RWANDA: RwandAir Commences Direct Flights To Tel Aviv

While announcing the scheduled flight, the national airline last month said the flight is expected to connect tourists and business travelers between Tel Aviv and Kigali.

It will make three flights out of Kigali International Airport to the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, a development that is set to increase traffic between Rwanda and the Middle East.

Many passengers aboard the inaugural non-stop flight on the 737-800 Next Generation aircraft expressed their joy for the cheaper and direct flight to the city of Tel Aviv.

Adding Tel Aviv to our network is part of our long term plan to link Rwanda to the rest of the world. Tel Aviv is one of the world’s leading tech hubs and we look forward to flying business travelers as well as pilgrims visiting the Holy Land, to and from our network on this new route, RwandAir’s CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo said.

It is going to solidify our cooperation and it is going to benefit Rwanda through tourism, especially cultural tourism and it is great for our diplomacy; so having people come visit Rwanda and more Rwandans going to Israel is just great for the two nations, she said.

It will also be a great opportunity to ease travel and strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries, she said.

The launch of the Kigali-Tel Aviv direct flights come barely a week after RwandAir launched direct Kigali-Guangzhou flights, the carrier’s longest flight.

The launch of the new routes falls in line with RwandAir’s aim to become a regional and continental aviation leader.

The growth of the Airline comes even as other African airlines struggle with operations and experience losses.

The airline now serves East, Central, West and Southern Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

RwandAir prepares to launch a new direct flight to New York, aiming for a stake in the American aviation market.


Tourism Observer

UGANDA: Wasps Sting American Tourist, Gloria Suemiller To Death

A 65-year-old American tourist has been killed by insects - wasps in Bwindi impenetrable National park in Rubanda District in Western Uganda.

Gloria Suemiller, a resident of Oklahoma, USA was attacked at about 10:30 am on Thursday while on tour in Bwindi National Park where she had gone for gorilla trekking.

She was in a group of other tourists and husband, White Gary Lynn, 74, with whom they had traveled all the way from Kigali, Rwanda.

They had spent a night at Ruhija sector. The other tourists escaped unhurt, according to police.

The case is under police investigations at Ruhija police post under reference number SD 06/24/05/2018.

This is the third tourist to die in Uganda in the last two months.

Mukesh Shukla, 60, a British national died on April 7, 2018 as he climbed a hill in Butanda Sub County in Kabale District, also located in western Uganda.

On April 14, 2018 Tutin Jean Piere, 63, a French national collapsed and died during a gorilla trekking trip in the northern sector of Bwindi National Park in Kanungu District.

Piere, who also worked with the French Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya was in the company of some friends when he died.


Tourism Observer

MOROCCO: Royal Air Maroc To Fly To 5 East African Nations, Signs Codeshare With Alitalia

Royal Air Maroc RAM has signed a code sharing agreement with Alitalia to boost air links between Morocco and Italy.

Under the deal, they will increase air links between Morocco and Italy to 29 from 7, RAM said in a statement on Wednesday.

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) the national carrier for Morocco announced plans to launch flights to five other East African cities.

Royal Air Maroc already has flights from Casablanca to Nairobi.

Royal Air Maroc Country manager in Kenya, Othman Baba says the move, caused by their gainful experience on the Nairobi route.

Royal Air Maroc which joined the 23-member single African air transport market (SAAM) last year, has said it will ride on the continental aviation framework, to speed up regulatory approvals.

It is so far the only North African airline that runs a direct Nairobi—Ndjamena (Chad) flight.

We will be extending operations in East Africa in in the short-term with new destinations like Dar es Salaam, Harare, Kigali, Maputo and Khartoum,he said.

With more than 30 destinations in West Africa, it is imperative that Royal Air Maroc has decided to spread into East Africa to share on the lucrative East African market.

Royal Air Maroc started with two weekly flights to Nairobi in 2016, but has since increased frequency to three fights a week.

Royal Air Maroc, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian, South African and Egypt Air are Africa’s largest flying Airlines.

Air Maroc says its key success point remains its low ticket prices.

Royal Air Maroc maintains strict control over its costs structure and processes, resulting in lower ticket price and cargo tariffs.


