RwandAir expands wide-body fleet with delivery of third A330

RwandAir has taken delivery of an Airbus A330-200, the airline’s third long-haul aircraft.

The aircraft, registered 9XR-WX, was delivered to Kigali International Airport (KGL) on March 18, 2022, the airline said in a statement published on Twitter.

RwandAir’s CEO Yvonne Makolo said the aircraft would allow the Rwandan flag carrier “to continue our route expansion and offer customers even more connections”.

The new aircraft will operate to RwandAir’s key destinations in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as to London, Brussels, Lagos, and Dubai, the statement added.

Fleet expansion and route development
The arrival of RwandAir’s new A330 aircraft comes four months after the airline’s cargo arm, RwandAir Cargo, received a Boeing 737-800 SF, its first cargo-dedicated aircraft.

The freighter was delivered on November 24, 2022, and was intended to support the expansion of the airline’s cargo operations, operating to destinations in Africa and the Middle East, including Johannesburg, Nairobi, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

RwandAir launched direct flights to London from its hub in Kigali in November 2022, operating four weekly flights to London Heathrow Airport (LHR). The airline had previously operated three weekly flights to LHR via Brussels.

In addition to expanding its long-haul fleet, Makolo also hinted at the airline’s plans to grow its 737 fleet and make changes to its regional fleet.

During a podcast interview with AviaDev Insight Africa Makolo highlighted RwandAir’s plans to phase out its existing fleet of Bombardier CRJ aircraft and explore alternative options for its regional fleet.