Welcome to the East African Aviation Thread 2022. Please continue your discussion and to post your news below.

Link to previous thread:

East African Aviation Thread - 2021

RwandAir WB 1060 till WB 1072 flights numbers are used on some QR flights to USA:

Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, Seattle, Dallas, Philadelphia, New York and San Fransisco

Ethiopian uses a unsual flight number for its pax flight (ET2338). This is a overnight flight to Kigali (ET has a daily daiylight flight to Kigali), but this one is operated via Entebbe (this flight was tagged from 2010 till 2018). When it's ET821 flight is operated non stop to and from Kigali.

Anyone knows why this SN A330 to Kigali was diverted to Dubrovnik today ? Thanks

EDIT:

The Brussels Airlines plane urgently landed in Dubrovnik, the crew sent a PAN PAN signal

[...]


The reason for declaring this situation is the health condition of one of the passengers who has problems with diabetes. https://www-novilist-hr.translate.goog/ ... x_tr_hl=fr

Qatar Airways website show QR flights between Kigali and Doha resuming from the end of March 2022, with 2 flights per week (daily service before)




In 2017, they had done the same thing

Does anyone have insight about the impact of the UAE ban on East African carriers?

Does ET is flying pax on DXB-ADD sector?

eastafspot wrote:

Does anyone have insight about the impact of the UAE ban on East African carriers?

Does ET is flying pax on DXB-ADD sector?

Only on the inbound sector until January 10, and then both ways starting January 11.

Posted on TK aviation Thread

RwandAir has applied its code on some TK routes to and from Istanbul. But the schedules are not very good for TK flights from or to Kigali. So I wonder if RwandAir was not planning a route to Istanbul. With similar timetables Doh-Kgl. Return flights at night, a day stop at IST a day stop at IST to attract pax flying via Kigali, both with pax arriving from Southern and Central Africa with IST as their final destination. Or pax who continue beyond IST

WB 1260 / WB 1259: Istanbul-Geneva

WB 1255 / WB 1256: Frankfurt-Istanbul

WB 1257 / WB 1258: Istanbul-Amsterdam

WB 1262 / WB 1261: Paris Roissy-Istanbul

WB 1254 / WB 1253: Dusseldorf-Istanbul

But i wanted to also this:

Big WB code offensive with Qatar Airways. Surprise to see Amman. Does Qatar Airways want to compete with Ethiopian who flies to Amman ?

WB 1007 / WB 1008: Zurich-Doha

WB 1010 / WB 1011 / WB 1018: Rome-Doha
WB 1012 / 1016 / WB 1013 / 1017: Milan-Doha

WB 1025 / WB 1026: Copenhagen
WB 1028 / WB 1029: Stockholm

WB 1031 / WB 1032: Vienna


WB 1043 / 1044: Amsterdam-Doha
WB 1045 / 1046: Prague-Doha
WB 1047 / 1048: Helsinki-Doha
WB 1052 / 1053: Amman-Doha

Bad news! Intense Tropical Cyclone Batsirai is currently (Tuesday, 1 February) headed directly for Madagascar. The storm currently has sustained winds of 105mph (165km/h) with gusts to 125mph (205km/h). This comes only two weeks after Tropical Storm Ana struck Madagascar, crossed the island and the Mozambique Channel, then struck Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia, causing flooding, damage to infrastructure and death as it passed. Batsirai is a much more intense storm and will surely bring more destruction to the same areas. Batsirai will surely affect aviation is southeast Africa, as well as everyday life in the region. Our thoughts and prayers should surely be with the people of southeast and southern Africa.

http://www.meteofrance.re/cyclone/activ ... e-en-cours (French)

http://www.meteo.fr/temps/domtom/La_Reu ... index.html

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021-202 ... one_season

Almost full flight for the 1st flight on an A330-300. SV announced the first flight via a Facebook post less than 2 weeks ago


Saudi Airlines launches direct flights to Uganda

Saudi Arabian carrier, Saudi Airlines, on Wednesday commenced direct flights from Riyadh to Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport.

The inaugural flight arrived in Entebbe at 7am with about 300 passengers aboard an Airbus 330-300, according to the airline, and was welcomed with a traditional gun salute.

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/bu ... da-3703070

The Middle East-East Africa capacities must surely be one of the largest in the world (classifying by region). I don't know if Saudi and Air Arabia have plans to serve Tanzania and Rwanda. But it's quite impressive. There is a lot of point-to-point but also a lot of connecting either intra-airlines or via code shares or interlines.

I wonder if we are not almost at the same level as Europe-East Africa flights (and there are still a lot of Russian, Ukrainian, Polish charters on Kenya and Tanzania) and surely above the East African -Rest of Africa capacaties (and they are Ethiopian, Kenya Airways and RwandAir).

Middle East Airlines

Fly Nas:

Khartoum

SalamAir:

Khartoum

Cham Wings Airlines

Khartoum


Yemenia:

Djibouti, Khartoum

Gulf Air:

Khartoum


FlyDubai

Zanzibar, DJibouti, Juba, Addis Ababa, Port Sudan, Mogadishu, Hargeisa (Somaliland), Khartoum, Entebbe, Asmara, Zanzibar, Dar Es Salaam. Kigali (Rwanda), Kilimanjaro and Bujumbura (Burundi) have been served in the past.

Emirates Airlines

Nairobi, Entebbe, Khartoum, Addis Ababa, Dar Es Salaam


SyrianAir:

Khartoum

OmanAir

Nairobi, Dar Es Salaam, Zanzibar


qatarairways

Entebbe, Khartoum, Djibouti, Nairobi, Mogadishu, Mombasa (suspended due to covid), Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Dar Er Salaam. Kigali has been served in the past

Etihad

Nairobi Zanzibar, Khartoum .Entebbe and Dar Es Salaam have been served in the past

Air Arabia

Entebbe, Khartoum, Nairobi

Kuwait Airways

Khartum


---------------------------------------------------


Compagnies Africaines


Uganda Airlines

Dubai

Kenya Airways

Dubai

RwandAir:

Doha, Dubai, Tel Aviv (suspended to due the covid)

Ethiopian Airlines

Jeddah, Muscat, Doha, Dubai, Barhain, Kuwait City, Jeddah, Ryad, Damman, Tel Aviv, Beyrouth, Amman

Jubba Airways:

Jeddah, Dubai

Badr Airlines

Dubai, Doha, Jeddah

Daallo Airlines

Jeddah, Dubaï

Sudan Airways

Jeddah, Ryad

Tarco Airlines

Ammann, Jeddah, Ryad, Doha, Kuwait City

Nice to see an airline opening new route during Covid.

eastafspot wrote:

Nice to see an airline opening new route during Covid.

In deed


2nd flight in less than a month for EL AL to Kigali using a B787-8 this time. Last time it was a B787-9.

This flight number is generally used for its flights to the Seychelles (LY55). EL AL has already made charter flights to Kenya and Rwanda for Israeli tourists, but nothing on the TLV airport site.

RwandAir has added an additional night flight to Kinshasa and Dar Es Salaam. Enabling connections on flights to West Africa (Central Africa for Dar Es Salaam), Cape Town and Harare which are operated only during the daylight

There are therefore 2 flights per day on Sundays for Kigali-DAR and Kigali-FIH legs

2 flights per day on Mondays dpr DAR-KGL and FIH-KGL and KGL-DAR and KGL-FIH legs

And finally 2 flights per day DAR-KGL and FIH-KGL legs on Tuesdays


[url=https://servimg.com/view/11287103/2395][ /url]

[url=https://servimg.com/view/11287103/2396][ /url]

Qatar Airways CEO Africa that he will make important announcements regarding RwandAir.

