Date: 31/03/09
Route: KGL-NBO-AMS-EDI
Duration (with transit): 10H40 ( 15h40)
Airlines Boarded: Rwandair Express, Kenya Airways, KLM Cityhopper
Travel class: economy
Highlight: Rwandair express and KQ 116
After a pure moment in the, recent, peaceful Rwanda. it was time to go home in Scotland. I use to fly between NBO and europe with Skyteam and mostly with KLM and overnight, but it was time to change and finally try the KQ's day route KQ116
2 - INBOUND TRIP
I decided to do not sleep during the last evening, too afraid to miss the flight, and to get a better rest on the long segment.
Arrived at the airport, around 1h30 am, the hall was as busy as the day, with is quite surprising for the place.
Departure and Arrival hall
At Kigali Airport, The Security checks is before the check-in, which mean once you are in you can not go out, is there is anymore other place in this world similar?
The check-in took age, more than 30min, as the agent said i've been booked on the 13h45 flight (KQ473),she added if i wouldn't mind to be rerouted on this flight!!! that was surprising because obviously the 8h40 morning connection at Nairobi could not be made...
After a quick stop, and a quick chat at the CIP business lounge totally deserted (because of the time) an agent called me as the last passenger to embark in a bus to the plane.
the aircraft painted on Rwandair express colours, but wearing the kenyian flag and registration (Jetkink), piloted by %u201Cmuzungu%u201D, codeshared with an other kenyan airline (KQ) and animated with a mixed Rwandan and Kenyan cabin crew (Jetlink and Rwandair) appeared fantastic.
Rwandair has been used for the way back home, and to be honest, the early morning flight are not a real joy for me, but i've experienced the home's new airline, especially an african one.
It should have been originally a Kenya Air flight, KQ479 with a 738, but as the local airline ( Rwandair expresss) has to operated this flight, it has been upgraded in an unsual discovery.
The WB107, operated in a CRJ200ER by Jetlink, was a great opportunity to judge the quality of the national carrier of Rwanda since they left the B737 from Air Namibia for maintenance disagreement in 2008.
I was really happy to fly with this airline, because the opportunity may not come back in the future. Rwandair Express leases 2 aircrafts ( a Dash 800 and a CRJ200) and i flew on half on it lol. The domestic network is composed of 2 services on the shores of the Lake Kivu, including the latest service to Gisenyi in the north pf the country which is new from the 15th of march (see the advertising at Kigali airport in the 1st trip report) and flights are operated with the Dash 800. the international network links Kigali hub to JNB, Entebbe, NBO, Kilimandjaro and Bujumbura using the CRJ.
The flight was scheduled at 4H00 am but started taxiing at 4H25 and took off runway 10 at 4H35.
with a nice cabin crew half kenyan half rwandan, a correct and occidental breakfast, and clouds free flight, it was the best remenber to finish a family holidays in Rwanda.
The Plane landed on runway 6 at Nairobi around 6H04 and disembark passenger around 6H25.
Kenyan and Rwandese flags
The Copilot
50% of load factor
the generous breakfast served by Rwandair
Our cabin crew today: Natasha (rwandair) and Irene (Jetlink) and Benson (but not on the picture)
Flying over Serengetti before the descent to Nairobi
Canadair CRJ200LR 5Y-JLE
WB and its regionals partners.
The problem encountered at Kigali followed me at NBO, where the Kenyan Air agent told me that “my booking concern the KLM evening flight” (not really my favourite!!!). The queue at the transit desk started to become bigger when he told me to come back in half an hours for and alternative choice. Exactly the time for me to enjoy a bigger breakfast and a cup of tea in the “African style” Premier Lounge of Nairobi.
Meridian Airline, Kenya Airways, and Delta connection
A rare visitor at JKIA
Like a huge surprise he managed to find a seat on the original KQ116 flight and the following to amsterdam.
