UK’S INSISTENCE ON TRANSIT VISA FORCES RWANDAIR TO CHANGE ROUTING OF #BRUSSELS #GATWICK FLIGHTS
(Posted 15th October 2017)
As previously reported has the United Kingdom continued to show indifference if not outright contempt towards Rwanda’s national airline RwandAir to operate a regular service to London Gatwick via Brussels, as British immigration still demands transit Visa from most of the airline’s passengers boarding in the European capital.
With a senior British cabinet Minister recently describing the European Union as their ‘enemy‘ has this measure needless to say also raised concern among other EU members, seen as perhaps an early deterrent for foreign airlines to combine a European mainland destination with one in the UK,
The measure has clearly affected loadfactors of the flight and as a result has RwandAir now decided to change the routing come the winter season schedule.
Flight WB701 will route the homebound journey back to Rwanda from LGW (London Gatwick) to BRU (Brussels Zaventem) before then flying nonstop back to KGL (Kigali).
Until the switchover will passengers holding non European and non qualifying Visa free nations passports continue to require transit Visa in LGW for their trip to Rwanda, besides being subjected to discriminatory treatment through additional security checks instead of letting them remain on board what should be expected from a supposedly civilised country.
The additional stop, while a cost factor, is hoped to raise the loadfactors out of Brussels to Kigali for travelers not only to Rwanda but also using RwandAir as their carrier of choice for onward flights into their African network.
Flights WB700/701 will operate on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, using a three class #Airbus #A330 configured with flat bed business class, a separate premium economy class, described as the best in the African skies and a regular economy class cabin.
WB700 KGL 08:40 – BRU 16:20-17:10 – LGW 17:30
WB701 LGW 18:35 – BRU 21:00-21:40 – KGL 07:00+1
For related articles on this topic click on the links below:
https://atcnews.org/2017/07/14/britain-spoils-rwandairs-inaugural-to-brussels/
https://atcnews.org/2017/08/12/rwandair-confirms-brussels-station-is-now-boarding-passengers/
