Rwandair Express

Rwandair Express is an airline based in Kigali, Rwanda. It is the national carrier operating services to southern and East Africa. Its main base is Kigali International Airport.^[1]

History

Rwandair Express was established in 2003 as a joint venture between the Rwandan Government (77%) and Silverback Cargo Freighters (23%). It started operations on 27 April 2003.^[1] It initially leased a Boeing 737-500 from the Danish airline Maersk Air. The Boeing 737 was returned to Maersk Air in May 2004. This was replaced by a leased McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (3D-MDJ) from JetAfrica in June, 2004. However, while on a service to the Netherlands for Acvila Air (Romania), the aircraft was grounded. The grounding was due to old navigation maps and multiple technical proplems resulting in Acvila Air and JetAfrica being banned from Dutch airspace. Rwandair Express has replaced the aircraft with MD-82 (YR-MDL) leased from Acvila Air. In 2006, Rwandair leased Bombardier Dash 8-200Q from the Ethiopian Airline Trans Nation Airways (TNA). As of April 2007 Rwandair Express now operates a Boeing 737-500. This aircraft operates between Kigali and Nairobi and Kigali Johannesburg. Rwandair is compliant with international regulations unlike many African airlines. It is a registered IATA member, and has passed the IATA Operational Quality Standards (OQS) audit. It has interline agreements with various international carriers, who can issue Rwandair Express flights on their tickets. Rwandair Express is in a code share agreement with Kenya Airways on the Nairobi route and South African Airways on the Johannesburg route.

Destinations

A Boeing 737-500 operated by Rwandair Express in Kigali International Airport.

(As of 28 June 2006). The MD-82 flies to Nairobi daily, Johannesburg via Bujumbura twice a week, with a third frequency in the planning. The Dash 8 flies to Entebbe daily, Bujumbura and Kamembe/Cyangugu several times a week and has now resumed flights to Kilimanjaro twice weekly. Flights to Gisenyi are due to begin soon. (As of 1 June 2007). The B737-500 flies to Nairobi daily, Johannesburg via Bujumbura three times a week. The Dash 8-200Q flies to Entebbe daily, Bujumbura Daily except Mondays, Kilimanjaro three times weekly and Kamembe/Cyangugu on the border with the DRC three times a week. Flights to Gisenyi are due to begin soon.

External links

• Rwandair Express
• Rwandair Express Fleet

References