RwandAir to focus on African routes with Qatar Airways’ backing

RwandAir CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo, like many airline executives before her, sees a continent of opportunities for her airline across Africa. But RwandAir has a leg up: A multi-million dollar investment from Qatar Airways that could help transform the Kigali-based carrier into a regional powerhouse. “The time is now to act,” Makolo said of Africa’s growth potential at the IATA Annual General Assembly in Boston on September 3. That opportunity existed both before the Covid-19 pandemic and in the recovery that has hit some of the continent’s legacy carriers hard — South African Airways only resumed flights in September after an 18-month suspension, and even now is only flying 3 percent of its October 2019 capacity. RwandAir’s new strategic partnership with Qatar Airways will help it act. Qatar Airways will take a 49% stake in RwandAir under a deal that has been finalized but not yet closed, said Makolo. Once that is done, the carriers will cooperate in a number of “commercial initiatives.” A new codeshare agreement is a big step forward on those initiatives. The airlines will implement a broad partnership covering more than 65 destinations in Africa and around the world. RwandAir travelers will gain new connectivity to destinations in Europe and the U.S., and Qatar Airways increased access to Africa. As part of the deal, RwandAir will begin flights to Doha in December. The route will complement its existing Dubai service.<br/>