Flight N°: KQ116
journey: NBO-AMS the the 31/03/09
Plane:B777-200ER with registration 5Y-KQT
Scheduled departure time: 8H40 local time(GMT+3)
Duration: 8H50
Seat: 36A
rating:☻☻☻☻☻
the face to face
For this last day, exclusively spent in the plane, the long haul part was absolutely amazing. Nice weather empty plane, great cabin crew, no late or lost luggage, great movies on the IFE ...etc
Most of the trip back home in Europe force me to fly with KLM during the evening with an overcrowded and Old B747, with untasty food and Sh...t collective IFE. For this time, thanks to the Cute Gemma L at the Edinburgh agency, she managed to gather outbound and inbound journey with KQ. Even if the previous earlier flight was really indegestive to catch because of the jetlagged and the bad hours, this one was my Best flight during this Rwanda 2009 trip.
Of all my experiences in NBO i've noticed that KQ always start bording people according to a colour sticker (from back to front???) and not by statut like europe (1st biz, elite...)
As i described before the loaded factor was about 20-25% in economy which means free seating anywhere. (it's really unprofitable for KQ and sad for all the tourist who have to squeeze in the KL evening flight but...this is an other story).
The huge Bird left on time from the tarmac of NBO, followed by the 738NG KQ452 to Moroni via Dzaoudzi, then shortly after tooking off they started serving breakfast. I choose this time to listen some new song RNB, before finishing my “night” up to Khartoum and across the Nile, in the opposite to the outbound flight, i selected a movie after a quick photo sequence. As the good appointed us it was ideally perfect to catch few pictures of the africa.
Usually, the plane acrosses over Kharthoum, Benghazi in Libya, Malta, Venice, then Alps and Germany, but today, It was impossible to view Corsica, France and and Geneva Lake, ( the reason i choose the seat) as for unknown reason, we flew over Egypt the Creta, Croatia Austria, and Germany, I was a wee bit disapointed but the unusual approch and landing on Runway 27 allowed a nice overview of south 'Dam as the the Arena Stadium.
Passengers who applaud a successful landing, are always funny, but in this case it was a group of Kenyan artists and performers coming in Holland for a 3 weeks show, and only few “muzungu” or wazungu were on board. That was an African magic.
in need of Swahili lesson?
1 Monarch is rare, what about 2, it's improbable!!!
The Antonov AN-12B UR-CGV
Breakfast
Low load factor, maybe 35 % in economy
Nile River
Around Kharthoum
Good bye Egypt and Africa
The cap is approx 320°
It's lunch time
Amsterdam Arena
I've already flown onboard the "City of Tokyo" for a trip...NBO-AMS, funny coincidence
this small fokker represent an huge sensation for 2 reasons:
- the buzzing noise can be heared by the passengers at the rear of the plane.
secondly because before boarding in AMS we have to take a bus to travel far around B pier (or gate ) is always a good thing for visiting as KLM employees on stage and backstage of Schiphol airport, the “second” zone destination can be found here. For the fisrt time the aircraft had to wait more than 15min on the taxiway for a clearance for parking few pics have been made of some airlines operating at EDI.
As i've checked-in on WB flight (with no business class), i was not entitled of the priority tag for Elite plus and Business, my luggage arrived among the last, but lucky that the flight AMS-EDI was not full.
not really happy today
Nice KLM's retro-special scheme
B747 from Surinam Air and B757 (?) from Air Force one
Porth of Leith before intercepting the ILS runway 24
Edinburgh Airport
Welcome back home
I hope you've enjoy this, maybe, out of date trip report. An another one, more up to date, is coming very soon on the Kenya Airways London route KQ101/102.
Seen you soon for more African adventures!!!
East African Spotter
Fly with Air Burundi, Air Tanzania, Air Uganda, Kenya Airways and Rwandair...Jumuiya ya Afrika mashariki
Caleb1 From United States of America, joined Nov 2008, 320 posts, RR: 3 Reply 1, posted (3 years 5 months 1 week 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 12856 times:
ThegreatRDU From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 2273 posts, RR: 3 Reply 3, posted (3 years 5 months 1 week 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 12666 times:
Quoting Eastafspot (Thread starter): At Kigali Airport, The Security checks is before the check-in, which mean once you are in you can not go out, is there is anymore other place in this world similar?
