RWANDAIR SIGNS FOR TWO A330 AND ANNOUNCES FIRM ORDER FOR TWO MORE B737-800NG’S
(Posted 08th September 2015)
(Done Deal! RwandAir CEO John Mirenge shakes hands with Airbus and Rolls Royce representatives after signing the purchase deal for two Airbus A330’s)
RwandAir today signed the formal documents for the purchase of two Airbus A330 aircraft, one being an A330-200 version and one being the larger A330-300 variant. The aircraft types are certified for ETOP operations beyond 180 minutes, important for the proposed routes to China.
Both aircraft, when delivered in September and December 2016 respectively, will be powered by one of the best engines on the market, the Rolls Royce Trent 772B. These first ever wide body aircraft set to join the growing RwandAir fleet will be configured in a three class layout of Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy. The smaller A330-200 will offer 20 flatbed seats in C-Class, 21 seats in the Premium Economy cabin and 203 seats in Economy Class while the larger variant, the A330-300 will carry 30 flatbed seats in C-Class, 21 seats in the Premium Economy cabin and 223 seats in Y-Class.
Going by list prices, both Airbus and RwandAir declined to put the transaction value on record, is this deal worth about 550 million US Dollars and the finance for the deal has been provided by the PTA bank, making it a purely African financed purchase. It is however understood that RwandAir negotiated an excellent package deal from Airbus, a manufacturer keen to increase its African presence and therefore no doubt willing to make major financial concessions vis a vis the published prices for this aircraft type. The two new wide body aircraft are the first A330’s ever sold to an airline in Eastern Africa, having RwandAir once again break new ground with this deal and giving Airbus the proverbial foot in the door.
(Three cheers for RwandAir as the champagne is popped)
Rwanda’s Minister of State for Infrastructure, Dr. Alexis Nzahabwanimana, when addressing the representatives of Airbus, Rolls Royce, members of the RwandAir management and Board of Directors, invited guests from the Rwandan business community and the media, congratulated the airline for the sterling work done before delivering President Kagame’s assurance that RwandAir would continue to receive the fullest support of the government as a key strategic asset aimed to ensure connectivity in the region, across Africa and from next year beyond.
The airline’s CEO John Mirenge, when speaking to this correspondent after the function, confirmed that the two wide body aircraft will be deployed on a route to China, very likely Guangzhou, a route to India with Mumbai as the logical destination and one, perhaps two destinations in Europe, maybe combining Frankfurt and London though this is mere speculation at this stage before a detailed route analysis has been carried out.
Mr. John Mirenge then went on to break further news that the airline had signed a firm purchase for two more B737-800NG SkyInterior with Boeing, both aircraft also due for delivery in 2016.
This will bring the fleet size from the present 8 aircraft to 12 overall, a rise by 50 percent over the space of a year, making RwandAir one of the fastest growing airlines in Africa and certainly the one with the youngest fleet on the continent.
These two additional medium distance jets will allow RwandAir to widen their reach across the continent by adding both destinations and upping frequencies to key cities, where demand for seats justifies extra flights. All flights from the region and from across Africa are expected to feed into the wide body intercontinental flights with passengers connecting in Kigali.
RwandAir current fleet information:
2 B737-800NG SkyInterior purchased from Boeing
2 B737-700NG leased, formerly of TUI Fly aged 5 and 6 years respectively when delivered to RwandAir
2 CRJ 900NextGen purchased from Bombardier
1 Q400NextGen purchased from Bombardier
1 Q400NextGen ex manufacturer leased by RwandAir
RwandAir current destinations served from Kigali:
Kamembe (domestic)
Entebbe, Juba, Bujumbura, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, Lusaka, Johannesburg, Brazzaville, Libreville, Douala, Lagos, Accra, Dubai.
For more information about schedules, fares, packages and Dream Miles, the RwandAir frequent flyer programme, click on www.rwandair.com
