► GHANA: RwandAir announces Douala, Accra, Juba as next destinations to come in June/July.

With the imminent arrival of the first of two Boeing 737-700NGs, replacing the airline's Boeing 737-500s whose leases expire mid year, Rwandair (WB) has announced that Douala and Accra will be the airline's next new destinations from 1 June 2013.

■ RWANDA: Government finalizing plans for $350mln bond issuance of which RwandAir will be major benefactor.

The Rwandan Government is finalizing plans for the issuance of a sovereign bond aimed at raising "about USD350million (RWF222billion)", part of which will be used to prop up national carrier Rwandair (WB) in whom government has a 99% shareholding.

► RWANDA: Rwandair's first B737-700NG due in two weeks time.

Rwanda's national carrier Rwandair (WB) is set to receive its first Boeing 737-700 leased from the International Leasing Finance Corporation, in the coming weeks.

■ RWANDA: Sudan, Rwanda sign Air Services Agreement.

At a ceremony held in Kigali this week, Rwanda and Sudan signed a five year bilateral cooperation agreement which included a Bilateral Air Service Agreement aimed at expanding air services between Kigali and Khartoum. Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Louise Mushikiwabo signed on behalf of Rwanda with Sudan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Almed Karti signing on behalf of the Republic of Sudan.

► RWANDA: RwandAir to adjust Johannesburg, Mombasa, Dubai ops for N. Summer 2013.

According to AirlineRoute, as per the 14MAR13 GDS timetable and inventory display, Rwandair (WB)’s planned Summer 2013 operation will change as follows, with additional changes possible.

► RWANDA: KLM to boost Kigali, Entebbe frequencies to daily from April.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines(KL) will, from 5 April, boost its frequency on its Amsterdam to Entebbe, Uganda via Kigali, Rwanda route from 6x weekly, to a daily service with the introduction of a Tuesday (Day 2) service.

■ RWANDA: Netherlands, Rwanda sign Air Services Agreement.

Rwanda and The Netherlands, on Wednesday 6 February, signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement following a visit to Kigali by Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade & Development Cooperation, Lilianne Ploumen. In typically wooden diplomatic language, no explicit details about the contents of the BASA were revealed. The agreement, signed on behalf of Rwanda by Minister of Infrastructure, Albert Nsengiyumva, now accommodates "both countries’ current requirements and wishes" and formalizes the air connection between the two countries.

► ETHIOPIA: Military claims to have pioneered country's first home-grown UAV.

Unnamed military sources in Ethiopia state that the country has pioneered its own indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or drone. The UAVs have allegedly already performed a geophysical survey of Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam, a massive hydroelectric installation under construction on the Blue Nile.

► RWANDA: RwandAir to start Juba, Zanzibar and Accra "by May"; Harare, Cape Town to follow "later" says Mirenge.

Rwanda's growing national carrier Rwandair (WB) has set its sights on expanding its regional footprint and uplifting more passengers in the hopes of becoming a profitable airline by 2015.

► TANZANIA: A look at Precision Air's network expansion plans for 2016.

Rwandan aviation blog, Rwandan-Flyer, reports that Tanzanian private carrier and interim flag carrier, Precision Air (PW), is planning a big regional expansion programme in the coming months with new services to Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Angola and Mozambique to be added by 2016.

► DUBAI: RwandAir resumes Mombasa - Dubai, reduces Bujumbura frequencies from February.

Rwandair (WB) has announced the resumption of its 5th freedom flights between Mombasa (Kenya) and Dubai with3x weekly flights effective 02FEB13. Additionally, the carrier will from 01FEB13 reduce its current service to the Burundian capital, Bujumbura, from 3x to 2x daily flights, following the suspension of flights to Mwanza (Tanzania) effective 31JAN13.

► RWANDA: Rising demand forces RwandAir to lease 737-700s, but how long until profitability and ultimately, privatization?

Riding its current wave of strong passenger figures, Rwandair (WB) are to phase out their two Boeing 737-500 in favour of the larger, more economical Boeing 737-700. Rwandair currently operates two Boeing 737-500s.

► RWANDA: RwandAir leases a Dash 8-100 from Kenya's ALS Aircraft Leasing Services.

Rwandan aviation blog, RwandanFlyer, reports that Rwandair (WB) has leased a Bombardier DHC 8-100 (MSN 10 | 5Y-CAU) from Kenya's ALS Aircraft Leasing Services.

 

►► KENYA: Rwandair boosts Nairobi with 5 additional flights starting 25 January.

[UPDATE 3 JANUARY] Following the announcement late last year of a new partnership between Kenya Airways (KQ) and Rwandan national carrier, RwandAir (WB), the latter have announced an increase in their weekly frequencies to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, served via Entebbe, Uganda. Effective 25 January, Rwandair will add an extra 5 weekly flights to Nairobi using a Canadair CRJ900.

► RWANDA: RwandAir, Kenya Airways to enter into strategic partnership.

Kenya Airways (KQ) and Rwandan national carrier, RwandAir (WB), are on the cusp of the of forming a strategic partnership with aims of fostering stronger relations in the areas of cargo, maintenance and flight training between the two airlines. 

► RWANDA: RwandAir announces modifications to its NW 2012/2013 schedule.

Rwandair (WB) has implemented various modifications to its operations following the launch of its 2012/13 Northern Winter season schedule on 28 October 2012. 

► TANZANIA: fastjet announces initial domestic and regional routes.

fastjet has revealed its first routes to be served when it launches later this month. In an bizarre interview with with Linzie Janis on Bloomberg Television's "Countdown," fastjet CEO, Ed Winter, announced the first destinations to be Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda, though could not give an exact date for operations to start, as "all the necessary government approvals were not yet in place."

► RWANDA: Air Uganda introduces extra Saturday flight to Kigali.

Air Uganda (U7) have announced an increase in their Entebbe, Uganda - Kigali, Rwanda flights effective immediately. The Bombardier CRJ-200ER operated flights will now fly daily with the addition of an extra Saturday frequency.

► RWANDA: See Pics of RwandAir's first CRJ-900NG arriving in Kigali!

Rwandan national carrier Rwandair (WB) has officially received its first of two Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) 900NGs (MSN# 15286 | 9XR-WH) following a hand-over ceremony in Montreal, Canada and a delivery flight routed Montréal - Goose Bay - Reykjavík - Ancona - Aswan - Kigali.

►► RWANDA: RwandAir announces network changes in preparation for its first Bombardier CRJ-900NG.

Rwandan national carrier Rwandair (WB) has announced various changes to its Nigeria and its previously announced East African route timetables, as it prepares for the arrival of its first Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) 900NG (MSN# 15286 | 9XR-WH) due, according to informed sources, on 22 October 2012.