RWANDAIR is to take delivery in July 2019 of two Airbus A330s and two Boeing 737 MAX 8-narrow body aircraft
RWANDAIR is to take delivery in July 2019 of two Airbus A330s and two Boeing 737 MAX 8-narrow body aircraft. The carrier hopes the new planes will boost its belly cargo business on new routes to the US, Asia, Europe and Africa as it seeks to diversify earnings that are currently being squeezed by high operational costs. The airline is banking on affordable air freight charges to lift demand for its bellyhold space and achieve its target of generating nine per cent of revenues from cargo.
With subsidies from the Rwandan government, freight costs per kilo have dropped by 62 per cent to as low as US$0.95/kg, whereas their regional peers forked out $1.5/kg.
The carrier's air cargo traffic rose from 8,000 tonnes in 2016 to 13,000 tonnes in the 12 months ending December 2017, driven by RwandAir's growing network and fleet, reported The EastAfrican.
The volume of air cargo at Kigali International Airport is expected to increase by 30 per cent to reach 16,900 tonnes by this December.
'RwandAir longhaul aircraft, which fly to and from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and African airports and the planned US and China routes are expected to drive the growth,' the airline said.
RwandAir could soon start flying to Rome after the Italian and Rwandan governments signed bilateral air services agreements earlier this month that paves the way for airlines from both countries to transport cargo and passengers to and from each other's airports.
The carrier is also at an advanced stage of starting direct flights to New York, after receiving permission from Washington to operate through a code-share agreement. The airline is also expected to start flying to Guangzhou, China after the new aircraft deliveries.