A (small) part of the 737Max order by Qatar Airways will go to RwandAir ?

Beginning of (a long) the process for integrating RwandAir into Oneworld in the medium term?

Launching of RwandAir Cargo with a lease of a Qatar Airways B777F ?

Qatar Airways sees Africa as new ‘frontier’ and launches new routes

Airlines inside and outside Africa are upbeat about the growing opportunities and huge potential in the continent’s aviation industry. Driving this growth is Qatar Airways as it adds more routes on the continent and scales up its operations by acquiring or forging partnerships with other airlines operating there.

[....]


Africa's huge aviation potentials

Qatar Airways’ Vice-President for Africa, Hendrik Du Preez in an exclusive interview with AirInsight said: “There is huge potential across the continent for new routes.” Expect more announcements soon. He added, “Qatar Airways got ownership in a number of airlines globally. We are shareholders of the IAG group for instance. We have worked closely with Rwandair over the last couple of months. We announced the first part of the codeshare agreement which will cover 65 destinations on our network and their network. That is one of the areas that are underserved historically and for us to work closely with Rwandair to feed into their network and to have access to a broader network globally. It is what we are working on closely at this stage. We will be able to make more announcements, about how we are strengthening on it and building together.”

https://airinsight.com/qatar-airways-se ... ew-routes/

rukundo wrote:

Posted on TK aviation Thread

RwandAir has applied its code on some TK routes to and from Istanbul. But the schedules are not very good for TK flights from or to Kigali. So I wonder if RwandAir was not planning a route to Istanbul. With similar timetables Doh-Kgl. Return flights at night, a day stop at IST a day stop at IST to attract pax flying via Kigali, both with pax arriving from Southern and Central Africa with IST as their final destination. Or pax who continue beyond IST

WB 1260 / WB 1259: Istanbul-Geneva

WB 1255 / WB 1256: Frankfurt-Istanbul

WB 1257 / WB 1258: Istanbul-Amsterdam

WB 1262 / WB 1261: Paris Roissy-Istanbul

WB 1254 / WB 1253: Dusseldorf-Istanbul

Now Turkish Airlines placed its code on RwandAir flights departing from Kigali.

TK8400/01: Kigali-Bujumbura-Kigali

TK8402/03: Kigali-Harare-Kigali

TK8404/05: Kigali-Brazzzaville-Kigali

TK8406/07: Kigali-Lusaka-Kigali

TK8408/09: Kigali-Bangui-Douala-Bangui-Kigali

Only Douala is served by TK. For Lusaka flights are suspended.

I never thought that one day Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines would code share on RwandAir Africa flights

[url=https://servimg.com/view/11287103/2398][ /url]

rukundo wrote:

Qatar Airways CEO Africa that he will make important announcements regarding RwandAir.

A (small) part of the 737Max order by Qatar Airways will go to RwandAir ?

Beginning of (a long) the process for integrating RwandAir into Oneworld in the medium term?

Launching of RwandAir Cargo with a lease of a Qatar Airways B777F ?

Hopefully a Oneworld announcement. Fingers crossed! His Excellency seems focused on that like a man on a mission right now.

As a Oneworld loyalist, it would nicely expand coverage in Africa. And Rwandair is easily the best of what's on offer.

BangersAndMash wrote:

rukundo wrote:

Qatar Airways CEO Africa that he will make important announcements regarding RwandAir.

A (small) part of the 737Max order by Qatar Airways will go to RwandAir ?

Beginning of (a long) the process for integrating RwandAir into Oneworld in the medium term?

Launching of RwandAir Cargo with a lease of a Qatar Airways B777F ?

Hopefully a Oneworld announcement. Fingers crossed! His Excellency seems focused on that like a man on a mission right now.

As a Oneworld loyalist, it would nicely expand coverage in Africa. And Rwandair is easily the best of what's on offer.

I think they could become a Oneworld Connect partener like Fiji Airways https://www.oneworld.com/members/fiji-airways

-------------------------------------------------------

The Rwanda biggest newspaper announces that RwandAir will add two more planes, by June 2021. The airline has already ordered the aircraft. But no info about the type Boeing ? Airbus ? https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/rwandai ... ore-planes

Edit article was removed but you can read here: https://simpleflying.com/rwandair-new-aircraft-order/

It could be linked with the fact the demand is coming back and the fact that the airline is now focused on African market. Flights to Addis Ababa (was supposed to start from 04 April 2019 with 4 flights a ween in patnership with Ethiopian) and Luanda (Angola) are still planned

MICE (Rwanda was ranked 4th in Africa before covid)

In 2021 and 2022 Rwanda hosted or will host several events:

African Union – European Union Foreign Affairs Ministerial Meeting Kigali,

African Air Chiefs Symposium,

Plenary session of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC)

Association Internationale de Maires Francophones (AIMF) and soon Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Also some sport events such as Women's African Nations Volleyball Championship & Men's African Nations Volleyball Championship, Basketball Africa League and Ironman 70.3 race.

With the covid (and debates about mass tourism in some countries in Africa) Rwanda is appreciated as eco tourism destination.

Makolo didn’t link the two developments, but The New Times understands that the acquisition plan is being fast-tracked to materialize before ‘CHOGM days’ kick in.

“It is should definitely be before that. Perhaps in the early days of June or even before that,” said a source familiar with the plans.

Rwanda will be hosting CHOGM during the week of 20 June 2022 after the much-awaited event was postponed due to Covid-19. About 5,000 guests are expected in the country for the week-long meeting.

I coudld imagine that they replace their two leased B737-700s (built in 2007 and leased since 2013) by two A220s.

They also shown interest for A321LR late 2018

Rwanda’s national carrier RwandAir is in the process of evaluating possibilities of purchasing an Airbus A321LR and Boeing 737-7 to operate on European routes during off-peak seasons.

This move comes after its Airbus A330-200 and one larger A330-300 operating on the Kigali-Brussels to London Gatwick route experienced strong load factors this summer “Looking at the A321LR and 737-7 for fleet planning is an ongoing process.

https://www.ktpress.rw/2018/09/rwandair ... re-planes/

And as announced few days ago (when i talkbed about more "big" anouncenments from Qatar Airways about RwandAir), Qatar-RwandAir deal is in final stages

In a related development, Makolo told The New Times that Qatar airways plans to acquire a 49 percent stake in the national carrier has reached ‘advanced talks’, on both ends.

Edit: It's possible to deleted the message about the arrival of two new RwandAir aircraft and the not the part where i answer to BangersAndMash . The New Times Rwanda and SimplyFlying have removed their article.

There are still some articles in the Rwandan press, but i think stand by for the moment.

Sorry

Kenya Airways is planning to cut its aircraft fleet to 30 from the current 36:

https://www.the-star.co.ke/business/ken ... aft-fleet/

rukundo wrote:

Edit: It's possible to deleted the message about the arrival of two new RwandAir aircraft and the not the part where i answer to BangersAndMash . The New Times Rwanda and SimplyFlying have removed their article.

There are still some articles in the Rwandan press, but i think stand by for the moment.

