Rwanda Air Introduces a Direct Flight to United Kingdom
RwandaAir introduces new route from Kigali Airport in Rwanda to London Gatwick Airport in UK, operating three times weekly with A330-200s A three-air bus A330-200 will operate three days per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays taking approximately 8 hours and 40 minutes to reach the final destination the return fares start from GMP372.
The purpose for the launching of the direct flight is to ease the movement of British travelers to Rwanda mainly for gorilla trekking. In 2016, over 1.3 million received travelers to Rwanda were from Britain making it a home to the highest population of Rwanda’s travelers. Interestingly, the direct flight provides business class passengers with fully flat beds as part of the in-flight services making it an added advantage.
The newly launched flight is Rwanda air’s first European and second haul route since its establishment. Having the highest number of travelers to Rwanda originating from Britain, the direct route was launched purposely to ease the movement of people as they fly to and from Rwanda.
The new flight provides travelers with business, premium economy and economy cabins flying direct from London Gatwick to Kigali Rwanda. Additionally, Kigali Gatwick connects other links such as the KLM’s Amsterdam-Kigali and Rwanda air and Brussels airlines flights from Kigali to Brussels.
Presently, Rwanda air serves twenty destinations, which among others include Accra, Juba, Brazzaville, Entebbe, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Nairobi, Mombasa, Libreville, Dubai, Johannesburg, Douala, Addis Ababa, Istanbul, Brussels, Kilimanjaro and the latest Gatwick (united kingdom). Similarly early this year, Rwanda air commenced other new destinations of Zimbabwe, Harare, Mumbai, and India to ensure connectivity. Also, Rwanda air-launched commercial flights to Cotonou in Benin and Abidjan in the Ivory Coast to expand its footprint.
The construction of the Kigali convention center has made Kigali be the third best MICE destination in the whole of Africa. Also, Kigali has become a hub for meetings, incentives, and conferences and exhibitions.
According to the Rwanda development board, the country has become among the most thought after destination for premium travelers.
Similarly, the opening of several premium lodges such as the Bisate lodge near the volcanoes national park and the plan to establish new lodges in Nyungwe forest national park has made Rwanda a thought after destination for most premium travelers to Africa.
According to the Rwanda Development Board, there has been a transformation in Rwanda’s tourism attracting the highest number of travelers from all parts of the world. The direct flight is hoped to make a safari to Rwanda interesting providing travelers with the highest possibility of game viewing, gorilla trekking and a scenic view of the beautiful tea plantations in the rolling hills of the country. The launching of the direct flight has made Rwanda one of the long haul destinations that Gatwick serves. Presently there is a total of 50 long haul routes to and from the United Kingdom of which Kigali is part. Gatwick is now the world’s top low-cost airport offering low-cost long haul flights North America as well as in the Far East countries.
In conclusion, therefore, there is a great hope for the increased number of travelers to Rwanda from the United Kingdom and all parts of the world with the launching of a direct flight to Kigali.
