RWANDA – Flag carrier of Rwanda, RwandAir is set to launch a new route into Central Africa with flights to Bangui.
The launch of the new intra-African service to the Central African Republic is part of RwandAir’s recovery from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic as it opens up new markets and destinations.
The Kigali-based airline will fly to Bangui the capital of Central African Republic, twice a week from February 3, 2021, with flights operating on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Tagged to the existing route to Douala in Cameroon, the flight will be operated by one of the airline’s existing Boeing 737 aircraft, offering customers a choice of seats in two cabins, Business Class and Economy Class.
“The launch of our new twice-weekly service to Bangui will open up a new lucrative market for RwandAir and help stimulate trade in the region and beyond Africa,” Yvonne Manzi Makolo, RwandAir CEO said.
“Thanks to RwandAir’s quick and easy connections via our Kigali hub, we believe this new route will strengthen the growing trade ties in Africa and bolster Rwanda’s growing economy. Customers will benefit from more choice, through our premium onboard service, and will fly in a safe and hygienic environment thanks to our world-class cleaning measures,” she added.
“The launch of our new twice-weekly service to Bangui will open up a new lucrative market for RwandAir and help stimulate trade in the region and beyond Africa”
Yvonne Manzi Makolo – RwandaAir CEO
Since Aug. 1, 2020, RwandAir has gradually resumed commercial flights to most of its African destinations and some long-haul destinations such as Belgium, Britain, and China.
The latest announcement came two weeks after the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) predicted prolonged depressed demand for air travel in the near term, with downside risks to global air travel recovery predominating in the first quarter of 2021, and any improvement in the global picture only by the second quarter of 2021.
RwandAir flew to 29 destinations across 24 countries throughout Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia before it suspended passenger flights in March last year.
Last April, the airline acknowledged that it has been “greatly impacted” by the COVID-19 pandemic and has to implement several temporary measures to cut expenditure, including the reduction of employees’ salaries, to “protect the company’s future well-being and to avoid laying off staff.”
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