Sorry

Well I have talked about the A220, but if it was the ERJ E2? Or probably Airbus had also sent an A220 to Kigali

This morning the Tech Shark new Profit Hunter E190-E2 was in Kigali and it made a demonstration flight (with the Rwandan press on board and thus the removing of the article on The New Times Rwanda?)

Wait and see. In 2012, Bombardier sent a Q400NG to Rwanda and RwandAir immediately placed an order.....






The Q400NG prototype in Kamembe (Rwanda). Note the FA taking a selfie

Signing of an air agreement between Mauritania and Rwanda allowing RwandAir to serve Nouakchott with traffic rights.

Well honestly, I think the point-to-point traffic between Rwanda and Mauritania is low. So few chance to see RwandAiir coming in NKC...but

It seems that there is a market between Mauritania and Central Africa. Mauritania Airlines serves Gabon and the Republic of Congo (2 countries served by RwandAir) in 2 stopovers if im right . Surely faster to go through Istanbul with Turkish Airlines or Paris with Air France.

With its night flight schedules to Africa, you have to spend the day in Casablanca with the RAM.

RwandAir which therefore has traffic rights from Mauritania could reseume its routes to Dakar or Abidjan suspended since the start of the covid pandemic.

So we could have a Kigali-Abidjan-Nouakchott – or Kigali-Dakar-Nouakchott.

But then again, I wouldn't be surprised if this deal doesn't go anywhere. Mauritania is not served by Ethiopian and Kenya Airways.

But RwandAir flies to Bangui and not Ethiopian. RwandAir flies Libreville and Brazzaville while Kenya Airways closed these 2 destinations few time ago.

https://allafrica.com/stories/202202250105.html

------------------------------

Otherwise Sam Chui is in Rwanda. We will surely have a Trip Report on RwandAir. Another famous aviation vloggers who have traveled on RwandAir:

Josh Cahill, Simply Aviation, Noel Phillips and FlightTravels

https://www.instagram.com/p/CaZvp45IuIK/

1st African airline to order B777-X (there cargo version). More to follow ? TAAG Angola Airlines ? EgyptAir ?

Just now

Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing Sign Memorandum of Understanding for New 777-8 Freighter

The Memorandum of Understanding to order the 777-8 Freighter will enable Ethiopian Airlines to meet expanding global cargo demand from its hub in Addis Ababa and position the carrier for long-term sustainable growth.

“Consistent with our history of aviation technology leadership in Africa, we are pleased to sign this MoU with our longstanding partner Boeing, which will make us join select group of launch customer airlines for the fleet. In our vision 2035, we are planning to expand our Cargo and Logistics business to be one of the largest global multimodal logistics provider in all continents, To this effect we are increasing our dedicated Freighter fleet with the latest technology, fuel efficient and environment-friendly airplanes of the 21st century. We have also started the construction of the largest E-commerce Hub Terminal in Africa.” said Ethiopian Airlines’ Group CEO Tewolde Gebremariam.

“The new 777-8 Freighters will be instrumental in this long journey of growth agenda. Today, our air cargo services cover more than 120 international destinations around the world with both belly hold capacity and dedicated Freighter services.”

https://www.facebook.com/EthiopianAirli ... 7842079552

Arkia will operate direct flights to Rwanda in Africa


In the coming months, Arkia is preparing to operate one direct weekly flight to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, on Airbus Neo 321. At the same time, the Israeli ambassador to Rwanda told PassportNews: "Efforts are being made to renew Air Rwanda flights to Israel

[....]

This is one weekly flight with two segments: for buyers of flight tickets only and for buyers of organized safari trips at two price levels: luxury trips and more popular trips in terms of hotels and a variety of attractions.

Oz Berlovitch, CEO of Arkia International , confirmed the unveiling of PassportNews and said in response that "Arkia sees Rwanda as one of the strategic destinations for 2022. Opening a new destination for Israelis, since the familiar destinations are already too familiar." Local providers - hotels, attractions and other tourism service providers - for the purpose of operating flights and organized trips to the destination. "

Recall that before the Corona plague, Rwandan airline, Rwanda Air , operated direct flights on the Kigali-Tel Aviv-Kigali route with a frequency of 3 weekly flights. With the outbreak of the corona plague, the company stopped its flights to Israel and it is still unclear whether it will renew them at all. Israel's ambassador to Rwanda, Ron Adam , said in a conversation with PassportNews that attempts had been and are being made to resume Air Rwanda's flights to Israel, "but so far without success."

[...]

Currently, Israelis seeking to reach Rwanda usually do so on connecting flights via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines or alternatively via Addis Ababa in Ethiopia with Ethiopian Airlines . Either way, these are long and tedious flights with long waiting times at said airports**

**: there are also KLM via Amsterdam and Brussels Airlines via Brussels. Egyptair via Cairo and FlyDubai via Dubai RwandAir which has an interline agreements (https://www.flydubai.com/en/flying-with ... gage-rules). With surely longer stopovers too.

https://passportnews-co-il.translate.go ... r_pto=wapp

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Austria to Sign Air Transport Agreement With Rwanda

The Austrian Federal Chancellery March 2 approved Bill No. 8/11, authorizing the Minister for Innovation and Technology to sign the air transport agreement with Rwanda. [Austria, Federal Chancellery, 03/02/22] https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/dam/ ... bko_en.pdf

Soon Austrian Triple 7 to Kigali with Austrian tourists on board who want to visit Gorillas or Lions in Akagera Park

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Qatar Aeronautical Academy and Travel and Rwanda Aviation Logistics Holding in partnership with Akagera Aviation Ltd sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Doha, 2nd March 2022 -

Qatar Aeronautical Academy (QAA) and Aviation Travel and Logistics Holding Limited (ATL) in partnership with Akagera Aviation Limited (AA) agreed to build cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on “Aviation Capacity Building”; thus, in the spirit of cooperation for exchange of knowledge and experience in training for various expertise in the aviation industry, including training for pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers.

https://www.mininfra.gov.rw/updates/new ... anding-mou

Kenya Airways suspends its flights to Yaoundé (Cameroon) from May 31, 2022. It is also postponing the launch of its line to Milan (and its return to Rome). Lack of demand due to covid.

Kenya Airways reviews route network amid recovery efforts

Nairobi - Kenya Airways said on Monday it plans a route network review programme that will affect a few of the routes in its network.

https://www.iol.co.za/travel/africa/ken ... 2b243f313a

Interview with the president of RwandAir.

The 1st phase of Bugesera airport should be completed in 2024/2025 (7 million pax for the maximum capacity). I don't know if it's the year of the openeing, which is scheduled for the end of 2022 at the earliest. In 2019, Kigali airport had handled 1,200,000 passengers (https://www.mininfra.gov.rw/updates/new ... -in-rwanda) The Bugesera airport is a PPP that will mostly be owned by Qatar Airways

Focus on the African network for the moment. Addis Ababa (postponed since 2018), Luanda (Angola) and Zanzibar (Tanzania) were cited in various articles. For ADD and LAD they appear on the RwandAir network.

There have been layoffs. Cuts in the inflight srvices. Routes to Dakar, Juba (South Sudan) and Tel Aviv should not resume. These were the less profitable routes for RwandAir. No news about Abidjan which remains now the only destination served before the covid that not resumed.

We learn that they made repatriation flights from North America (I haven't seen any photos or videos of RwandAir's A330 in North America). They made repatriation flights from China (mainly for Zambians) and from London and Brussels too. There were also repatriation flights between Rwanda and India.

