12 month period.

“Nairobi and Johannesburg are key hubs on the continent for travellers and we feel the need to give our guests more flexibility and options. We are experiencing increasing demands on both destinations hence our move to avail more seats,” said Alice Katiti, General Manager – Commercial, RwandAir, adding that its recently launched Kigali – Gisenyi domestic route will also increase from four to six flights per week.

The airline will further enhance its operations in August when it receives its first Next-Generation Boeing 737-800. A second is due to follow in September. These will be the first aircraft in its fleet to be fitted with in-flight entertainment and are provisional due to be used on routes to Dubai and Johannesburg as well as to expand other markets.

“The delivery of our Boeing 737- 800 this August could not have come at a better time for the airline since we are already experiencing capacity constraints on some routes like Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam whose operations have now been upgraded from CRJ to 737-500 due to increased loads,” said Alice Katiti.

Schedule:

Kigali – Johannesburg
WB113 KGL1100 – 1500JNB 735 x257
WB112 JNB1545 – 1945KGL 735 x257

Kigali – Nairobi
WB107 KGL0700 – 0915NBO CRJ x5
WB207 KGL1100 – 1315NBO CRJ x146
WB117 KGL1600 – 1815NBO EQV D
WB317 KGL2045 – 2300NBO CRJ 146
WB108 NBO1000 – 1015KGL CRJ x5
WB208 NBO1400 – 1415KGL CRJ x146
WB118 NBO1900 – 1915KGL EQV D
WB318 NBO2345 – 0001+1KGL CRJ 146
NOTE: WB117/118 operates with 737-500 on Day 567, CRJ on Day x567

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