rwandan-flyer.blog4ever.com

20/09/2018

During an interview, Air Transport World, Yvonne Mokolo said that, RwandAir is evaluating, the A321 Long Range or the B737-700, to operate Europeans flights, from Kigali, during the low season. According to RwandAir CEO, RwandAir records high load factor during the high season, but during the low season, the A330 can become too big.

Competition is stiff, from Europe to East and Southern Africa. From London, RwandAir is in competition, with several airlines, such Ethiopian, British Airways, South Africa, KLM, Kenya Airways, Qatar Airways, Swiss, Emirates, Air Mauritius, to name a few. Altough, RwandAir is a networking airline (Kigali is the hub of RwandAir, compared to South Africa, Kenya or Ethiopia, point to point market, between Rwanda and UK, is still too small, despite an increase of visitors, from UK. RwandAir doesn't have a big partnership (only a small code share service with Brussels Airlines), with an European or North American airlines, to feed its London / Brussels-Kigali route

Based on the A321 Neo variant (New Engine Option), the A321 Long Range, is one the last version, of the A321, which made its first flight, in 1993. The Long Range,  has a capacity of 206 seats, in 2 classes (244 in a single class), with a range 7 400km. The A321 Long Range, is a suitable aircraft for airlines, that want to use the aircraft on some routes, without to use a widebody aircraft, manly on transatlantic routes. The B757 is too old (first aircraft delivered in 1980s, last aircraft built, in 2005).

About, the B737-700, RwandAir has currently, two B737-700s, delivered new to TUI, in 2007 and leased to RwandAir, since 2013. They are mainly deployed, from RwandAir Cotonou Base, or to Harare-Cape Town service. The B737-700 has a capacity of 120-140 seats, a range of 5 500km, which is too short to fly non stop, from Kigali Brussels / London Gatwick. The aircraft will need to make a stop, or RwandAir could add, the lastest version of the B737-700, the MAX 7. The MAX 7, has a range of 7 100km with a capcity of 138-172 seats

In the same interview, Yvonne Makolo, reveals, that A330neo, will be delivered in January and Febraury 2019. New York and Guangzhou are still in paper. Guangzhou service, should start around Febraury / March 2019. Flights will be operated via Mumbai. The B737-MAX 8 (the lastest version of the B737), will join the fleet,  in 2019 and an Air School, will open, in March 2019, in Rwanda.

You can read full article: HERE