Cargo is doing well with demand in Europe and the Middle East in particular.

The partnership with Qatar Airways is going well for the moment. Qatar Airways has started training Hostesses / Stewards and Pilots from RwandAir.

Finally, she added that the liberalization of the African market (African Continental Free Trade Area) will allow RwandAir to carry more passengers.


https://issuu.com/icpublications4/docs/ ... mbjC1m_sd4


----------------------------------

Ministry of Infrastructure | Rwanda
@RwandaInfra
·
March 7
Today, Min of State @RwandaInfra
Hon @Eng_Patricie
conducted a site visit in @BugeseraDistr
to assess the status of infrastructure projects including the New #Bugesera International Ai

Does anyone have more insight about other airlines in Addis Ababa?

We obviously know Ethiopian is the king at ADD. Its huge for connecting pax throughout Africa. What about the other folks though? KLM ran the AMS-KRT-ADD leg years ago, and ended without resumption, leaving ADD without a connection to AMS. Also, we can not forget Lufthansa’s nonstop flight from FRA-ADD 5x weekly on a 343. Does anyone think that route will return? I don’t think Lufthansa officially terminated ADD. The main point is, because of Ethiopian, many airlines do not fly to ADD, and I think it would be interesting to see a BA LHR-ADD and a resumption of KLM and Lufthansa services. In the Middle East we see Flydubai, Emirates, and Qatar pushing nice numbers, and Saudia when they do not cancel flights. Air China even flew to ADD for a time, but I guess figured it could codeshare with Ethiopian. I’d like to think Addis Ababa itself is a growing African metropolis, with a growing economy to support other airlines with terminating service in ADD.

Thoughts on all of this?

yoshoward12 wrote:

Does anyone have more insight about other airlines in Addis Ababa?

We obviously know Ethiopian is the king at ADD. Its huge for connecting pax throughout Africa. What about the other folks though? KLM ran the AMS-KRT-ADD leg years ago, and ended without resumption, leaving ADD without a connection to AMS. Also, we can not forget Lufthansa’s nonstop flight from FRA-ADD 5x weekly on a 343. Does anyone think that route will return? I don’t think Lufthansa officially terminated ADD. The main point is, because of Ethiopian, many airlines do not fly to ADD, and I think it would be interesting to see a BA LHR-ADD and a resumption of KLM and Lufthansa services. In the Middle East we see Flydubai, Emirates, and Qatar pushing nice numbers, and Saudia when they do not cancel flights. Air China even flew to ADD for a time, but I guess figured it could codeshare with Ethiopian. I’d like to think Addis Ababa itself is a growing African metropolis, with a growing economy to support other airlines with terminating service in ADD.

Thoughts on all of this?

I think that Ethiopian is too strong. They have big network not ontly about the hub, but also for Ethiopian Diaspora living in Europe, North America and Middle East.. Etihad and Gulf Air served ADD few times ago and they ended services. Emirates operates 1 daily flight and sometimes Qatar Airways uses A320s.

Health issues


Ethiopia: Legendary Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde GebreMariam quits after 37 years

The longserving CEO of Africa's largest airline Ethiopia Airlines has stepped down, citing ill health. Starting at the firm in 1985, he become CEO in 2011. He leaves behind a strong legacy, the envy of other African airlines who struggle to match Ethiopian's operational efficiency. https://www.theafricareport.com/186585/ ... s-at-firm/

rukundo wrote:

Otherwise Sam Chui is in Rwanda. We will surely have a Trip Report on RwandAir. Another famous aviation vloggers who have traveled on RwandAir:

Many thanks for this great news, Kigali is a "table top airport" .
His professional written report (video on YT) is available here:

https://samchui.com/2022/03/13/trip-rep ... ju4COrMI2w

yoshoward12 wrote:

Thoughts on all of this?

How is the domestic ops in Ethiopia? Dominated by ET also?
I'm really curious as it would be interesting to learn too. Most of A.netters don't have a clue about it!

eastafspot wrote:

yoshoward12 wrote:

Thoughts on all of this?

How is the domestic ops in Ethiopia? Dominated by ET also?
I'm really curious as it would be interesting to learn too. Most of A.netters don't have a clue about it!

Domestic Ops in Ethiopia are pretty neat. The Dash 8 actually has the most scheduled flights out of ADD because of the amount of domestic flights. Occasionally, Ethiopian will pull a 737 or 738 for denser flights, but will normally be exclusively Dash 8s (Q400 of course). Ethiopian loves them because of their performance at high altitude, and I’d assume reliability and nimble performance in general. As we know technically ASM isn’t domestic, but from time to time, Ethiopian will fly the 788 there (normally its a 2x daily flight on a 738, but when its 1x, the flight will be on the 788).

The CEO of Aksy (subsidiary of Ethiopian Airlines) becomes the new boss of Ethiopian.

Note that before the covid Asky was profitable, so no worry for Ethiopian

Ethiopian Appoints Mesfin Tassew as Group CEO

Mesfin Tassew has been chosen to succeed Tewolde Gebremariam as chief executive officer (CEO) of the Ethiopian Airlines Group.

Mesfin has served the national carrier for nearly four decades, including as chief operating officer since 2010. He will take the helm from his position as managing director of Asky Airlines, based in Togo. Ethiopian holds a stake in the Togolese carrier.

Busera Awel, vice president of strategic planning, will serve as acting CEO until Mesfin completes his transfer from Asky.

The Group has also made significant changes to its board of directors. Girma Wake has been appointed chairperson, while new members include Teklewold Atnafu, Temesgen Tiruneh, Yilma Merdasa (Lt. Gen.), and Tadesse Tilahun.

https://addisfortune.news/news-alert/et ... group-ceo/

Are ET’s 737max back in service? What routes are they doing?

dkny wrote:

Are ET’s 737max back in service? What routes are they doing?

Still parked https://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Eth ... b737ng.htm


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


KLM will add a 6th weekly flight, from the end of June 2022. The company operated daily service before the covid. The only route in Africa still operated only by A330 (Lagos has a mix of A330 / B777 / B787 depending on the period). Routes operated only in A330 on Luanda (Angola) and Windhoek (Namibia) closed during the Covid pandemic. KLM's A330s will leave the fleet by 2025, so i think switching to B787-9



Turkish Airlines will return to daily in early June 2022. The company operated daily service before the covid. Small change, the Sunday evening flight IST-KGL-EBB-IST will be operated by A330 instead of the B737 Max


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@GGGI_Rwanda in collaboration with Aviation Travel & Logistics (ATL) convened a virtual meeting to validate the final report on the greening and certification of the new international airport in Bugesera, Rwanda.

https://twitter.com/GGGI_Rwanda/status/ ... 8265585666


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In Rwanda, it's easy to understand

The South Koreans, the Israelis, and the Japanese ICT and agriculture
The Indians ithe energy sector. They have diversified a little because they are the ones who generally own the distilleries, breweries, tea plantations and appliance stores for a very very long time. Indians have been in Rwanda since the beginning of the 20th century. Like The Lebanese in West Africa.
Qataris tourism and air transport
The Emirates logistics
The Turks building sector

Turks are still very active in Rwanda. They have built conference center in Kigali (there were a lot of delays with Chinese) and the Kigali Arena, which allowed Rwanda to host continental basketball and volleyball competitions. They were planned to build a new stadium in Kigali, but the current Stade Amohoro which will be upgraded (one of the 2 stadiums receiving international football matches in Kigali)

Qatar Airways’ $2 billion investment in the Kigali airport attracts both Turkish and Qatari investors.

