RwandAir (WB, Kigali) could make its Asian and European début during the financial years 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, respectively, according to maverick CEO John Mirenge. Speaking to the local press following the presentation of the airline's five-year strategic plan to government, Mirenge said that possible destinations in the Far East could include Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou, and Beijing Capital.
"We are considering a Mumbai International flight soon. We also hope that European flights will commence in the 2017/2018 fiscal year, though we are yet to zero in on specific destinations," he told Rwanda's New Times.
Mirenge added that to facilitate its long haul plans, RwandAir is expected to acquire wide body planes with a seating capacity of up to 200 people in the later part of 2016 financial year.
According to the ch-aviation aircraft database, the Rwandan national carrier has orders with Boeing (BOE, Washington National) for two B787-8s - 9XR-WM (msn 35507) and 9XR-WN (msn 35508). The two airframes are the so-called "Terrible Teen" models relinquished by Royal Air Maroc (AT, Casablanca Mohamed V) in 2012 in favour of later hulls.
From a virtual carrier leasing in all its aircraft, Rwandair has grown substantially with it now operating a fleet of two B737-700s, two B737-800s, two CRJ900s, one Dash 8-100, and one Dash 8-400, serving the Middle East, as well as West, East, and Southern Africa.
Among new potential African destinations are Luanda 4 De Fevereiro, Abidjan, Harare International, and Lusaka.
