RwandAir hopes that reconfiguration of its route network to focus more on regional operations will speed up its growth process in the face of the industry crisis and subsequent sluggish recovery
The East African operator is seeking to re-evaluate its growth plan and re-align its ideas with those of incoming equity partner, Qatar Airways
“It is critical that we now focus on our short haul, as we remain mindful of the cost of operation. We have also resumed some of our long haul flights like Dubai, a charter flight in China, etc, but to be able to minimize the airline’s operational cost, we are focusing on the routes in Africa,” reiterated RwandAir’s CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo during a recent interview with The New Times (Rwanda)
Pivoting towards Africa will not be easy
Pre-pandemic, IATA had forecast an annual growth for the industry in Africa of close to 6 percent, an indication that the industry would attract major players looking to capitalize on the strong growth in African air passenger numbers.
Whether RwandAir can adapt its model to the changing landscape of the industry will be a true test of its agility. Perhaps the strategic partnership with Qatar Airways will offer room to manouvre. It is notable that the airline has not registered any profit since its inception in 2002 and has been relying on government subsidies to remain airborne.
According to Hendrik Du Preez, Qatar Airways’ VP for Africa, marketable routing in Africa is always about “adding and adapting” as “every market [in Africa] is unique and challenging .”
RwandAir has gradually resumed commercial flights to most of its African destinations since August, 2020, recently re-introducing its services to Lusaka, Zambia as well as services to Harare and Cape Town.
Hope for Demand
At the beginning of this year, the airline set out an ambitious plan that would see it connect Kigali to the United States via its hub in Accra, a route dominated by Delta Airlines and one which sold over 500,000 seats pre pandemic.
This is a big gamble in the context of not only the uncertainty resulting from Covid-19 but also going head-to-head with giant established carriers like Delta Airlines and United Airlines that recently re-established its Accra route. Either way RwandAir is betting big on it.
RwandAir has a fleet of 12 aircraft comprising of one Airbus A330-200 and one A330-300, four Boeing 737-800s, two Boeing 737-700s, two Bombardier CRJ 900s and two De Havilland Canada. Pre-pandemic the airline operated 25 destinations across 21 countries throughout Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
By Victor Shalton Odhiambo