The airline's huge investment in the construction of the future Kigali airport, the largest ever made by #Qatar in Africa, is turning heads in Istanbul. Qatar Airways has launched a call for tenders for which it should announce the winner within a few weeks.

Qatar Airways spinoff Hamad International Airport (HIA) is currently prepared to spend no less than $2 billion on Kigali’s future airport complex, which will include hotels and logistical spaces.

The contract submission period ended in late 2021, and HIA plans to reveal its chosen bidder in the next weeks.

At least five consortia are still in the race, according to our sources. Four of them have formed alliances with well-connected Qatari businesses. UCC, a construction corporation led by the prominent Syrian-born Qatari business couple Ramez Al Khayyat and Moutaz Al Khayyat, is one of them.

This couple also owns Baladna, a publicly listed business that has been providing milk to Qatar since the 2017 ban, as well as Elegancia, a services, catering, and security firm. UCC is competing with Al Jaber Group, which is led by tycoon Mohammed Sultan Al Jaber, and CDC, which is led by Lebanese-born Qatari KhalilBoutros Al Sholy. For the project, CDC has partnered with Alfardan Group, for which it has erected towers and a number of St. Regis and Kempinski hotels in Qatar.

Midmac, the son of the Qatari emir’s uncle and former prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Thani, is the head of the fourth Qatari-connected group vying for the development of the Kigali airport.

Though the Turkish economy has been suffering for some years, Istanbul’s massive construction companies have attempted to capitalize on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s strong personal relationships and perfect geopolitical alignment with Qatari emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Three of the five remaining consortia have partnered with Turkish construction businesses. If Al Jaber is chosen as the successful bidder, he will collaborate with Ictas, a subsidiary of the Turkish conglomerate IC Holding, which is involved in building, energy, port and air infrastructure, tourism, and industrial projects.

Consolidated Contractors Co, a Greek firm that is presently working on various projects in Qatar, has partnered with Turkish firm Dogus. This organization employs over 19,000 people in construction, energy, the hotel industry, and media. Meanwhile, Midmac has partnered with the Turkish firm Tekfen.

After establishing a presence in Morocco and Lebanon, this company wants to expand into East Africa (AI, 18/06/20). It established a Qatari division in 2005, which just completed the Al Thumama Stadium for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in December.

The Portuguese business Mota-Engil, which had won the first phase of the Kigali airport until it was taken over by Qataris in 2019, has chosen UCC over a Turkish partner for the bidding. Similarly, Vinci’s Qatari subsidiary, QDVC, is not relying on Turkish construction and has made an offer to CDC.


The winning consortium for Rwanda will be decided by two senior Qatari officials. Qatar Airways chairman and founder Akbar Al Baker has the last word, but his deputy, HIA chief of operations Badr Al Meer, will also be important.

https://ncmorningpost.com/qatar-airways ... HWsMF6OJjM

A La Compagnie A321Neo will be in Kigali in November 2022 (https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-i ... world-trip) as part of a world tour for tourists very wealthy. You have often seen in my comments that Rwanda wants to be a green and "high end" destination. So no mass tourism. For about ten years, we have had various airlines of this type coming to Rwanda.

Last year the Crystal Cruises B777-200LR was in Kigali

We come back (again) from far with France. Almost 20 years ago, Rwanda denied Air Méditerranée to serve Rwanda (Paris-Marseille-Kigali flight) on behalf of Point Afrique

For the love of nature https://www-jeuneafrique-com.translate. ... r_pto=wapp

https://www-mdrwi-org.translate.goog/ra ... r_pto=wapp

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For the moment Arkia will offer 2 flights for this month between Tel Aviv and Kigali. They will be operated via Kilimanjaro. 1st airline to serve Rwanda with a Neo version of the Airbus (A321Neo).

The demand for Tanzania is impressive . Note that British Airways closed its London-Dar Es Salaam line in 2013. Currently, there are noflights to the United Kingdom which is the former colonial power. We could think that is the biggest market for Tanzania (about ten countries in Africa are in this case, no connection to their former colonial power). Tanzania is clearly one of the best served countries in Africa.

3 big entry points: Dar Es Salaam, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro. There are also Kigoma (flights to Burundi) and Mwanza (flights to Rwanda)

With a much better run airline, Air Tanzania could be one of the biggest airlines in Africa. This is what South African Airways wanted to do with the Golden Triangle (https://books.google.fr/books?id=s_RTDg ... ia&f=false) in Dar Es Salaam to counter the hegemony of Kenya Airways and Ethiopian.

Kenya Airways is looking for a partner in West Africa to join the JV with South African Airways (and to be a competitor of the Ethiopian's presence in West Africa with Asky, Ethiopian and Tchadia Airlines).

Kenya Airways had a code share agreement with Air Burkina, when KQ served Ouagadougou. Since KQ has suspended its service from OUA, I don't know if the code share is still working.

There is Air Cote d'Ivoire. The Abidjan hub is one of the largest in the region. Cote d'Ivoire had talks South African Airways to launch flights to the USA. SAA has said that it would not be profitable, they preferred to go to Accra.

South African Airways snubs Abidjan airport https://www-jeuneafrique-com.translate. ... r_pto=wapp

Ethiopian has started flights from ABJ to New York, but the route close during the covid pandemic. Kenya Airways could operate its flight to New York via Abidjan using the ACI hub to feed its flights. SAA could resume its flights to Abidjan to feed the ABJ hub.

This would make a competitor to Asky Ethiopian which offers flights to South Africa, the United States and Ethiopia at Lome. It could be attract passengers pax who used to travel from Dakar, Accra and Lagos to the USA on Delta, United and Air Senegal.

Air Senegal. An important hub in the region. DKR is served by KQa nd same thing KQ also use DKR for a commercial stopover for its flights to New York, but Air Senegal already serves USA and that there is Delta Airlines. SAA could resume its flights to Abidjan to feed the Dakar hub with traffic from Southern Africa.

Make your bets, but it can become interesting what is happening in Africa. Everything is done "to stop" the growth of Ethiopian Airlines and also Middle Eastern and European airlines.

Ethiopian Airlines: Lome (Asky), Ndjamena (Tchadia Airlines), Lusaka (Zambian Airways), Lillongwe (Malawian Airlines) and maybe Kinshasa (Air Congo?)

Kenya Airways / South African Airways: Johannesburg (South African Airways), Nairobi (Kenya Airways), Abidjan? Dakar?

Qatar Airways: Casablanca (Royal Air Maroc), Kigali (RwandAir)


KQ eyes West Africa partner for new hub strategy

National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) is seeking a West African partner airline to join its two-member pact with South African Airways (SAA).

The two loss-making carriers in November last year signed a strategic partnership framework in South Africa in a move that will see them eventually form a Pan-African carrier next year.