USFlyer MSP From United States of America, joined May 2000, 1787 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (3 years 5 months 1 week 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 12487 times:
Where do they fit 3 FA's on a CRJ? I think there is only one (maybe two?) jumpseats.
SW733 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 6072 posts, RR: 10 Reply 8, posted (3 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 12032 times:
Technically it is just the US Government. Air Force One is only then the President is on board, and he would always fly a 747 for long trips like those (and really almost any trip). The 757 is often the plane for the Vice President, which would make it Air Force Two, but other people use it too.
Severnaya From Russia, joined Jan 2009, 1390 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (3 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 11736 times:
Thanks for this interesting TR, for sure an interesting leg from KGL-NBO
However i wouldn't be too happy if i would be photographed from the front.
Quoting Eastafspot (Thread starter): At Kigali Airport, The Security checks is before the check-in, which mean once you are in you can not go out, is there is anymore other place in this world similar?
Yeah also at LED terminal 1 (mostly used for domestic and charter flights).
Gkirk From UK - Scotland, joined Jun 2000, 24621 posts, RR: 58 Reply 13, posted (3 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 11608 times:
Quoting Eastafspot (Reply 10): Well, you're almost right except for the destination as i've heard it was for carrying RAF troop
Possibly to Akrotiri then? Quite a number of trooping flights from Nairobi have flown to EDI using airlines such as Monarch, Air Caraibes, and FlyGlobespan.
When you hear the noise of the Tartan Army Boys, we'll be coming down the road!
After ASA-African Safari Airways and the (in)famous travel agent African Safari Club collapsed, a "new" company was founded.
This new company is offering flights from Manchester, Gatwick and Basle to Mombasa. The A321 might be a rare sight, but is is not! The A321 is doing a flight pattern Gatwick-Luxor-Mombasa (like the A330 from MAN), for special "offers" 1week Nile Cruise plus (one week later) 1 week Kenya Beach & Safri!
ThegreatRDU From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 2273 posts, RR: 3 Reply 15, posted (3 years 5 months 1 week 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 11049 times:
Quoting AsoRock (Reply 12): Didn't the CRJ crash into a concrete wall recently in Kigali??
They have 3, 1 CR1 and 2 CR2s the one that crashed into the VIP terminal was the sole CR1, 5Y-JLD....eastafspot flew on 5Y-JLE...
During the trip the fleet was composed of 2 A/Cs, before the crash, it was 3, and now, after the contrat suspension with Jetlink, WB leases a Dash 8-102 to Air Services, an will receive its own aircraft an CRJ200 before Christmas...
Fly with Air Burundi, Air Tanzania, Air Uganda, Kenya Airways and Rwandair...Jumuiya ya Afrika mashariki
02hilliert From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2007, 467 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (3 years 5 months 1 week 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 10432 times:
Quoting Gkirk (Reply 13): Quoting Eastafspot (Reply 10):
Well, you're almost right except for the destination as i've heard it was for carrying RAF troop
Possibly to Akrotiri then? Quite a number of trooping flights from Nairobi have flown to EDI using airlines such as Monarch, Air Caraibes, and FlyGlobespan.
Having checked today, the A321 had arrived from Edinburgh via Luxor, the A330 had arrived from Edinburgh and was departing to Brize Norton. That should end the speculation!
Sponsor Message: 
From France, joined Jan 2008, 473 posts, 
From United States of America, joined Nov 2008, 320 posts, 
From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 964 posts, 
From Jamaica, joined Mar 2007, 2882 posts, 
From UK - Scotland, joined Jun 2000, 24621 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 8263 posts, 
From Russia, joined Jan 2009, 1390 posts, 
From Bahrain, joined May 2006, 318 posts, 
From Germany, joined Jan 2004, 2098 posts, 
Sponsor Message: 
Printer friendly format
