Panafrican News Agency

RwandAir inaugurates first non-stop flight to Kinshasa

Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) - The first non-stop flight to Kinshasa (DR Congo) by Rwanda's national carrier, RwandAir, was inaugurated on Wednesday, the airline said in a statement made available to PANA in Kigali.

"Our inaugural flight (to Kinshasa) was welcomed by a traditional water salute upon arrival at N'Djili International Airport," the statement said.

The new three-time weekly Kigali-Kinshasa route is on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

In addition to planning three new destinations to DR Congo, RwandAir is also planning to increase its flight frequencies by launching a fourth night flight to DR Congo, according to the Rwandan state minister in charge of Transports, Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye.

With Kigali as its hub, RwandAir currently operates daily passenger flights to 26 destinations in West, East and Southern Africa, the Middle East, Mumbai (India) and Europe.

The airline, which has 12 planes, plans to increase its fleet to about 20 in the next two years.

The carrier has grown from a virtual carrier, leasing its entire fleet, to operating its own which now consists of two B737-700s, two B737-800s, two CRJ-900s, two Bombardier Q-400s, two A330-200 and two A330-300.

-0- PANA TWA/VAO 17April2019