“The intention is to invite a West African airline at some point in the future to also join. We will have a three-hub strategy of Nairobi, Johannesburg, and the West African hub to create better opportunities and services for our customers,” said KQ Board chairman Michael Joseph in an investor briefing on Tuesday.

https://nation.africa/kenya/business/kq ... y--3769652

eastafspot wrote:

rukundo wrote:

Otherwise Sam Chui is in Rwanda. We will surely have a Trip Report on RwandAir. Another famous aviation vloggers who have traveled on RwandAir:

Many thanks for this great news, Kigali is a "table top airport" .
His professional written report (video on YT) is available here:

https://samchui.com/2022/03/13/trip-rep ... ju4COrMI2w

Soon one million of views


There are currently 2 RwandAir aircraft at Doha. A B737-800 which makes the Kigali-Doha flight and the A330-200 which has been present for 4 days. WB98xx usually it's a maintenance flight. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/9xr-wn

Rwanda joins ASECNA (Agency for Air Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar) https://www-republicoftogo-com.translat ... r_pto=wapp


---------------------------------------------------------

eastafspot wrote:

HAMJAMBO MABIBI NA MABWANA,

At a large scale, East African residents fathom pretty quickly the Karibu tena meaning. For others maybe like you, it simply translates by welcome back! You may wonder why?

Air France had flown to Nairobi as early as 1940 to either Réunion Island (RUN) or Antananarive (TNR) both in Indian Ocean using exclusively American equipments such as DC3, B707, B747 and from 1982 on the Paris – Nairobi – Kigali – Bujumbura route, suspended in March 2000.
Excellent news to see AF sending, 18 years later, its latest toy the B789 - part of the fleet since December 2016. Traditions persist from generation to generation !

Some pics of Air France B747 at Kigali, in 1980s below.

It is difficult to have archives before the period of the Genocide against the Tutsis from April to July 1994. Difficult because you have to know if some people share cool stuff because they love Rwanda of you have people who still have a lot of sympathy for the pre-July 1994 regime. There, everything is ok The report is Rwanda Rwiza, you can find it on Youtube (in French)

We are in 1987. At that time, Kigali was served by Sabena, Air France, Aeroflot (I found the air agreement dating from 1973 between Rwanda and the USSR, see below), Ethiopian Airlines, Uganda Airlines, Air Rwanda, Kenya Airways, Air Tanzania, Air Burundi.

I think the video was shot after April 1, 1987 because we see a Sabena A310-200. Sabena A310s started to serve Kigali on April 1, 1987. About routing, but it seems it was Brussels-Jeddah-Kigali. Routing also used in the 60s: https://collection.sfomuseum.org/object ... 1527850715

We also see an Air France B747-200. The company mainly used its Combi versions. The 747s arrived in Kigali in 1982, replacing the B707s (the last one left the Air France fleet early 1980s) and the airport of Bujumbura (Burundi) could accommodate the 747s. Withour BJM upgrade, Kigali would surely served with Air France A300 and A310. Air France operated Paris-Nairobi-Kigali-Bujumbura, replacing Paris-Athens-Cairo-Addis Ababa-Kigali.


Air France 75 years of service to Africa: In 1982, Air France operated the Paris-Nairobi-Kigali-Bujumbura route every Monday by Boeing 747, as Bujumbura airport was now accessible to wide-bodied aircraft: https://www.travelio.net/air-france-75- ... frica.html

My first flight was a Kigali-Paris CDG in an Air France B747 in 1988, followed by a Paris CDG-Montpellier (south of France) flight in an Air Inter A300.

We see an Air Rwanda B707 which still partially wears the Air France livery (blue line on the fuselage). This is 9XR-JA which was delivered to Air Rwanda. It was a cargo version which was used on Belgium and Mombasa. Here it is in 1981, at Air France Industrie in Paris Orly: https://www.dreamstime.com/air-rwanda-b ... e238907758

Sabena A310




1 April 1987, le A310-200 de la Sabena arrives in Rwanda



Air France B747




Air Rwanda B707



Kigali Terminal




Air Agreement between Rwanda and USSR, https://books.google.fr/books?id=3X4nnE ... 74&f=false

rukundo wrote:

eastafspot wrote:

rukundo wrote:

Otherwise Sam Chui is in Rwanda. We will surely have a Trip Report on RwandAir. Another famous aviation vloggers who have traveled on RwandAir:

Many thanks for this great news, Kigali is a "table top airport" .
His professional written report (video on YT) is available here:

https://samchui.com/2022/03/13/trip-rep ... ju4COrMI2w

Soon one million of views


There are currently 2 RwandAir aircraft at Doha. A B737-800 which makes the Kigali-Doha flight and the A330-200 which has been present for 4 days. WB98xx usually it's a maintenance flight. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/9xr-wn

Rwanda joins ASECNA (Agency for Air Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar) https://www-republicoftogo-com.translat ... r_pto=wapp


---------------------------------------------------------

eastafspot wrote:

HAMJAMBO MABIBI NA MABWANA,

At a large scale, East African residents fathom pretty quickly the Karibu tena meaning. For others maybe like you, it simply translates by welcome back! You may wonder why?

Air France had flown to Nairobi as early as 1940 to either Réunion Island (RUN) or Antananarive (TNR) both in Indian Ocean using exclusively American equipments such as DC3, B707, B747 and from 1982 on the Paris – Nairobi – Kigali – Bujumbura route, suspended in March 2000.
Excellent news to see AF sending, 18 years later, its latest toy the B789 - part of the fleet since December 2016. Traditions persist from generation to generation !

Some pics of Air France B747 at Kigali, in 1980s below.

It is difficult to have archives before the period of the Genocide against the Tutsis from April to July 1994. Difficult because you have to know if some people share cool stuff because they love Rwanda of you have people who still have a lot of sympathy for the pre-July 1994 regime. There, everything is ok The report is Rwanda Rwiza, you can find it on Youtube (in French)

We are in 1987. At that time, Kigali was served by Sabena, Air France, Aeroflot (I found the air agreement dating from 1973 between Rwanda and the USSR, see below), Ethiopian Airlines, Uganda Airlines, Air Rwanda, Kenya Airways, Air Tanzania, Air Burundi.

I think the video was shot after April 1, 1987 because we see a Sabena A310-200. Sabena A310s started to serve Kigali on April 1, 1987. About routing, but it seems it was Brussels-Jeddah-Kigali. Routing also used in the 60s: https://collection.sfomuseum.org/object ... 1527850715

We also see an Air France B747-200. The company mainly used its Combi versions. The 747s arrived in Kigali in 1982, replacing the B707s (the last one left the Air France fleet early 1980s) and the airport of Bujumbura (Burundi) could accommodate the 747s. Withour BJM upgrade, Kigali would surely served with Air France A300 and A310. Air France operated Paris-Nairobi-Kigali-Bujumbura, replacing Paris-Athens-Cairo-Addis Ababa-Kigali.


Air France 75 years of service to Africa: In 1982, Air France operated the Paris-Nairobi-Kigali-Bujumbura route every Monday by Boeing 747, as Bujumbura airport was now accessible to wide-bodied aircraft: https://www.travelio.net/air-france-75- ... frica.html

My first flight was a Kigali-Paris CDG in an Air France B747 in 1988, followed by a Paris CDG-Montpellier (south of France) flight in an Air Inter A300.

We see an Air Rwanda B707 which still partially wears the Air France livery (blue line on the fuselage). This is 9XR-JA which was delivered to Air Rwanda. It was a cargo version which was used on Belgium and Mombasa. Here it is in 1981, at Air France Industrie in Paris Orly: https://www.dreamstime.com/air-rwanda-b ... e238907758

Sabena A310




1 April 1987, le A310-200 de la Sabena arrives in Rwanda



Air France B747




Air Rwanda B707



Kigali Terminal




Air Agreement between Rwanda and USSR, https://books.google.fr/books?id=3X4nnE ... 74&f=false

Wow, super, thanks for sharing!

