RwandAir expands operations with Abuja-Kigali flight

The national carrier of Rwanda, RwandAir, has expanded its operations in Nigeria, launching Abuja-Kigali flights in addition to Lagos-Kigali daily flights.

The Country Manager, Ibiyemi Odusi, said the four weekly services will now provide opportunity for government officials, members of the diplomatic corp. and other players in the public and private sector to connect flight from Abuja directly to other routes on the airline’s network.

Welcoming the inaugural flight in Abuja recently, Odusi said the new flight is positioned to allow Nigerians have more travel options from Abuja to all destinations flown by RwandAir.

She said with right product pricing, schedule planning and other unique selling points at the disposal of RwandAir, it intends to grow traffic on the route to about 80 per cent Load Factor in the next six months.

RwandAir started operations in Nigeria in 2012 and has since been opening new routes from its hub in Kigali to destinations like Dubai, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Entebbe, Dar es Salaam, Accra, London and Brussels.

Odusi said passengers will find attractive the airline’s ontime performance, IOSA safety record, international certification, excellent inflight entertainment, customer service, competitive fares and other comparative advantages.

She thanked the Minister of States for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other top government officials for making the day’s inaugural flight a success.

Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Stanislas Kamanzi, said the extension of flight service between Abuja and Kigali will boost trade relations between the two countries.

Kamanzi said the Abuja/Kigali service will now provide seamless travel window for diplomats and government officials, investors and private sector players who want to explore opportunities for trade, commerce and other bilateral activities.

He lauded aviation and diplomatic authorities for granting the right permits and approvals that has led to the consolidation of flights between the two countries.