RwandAir (WB, Kigali) plans to expand its fleet from 14 to at least 21 aircraft by 2029 and, through network growth and strengthened strategic partnerships, more than double its annual passenger numbers to 2.1 million as outlined in the country's Transport Sector Strategic Plan 2024-2029.
This will involve acquiring more A330s for long-haul routes, B737-800s for regional and medium-haul destinations, and DHC-8-Q400s for shorter domestic routes, chief commercial officer Fouad Caunhye told Rwanda's The New Times newspaper in an interview.
He said the national carrier is also reinforcing its fleet in 2025/26 with three aircraft - two B737-800s and one A330-200 - to restore capacity after recent technical issues sidelined several units. "These additions will give us the flexibility we need to pursue the route expansions that were previously put on hold," he declared. It is not immediately clear if these units will be bought, dry-or wet-leased.
He acknowledged recent operational disruptions linked to temporary fleet capacity constraints."We have faced some operational disruptions recently because of the capacity issues I mentioned. Our immediate priority is to stabilise and optimise our performance across our existing network. With the new aircraft joining the fleet, we will be able to improve scheduling and reliability, which will provide a strong foundation for adding more destinations in the future," Caunhye said.
RwandAir current fleet of 14 aircraft includes three A330s (two A330-200s and one A330-300), six B737-800s, one B737-800(SF), two CRJ900ERs, and two -Q400s.
Alongside fleet growth, Caunhye said RwandAir plans to increase its route network from 23 destinations to 29 by 2028/29. New services to Mombasa (Kenya) and Zanzibar (Tanzania) are scheduled, while frequencies to London Heathrow and Dubai International are being increased, and flights to Guangzhou (China) may be resumed. The carrier is also positioning Kigali as a regional hub, supported by a new airport under construction.
Regarding strategic partnerships, the airline continues to deepen ties with Qatar Airways and is in advanced talks with the Qatar Investment Authority over a potential equity stake. Codeshare and loyalty programme integrations with other African carriers are also under development.
According to the Transport Sector Strategic Plan 2024-2029, the Rwandan government is committed to developing air transport through bilateral air service agreements with different countries and the construction of high-capacity airports to accommodate high volumes of passengers and goods.
In line with the strategic plan, the passenger handling capacity of Rwandan airports is expected to increase from two million to slightly over 8.2 million passengers per annum by 2029. Air freight volumes are to grow from 16,304 to 32,987 metric tonnes.