Kenya Airways will send the Dreamliner to MRU (Mauritius) on 15th, 17th and 18th of April 2022.
Usually E90 is operated on that route KQ270/271.

eastafspot wrote:

Kenya Airways will send the Dreamliner to MRU (Mauritius) on 15th, 17th and 18th of April 2022.
Usually E90 is operated on that route KQ270/271.

Interesting, KQ rarely uses its 787s on Africans routes. Only to Johannesburg and Lagos.

rukundo wrote:

eastafspot wrote:

Kenya Airways will send the Dreamliner to MRU (Mauritius) on 15th, 17th and 18th of April 2022.
Usually E90 is operated on that route KQ270/271.

Interesting, KQ rarely uses its 787s on Africans routes. Only to Johannesburg and Lagos.

During festive season and Easter, Mombasa has often welcomed the Dreamliner.

A long flight for this 321Neo, between Kigali and London Stansted. This is the British government's A321Neo, a highly criticized flight. Make a research Rwanda United Kingdom in google and you will understand why this flight is under the fire of criticism from the international press.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/g-gbni

It will be probably back for the Commonwealth summit in Kigali in June 2022. Or it will be the A330.

About Arkia's first flight to Kigali, It seems that RwandAir will operate the flight via Kilimanjaro...served by RwandAir from Kigali. The return flight from Arkia KGL-TLV still appears on the airport website.

Finally Arkia has also operated a flight to Kigali the same day that RwandAir operated by the B737-800 9XR-WR. There were 2 flights from TLV to KGL on 16 April 2022

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/iz623


A RwandAir CRJ-900NG (9XR-WI) operating a flight Kigali-Nairobi-Entebbe-Kigali was involved in a runway excursion as a result of bad weather at Entebbe.

All passengers and flight crew left the plane with no reported injuries, the airline confirmed in a statement.

Maybe soon a notification on Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Directorate General (The Rwandan NTSB) https://aaidportal.mininfra.gov.rw/aaid ... x.php?id=1

More infos

The plane was planned to fly to Cape Town via Harare (Kigali-HRE-CPT). It is the CRJ-900NG 9XR-WH which makes the flight.

There were 60 passengers on board. The plane wa operating its daily tag Kigali-Nairobi-Entebbe-Kigali (night flight). http://avherald.com/h?article=4f7ada98& ... gA4yX0iF90

Entebbe Airport has 2 runways. The second is smaller so only "regional" planes were able to use it. The main runway is now reopened. https://twitter.com/UCAA_Spokesman/stat ... Hx2owqAAAA.

RwandAir posted a new press release a few hours ago explaining that its crews are trained to fly in severe weather conditions. They say that they will work with Ugandan, Rwandan and I assume Canadian, Japanese (Canadian-made aircraft but now onwed by Japanese) and American authorities.

https://twitter.com/FlyRwandAir/status/ ... 5277221890

Some draw a parallel with an Ethiopian Airlines B737-800 which went off the runway at Entebbe in 2019. But without having a minimum of data, it's not impossible to know what happened, knowing that the causes may be different (human error or technical problem / weather conditions) https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/03/afri ... index.html

In 2013, a RwandAir 737-800 operating a Dubai Kigali flight experienced a similar story in Kigali. I unfortunately did not see a report and thus I do not know why the plane skid off from the runway: https://twitter.com/mwasa/status/401664 ... 36/photo/1 & https:// http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/91661

In none of these incidents official reports have been released ?
I wonder why overwing emergency doors have not been deployed ?

eastafspot wrote:

In none of these incidents official reports have been released ?
I wonder why overwing emergency doors have not been deployed ?

Nothing. I hope that Rwandans Authorities will publish a prelimanary report

More info about the deal between New Zealand and Rwanda

https://www.facebook.com/NZEmbassyEthio ... SzVfaU6Tml

Few chance to have flights between AKL and Kigali, but ANZ and RwandAir can work on commercial partnership: code share or interline https://theaviator.co.ug/rwanda-and-new ... agreement/

Another deal with Cuba. Few chance to have flights. Although I had talked about the fact that the Caribbean countries are strengthening their ties with African countries. TAAG Angola serves Cuba and Nigerian airlines have operated charter flights to Jamaica. Everything will depend on how the relations between these 2 regions of the world evolve. The Rwandan President made 2 visits to the region this month. One in Jamaica and another in Barbados.

https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/rwanda- ... -agreement

RwandAir celebrated this month its 5th anniversary of the launch of its flights to India, Zimbabwe and Abuja (Nigeria)

About Abuja, the RwandAir country manager says that RwandAir has transported more than 47,000 passengers since April 28, 2018. Hard to make an analysis. The number of flights have changed (especially during covid) sometimes the A330 was used and from March 2020 to September 2020, there were no flights. This flight is a tag service with Accra (Ghana). I didn't know if RwandAir had the 5th freedom between Accra and Abuja.

But the country manager seems to be happy.

In 2017, 1,600 passengers traveled between Kigali and Abuja. Note a surprise that the biggest majority of the 47,000 passengers are connecting pax https://www.anna.aero/2018/04/30/rwanda ... n-service/


Surely less popular than Sam Chui, but the Argentinian site Aviacionline made a London Heathrow-Johannesburg flight via Kigali this week. I don't know if they are going to make a long video, but we see videos where they walk around RwandAir planes.

They flew on the A330-200 returned from Doha this week. The A330-300 is at Doha since few days for maintenance.

https://twitter.com/aviacionline/status ... 1381508097 (under RwandAir A330 in Kigali)
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cc3f7AjD ... _copy_link (pre-flight visit at Lusaka in Zambia around the B737-800)
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc01mkkucIK ... _copy_link (business class not very crowded.)

During the RPF meeting that took place this week, people complained that due to lack of cargo service and refrigeration chambers.probably near the airport are main main obstacles to the export of agricultural products from Rwanda.

The President of Rwanda has said that RwandAir has found a cargo airplane through Qatar Airways, A RwandAir Cargo B777F ? B737-300 / 400 / 800 F ? A321F ? B767F ? B757F ?

About refrigeration chambers, the supposed site will be useda vaccine factory because it is very urgent

Translation from Kinyarwanda to English (only the part where they talk about cargo)

Rwanda on its way to getting cargo planes

One of the key decisions taken at the RPF Inkotanyi General Assembly on April 30, 2022, was to increase the size of exports, to find available aircrafts and to increase refrigeration chambers.

At the meeting, businesswoman Marie Ange Ingabire, was one of the main obstacles to the export of agricultural products.

He heads Tropi Wanda Ltd, a company that focuses on exports of agricultural products including seeds and lawyers.

He started shipping five tonnes a week for Lawyer, and now he has arrived at one ton sending 20 tonnes.

He just pointed out that there is still a problem with aircrafts and refrigeration chambers.

He said he once saw a tender to send ten tons of Advocate, but he reached out to RwandAir and was told that their capacity was only to carry five tons.

On the other hand, even if these seeds and vegetables are exported before they are exported, there is a high risk that they could be damaged because there are no refrigerators available to store them for years.

President Kagame said the issue had been discussed for a long time, but that it needed to be resolved urgently.

