RWANDAIR’S NEW BOMBARDIER Q 400NEXTGEN ENTERS COMMERCIAL SERVICE
(Posted 11th March 2014)
A week after RwandAir’s latest acquisition arrived in Kigali did the aircraft enter commercial service yesterday with a maiden flight from Kigali to Bujumbura and back to Kigali. This follows the completion of the ‘integration procedures’ the airline had put into place, as crews were trained on the new aircraft in emergency evacuation as well as service elements, getting them used to the new galley and layout of the plane.
A full schedule for the aircraft is going underway as of early today, Tuesday, when the Q 400 will begin to make regular appearances in Kamembe, RwandAir’s only domestic destination and springboard to Nyungwe Forest National Park, but also fly to such destinations like Entebbe, Bujumbura and other regional airports where the 67 seat, dual class turboprop aircraft is now of the right size for the respective routes.
Travellers and travel agents broadly welcomed the arrival of the new aircraft as it now offers both business and economy class cabins across the entire fleet of aircraft now in use, thought crucial to provide in particular business travellers with the same level of service throughout the journey, irrespective of the type of aircraft used, something the ‘old’ Dash 8 in a single class configuration could not offer to passengers.
Meanwhile has the airline also confirmed that the commercial launch of flights to Douala is on course for the end of March, when RwandAir will add their 5th West African destination after Brazzaville, Libreville, Lagos and Accra with 5 flight a week. For more information about flight schedules, RwandAir’s frequent flyer programme or for bookings visit www.rwandair.com
