RwandaiR Winging to AfricA’s heArt www.rwandair.com RwandaiR Winging to AfricA’s heArt RwandAir is a young airline with a young fleet: it is making full use of Rwanda’s position to link with Africa’s capitals and beyond written by: John o’hanlon research by: RobeRt hodgson RwandaiR wanda may be one of Africa’s The country’s new national carrier began Since 2009, RwandAir has built a NextGen and a Bombardier Dash 8-200. smallest nations, and one with operations on 1st December 2002 under the reputation as a reliable timekeeper that RwandAir was the first African carrier to an unenviable recent history name RwandAir Express, with passenger offers affordable fares to most capital cities fly the 737-800 NG with its interior mood to say the least, but since its transportation as its primary activity though it in eastern Africa while operating a young, lighting and enhanced ‘Sky’ interior design. Rnow President Paul Kagame held a concession to carry out airport ground state-of-the-art fleet. Passenger numbers This aircraft offers a much higher operating was elected in 2003 it has experienced a handling of freight at Kigali International have just about doubled each year as the range capability than was previously decade of relative peace and security. This airport, Kanombe, as an ancillary activity. airline acquired new aircraft and opened available, in the region of 6,000 kilometres. has enabled Rwanda to take advantage of In March 2009, following a tragic accident new destinations. Today the airline operates RwandAir is now able to offer direct flights to its strategic location within the African at Kanombe, it was decided that the airline a fleet of seven aeroplanes made up of two south-western Europe, Asia Minor and South- continent. ‘Landlocked’ can also mean would stop being a fleet borrower and Boeing 737-800 NG series planes with a east Asia as well as the Middle East and any ‘central’: Rwanda is situated at the heart of become a fleet owner and operator. To mark capacity for 154 business and economy class number of West African destinations. Africa, and therefore well placed to act as a the change of direction the company changed passengers, two Boeing 737-700s seating In April this year Bombardier Aerospace hub for regional air traffic its name to RwandAir. 120, two Bombardier 75-seater CRJ900 and RwandAir announced that a purchase RwandaiR agreement for one Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner oando MaRketing at a cost of approximately oando Marketing is nigeria’s leading petroleum retailer, distributing 1-in-5 litres of petroleum products sold in $33 million. “As demand nigeria. it also supplies jet fuel to local and international for domestic and regional airlines in search of efficient aircraft refueling services. travel in Africa accelerates, A subsidiary of oando PLc, oando Marketing delivers our 67-seat, dual-class Q400 excellent service by leveraging a variety of operational NextGen aircraft will ensure strengths. these include skilled staff, presence at nigeria’s RwandAir is well positioned key international airports, fleet of ultra-modern aircraft to offer increased capacity refuellers and strategic partnerships to provide services across West Africa, most recently with goiL in ghana. on popular routes that are oando is iso 9001: 2008 certified, a member of Joint being opened and serviced inspection group (Jig) and a strategic Partner of iAtA. with our 37-seat Bombardier www.oandopic.com Dash 8-200 aircraft,” said John Mirenge, RwandAir’s Chief Executive Officer. “The Q400 NextGen turboprop is the right aircraft to develop our domestic and regional market and to firmly support RwandAir on our path towards growth and increased profitability.” Stressing the importance of getting fleet selection right for the passenger profile that RwandAir is targeting, he added: “We are also complementing our new dual-class Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen regional jets by offering similar cabin amenities on the Q400 NextGen aircraft, providing for a seamless passenger service between the two aircraft models and aligning our total fleet strategy towards a unified passenger experience. We “afRica is not shoRt of people who want to fly” RwandaiR are developing the RwandAir Royal PetRol brand and we are gaining royal Petrol is a worldwide fuel service company, which momentum in the region has proven itself as the leader in the industry for trading of through selection of the right lubricants and various petroleum products,bunkering and aircraft refueling. After being the preferred fuel provider aircraft and right services for in the Middle east, Africa and Asia for years, royal Petrol our growing market.” is today globally recognized for its distinguished service