Clare Akamanzi, head of the Rwanda Development Board, RDB, said she was aware of the problem, with RwandAir initially having a problem with where to remove the cargo plane.

"The information I have now is that the plane was found through Qatar Airways," he said.

The agreement will improve Qatar Airways' 49% stake in RwandAir. These airlines have come a long way in integrating performance and service.

The government is also working on a solution to the problem of building refrigeration chambers, but the site of the project has been given to those who need to build a vaccine factory because it is very urgent. There is now a search for a place to build those rooms.

https://igihe.com/amakuru/u-rwanda/arti ... vrmyFrnlMA

https://www.logupdateafrica.com/aviatio ... ys-1345326

Kenya Airways has entered into a partnership with Africa World Airlines to connect passengers over AWA's hub in Accra.

B747-437B wrote:

https://www.logupdateafrica.com/aviation/africa-world-airlines-partners-with-kenya-airways-1345326

Kenya Airways has entered into a partnership with Africa World Airlines to connect passengers over AWA's hub in Accra.

That's pretty interesting, the airline has already good partnership with Brussels Airlines and Emirates

Kenya Airways returns to daily early June 2022, all flights will be operated by ERJ 190 or B737-800. JamboJet currently has no plans to return to Kigali and Entebbe. Before covid Kenya Airways and its low cost Jambojet operated 3-4 flights a day. With RwandAir (3 flights a day) it was 6-7 flights a day between Nairobi and Kigali.

There it will be 4 flights per day: 3 with RwandAir and 1 with Kenya Airways.


--------------------------------------------------------

About the fridges that traders requesred to store products before being exported:

Ministry of Agriculture & Animal Resources |Rwanda

@RwandaAgri

Earlier today, The Minister of State @Ngabitsinze visited Kigali International Airport in a bid to inspect cold rooms for fresh produce export to ensure improved and adequate services. He was received by the Chief Executive Officer of @FlyRwandAir @FlyRwandAir @YvonneMakolo. #AgriUpdatesRw

https://twitter.com/RwandaAgri/status/1 ... 5959141377


-----------------------------------------------------------


Not a RwandAir habit, but a lot of delays since few days at RwandAir. A few days ago the Kigali-Bru-London flight was 12 hours late!! The advantage is that the plane left quickly London, so no day stop in London. Some few pbs to India. classic" problems like any airlines combined with the fact that the CRJ which skidded of the runway in Uganda has still not returned to Kigali and the A330-300 is in Check C in Doha since more than a week.

The A330-200 flies between Kigali-Lagos-Kigali or Kigali-Kinshasa-Lagos-FIH-KGL and flights to Europe in addition to UN flights for the Rwandan army. In India and Dubai, cargo demand is high and the A330 cannot be deployed, so some baggage remain in Kigali, Dubai or Mumbai.

Small fleet + big delays = mess.

[quote="rukundo"]Kenya Airways returns to daily early June 2022, all flights will be operated by ERJ 190 or B737-800. JamboJet currently has no plans to return to Kigali and Entebbe. Before covid Kenya Airways and its low cost Jambojet operated 3-4 flights a day. With RwandAir (3 flights a day) it was 6-7 flights a day between Nairobi and Kigali.

There it will be 4 flights per day: 3 with RwandAir and 1 with Kenya Airways.


--------------------------------------------------------

About the fridges that traders requesred to store products before being exported:

Ministry of Agriculture & Animal Resources |Rwanda

@RwandaAgri

Earlier today, The Minister of State @Ngabitsinze visited Kigali International Airport in a bid to inspect cold rooms for fresh produce export to ensure improved and adequate services. He was received by the Chief Executive Officer of @FlyRwandAir @FlyRwandAir @YvonneMakolo. #AgriUpdatesRw

https://twitter.com/RwandaAgri/status/1 ... 5959141377


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Not a RwandAir habit, but a lot of delays since few days at RwandAir. A few days ago the Kigali-Bru-London flight was 12 hours late!! The advantage is that the plane left quickly London, so no day stop in London. Some few pbs to India. classic" problems like any airlines combined with the fact that the CRJ which skidded of the runway in Uganda has still not returned to Kigali and the A330-300 is in Check C in Doha since more than a week.

The A330-200 flies between Kigali-Lagos-Kigali or Kigali-Kinshasa-Lagos-FIH-KGL and flights to Europe in addition to UN flights for the Rwandan army. In India and Dubai, cargo demand is high and the A330 cannot be deployed, so some baggage remain in Kigali, Dubai or Mumbai.

Small fleet + big delays =
cant the use the 737 NGs on lagos or kinshassa route

I meant Rwandair has 737 which they can feel the gap when the 330 300 is undergoing c check

According to the Botswana press, RwandAir is considering to serve Gaborone. Botswana civil aviation is under discussion. If RwandAir serves GBE, there will necessarily tag service. In the region RwandAir would also target Maputo and Luanda, si probably a tag service via one of two cities or else via Lusaka. Johannesburg can be served non-stop (this is the case on the daily night flight).

To be continued.https://www.mmegi.bw/business/caab-in-t ... news-24986

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Saudia has extended its SV cide to Kigali from Nairobi. Maybe in the medium term, it could lead to new route from JED. To tap into the trafic from the United States, England and India to Rwanda. And aslo from Germany and the Netherlands. Relations between Saudi Arabia and Rwanda were strengthened this month with the respective visits of the two foreign affairs ministries: one to Rwanda and the other to Saudi Arabia. Nexus Aero, is in Rwanda since more 10 years, they have created the very first fixed-wing aviation school in Rwanda.

Egyptair, KLM and Turkish Airlines started by doing code share on Kigali before to open their own toutes... They still offer code share to Kigali

Kenya Airways has extended its codeshare agreement with Saudia. The agreement will allow the SkyTeam alliance partners to offer additional services from their hubs in Nairobi (NBO) and Jeddah (JED). From Nairobi, codeshares will be available to Mombasa, Entebbe, Dar es Salaam and Kigali. From Jeddah, the agreement covers routes to Riyadh, Bahrain, Karachi and Kuwait. “The extension of the codeshare with Saudia will provide our customers with more choice and flexibility for travel this summer, especially for those travelling for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage,” Kenya Airways chief commercial and customer officer Julius Thairu said. “The agreement is an opportunity for both airlines to work together to improve flight options and connectivity.”

https://www.ceoafrica.co.ke/kenya-airwa ... -airlines/

There is a duel between Algiers and Rabat on the Maghreb side and Riyadh, Doha and Abu Dhabi on the Middle East side to win the biggest contracts in Rwanda.


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16 May 2022

Rwanda In Nigeria
@RwandainNigeria On behalf of @RwandaCAA, today, Amb. @KamanziS signed, with Captain Musa Nuhu, Director General @NigerianCAA
, a new MoU on technical cooperation in the field of flight safety standards.
#RwandainNigeria https://twitter.com/RwandainNigeria/sta ... fdha4qAAAA


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Network Airline Services Appointed as Sole Cargo GSSA for RwandAir in Scandinavia: https://network-airline.com/network-air ... n=RwandAir

Rwandair has been banned effective immediately from DRC airspace due to the Rwandan government's continued support for the M23 terrorist group operating in the DRC.

Flights to Kinshasa, Goma and Lubumbashi are cancelled and other flights to West Africa may also be affected by new routings being required.

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/re ... ce-3830050