This is a well-tried plane. standards and worldwide reach. As pioneers in oil trading, RwandAir will become the we are constantly expanding our scope of operations to 12th operator of Q400 and provide fuel, consultation and related support services to Q400 NextGen aircraft in our global client base. As pioneers in oil trading, we are constantly expanding our scope Africa, and its Q400 NextGen www.royalpetrolco.com of operations to provide fuel, consultation and related support aircraft will join more than services to our global client base. Major services provided by Royal Petrol are listed below: 40 Q400 and Q400 NextGen • Royal Aviation • Royal Lubricants • Oil and Petroleum Trading aircraft that are already in service with, or • Consultation Service • Financial Solutions have been ordered by, eleven operators in • Into Plane Negotiation and Inventory Fuel Programs nine countries in Africa. Now RwandAir www.royalpetrolco.com serves most East African Community (EAC) capital cities with daily flights and flies to Johannesburg and Dubai three times a week. Recently it introduced flights to Lagos in Nigeria, Libreville in Gabon and to Brazzaville DO THE RIGHT THING RIGHT Seen in the Republic of Congo. Current destinations THE FIRST TIME AND ON TIME! include Nairobi, Entebbe, Mombasa, Bujumbura, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Johannesburg, Brazzaville and Dubai. In 2012 RwandAir launched direct flights to Mwanza, Tanzania’s second largest city and a key centre for the mining and minerals industry. Until then there were no direct flights Kenya Airways Technical Transit, Daily, 48Hour between Kigali and Mwanza and passengers offers maintenance services to and weekly checks Kenya Airways and third party • Components maintenance airline aircrafts and aircraft in Technical Workshops components guaranteeing • Technical Services including world class service, quality Engineering, Planning, and on time performance. Training and Quality We provide the Assurance. following services: Kenya Airways Technical is • Base Maintenance for currently responsible for the Contact us today and put your A and C-checks and maintenance of RwandAir Million aircraft modifications aircrafts in Nairobi, Mombasa, company in the spotlight! $33 • Line Maintenance for Lagos and Accra stations. Email: [email protected] [email protected] Cost of new Bombardier Q400 Telephone: +254-20-6422097 | www.kqmro.com RwandaiR utility Eskom. Under his leadership the between three and four hours’ flight time “we aRe in the heaRt of afRica and company has broadened its horizons. from Kigali,” he points out. Apart from the Keeping up passenger numbers is not the codeshares it already has in place, RwandAir almost eveRy otheR afRican countRy primary problem for a growing carrier like signed an agreement with Turkish Airlines is between thRee and fouR houRs’ RwandAir, he says. “Africa is not short of two years ago that extends the African people who want to fly. But over the last carrier’s reach into Asia, particularly South flight time fRom Kigali” 18 months we have developed our strategy East Asia, as well as other international and stopped thinking like a small airline. destinations including North America. With had to travel via Dar es Salaam. Additionally John Mirenge, himself a Rwandan We have decided that rather than just a young and competitive fleet, RwandAir the company has codeshare agreements (a citizen, was appointed CEO of RwandAir meeting existing demand we need to go is now in a much better position to realise form of aviation industry arrangement where in October 2010. A graduate of Uganda’s out and create it. We want to be a catalyst Kigali’s potential and its aspiration to become two or more airlines share the same flight) Makerere University he is also Chairman for air transport in the region, stimulating what has been describes as the economic with SN Brussels on the Kigali-Brussels sector of Tristar Investments and Prime Holdings, the market and demonstrating that flying turntable where east meets west. and Ethiopian Airlines on the Kigali-Addis a government-owned investment company, is not something reserved for the well-off.” Ababa sector. In February 2013, Mirenge and a director of The Rwanda Investment He would like to see Kigali become a for more information about announced that the airline would soon add Promotion Agency. From 2008 until mini-hub within Africa; and this is no rwandAir visit: Accra, Cape Town, Harare, Juba and Zanzibar 2011 he also served as a non-executive fanciful vision. “We are in the heart of Africa www.rwandair.com to its list of destinations. director of the South African power and almost every other African country is RwandaiR www.rwandair.com Produced by: www.bus-ex.com.