Tourism Observer

KENYA: Ethiopian Airlines To Fly Twice Daily To Mombasa, Plans To Order 13 Additional Boeing 787 Jets And 6 More Airbus A350s

Ethiopian Airlines has been allowed more flights on the Mombasa route in an agreement between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.

The airline will now fly to Mombasa twice a day as Ethiopia and Kenya seek to deepen their trade ties.

The Kenyan side agreed to grant Ethiopian Airlines a second frequency flight to Mombasa, said a joint communique from State House after Mr Kenyatta met Dr Ali in Nairobi.

The extra flight given to Ethiopian Airlines will be a boost to coastal tourism which has been heavily dependent on charter flights from Europe.

Only two regional airlines, Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir operate scheduled flights to Mombasa from Addis Ababa and Kigali respectively.

Turkish Airlines is the only one from Europe operating scheduled flights between Istanbul and Mombasa.

Government owned Ethiopian Airlines is ahead of other African airlines like Kenya Airways and South African Airways to become Africa’s largest airline by revenue and profit.

Its plan was to more than double its fleet to 120 and become Africa’s biggest airline by 2025,

Ethiopian Airlines has more than 100 aircrafts flying to various destinations in Africa, Asia to South America, and four US cities.

Kenya Airways plans its first direct flight to the US in October.

Hoteliers at the Coast have been lobbying for more international direct flights to Mombasa to ease air transport through Moi International Airport and attract more tourists.

As of now tourists visiting Kenya using other airlines must first land at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport before connecting to Mombasa.

Ethiopian Airlines’ recent growth has been supersonic that it revised the ambitious 15-year strategy set in 2010 and plans to buy more planes to step up its expansion.

Its plan had been to more than double its fleet to 120 and become Africa’s biggest airline by 2025, but it already has 100 planes flying to dozens of destinations from Africa, Europe, Asia to South America, including four US cities.

The State-owned carrier has also outpaced regional competitors Kenya Airways and South African Airways to become Africa’s largest airline by revenue and profit, according to the International Air Transport Association.

We have expanded more than we planned, said Chief Executive Tewolde Gebremariam. We had to revise the objective to make it 150 airplanes or more by 2025.

It now plans to place orders this year for 13 additional Boeing 787 jets and six more Airbus A350s, he said.

The airline has come a long way from when it was established in 1945 as a joint venture with now-defunct U.S. carrier Trans World Airlines (TWA).

In its 2016/17 financial year Ethiopian Airlines generated $2.7 billion in revenue, Tewolde said, up more than 11 percent from the previous year.

Passenger numbers climbed by more than 18 percent to 9 million while net profit was $233 million, up from a little more than $220 million.

In 2013 Ethiopian Airlines acquired a minority stake in Malawi Airlines to serve as a base for its southern Africa operations.

That kicked off a series of deals including January’s agreement with Zambia’s government to relaunch that country’s national carrier, shut down more than two decades ago.

The strategy is aimed at gaining a competitive advantage against rivals such as those in the Gulf, Tewolde said.

With Africa’s aviation industry still hampered by government protectionism and high taxes, Tewolde said that setting up or taking stakes in small carriers is a way around the restrictions.

Ethiopian Airlines aims to create a new airline in Mozambique that it will fully own, he said, adding that it is also in talks with Chad, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea to set up carriers through joint ventures.

Going forward, it will be difficult for us to compete with only one hub in Addis Ababa.

Although it isn’t all clear skies for the fast-growing carrier.

The economic downturn in Africa caused by the collapse of oil prices in 2014 has indirectly hit the continent’s airlines, and Ethiopian is unable to repatriate more than $145 million in profits from Angola, Sudan and Zimbabwe because of foreign exchange shortages, Tewolde said.

Running a business needs cash flow, he said. Here in Africa, we have a huge problem with this, Tewolde Gebremariam says.


Tourism Observer

NIGERIA: RwandAir Commences Kigali - Abuja Flights

Rwand Air on Friday inaugurated its maiden flight to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja with 30 passengers on board Boeing 737-700 aircraft from Kigali, Rwanda’s capital.

Miss Ibiyemi Odunsi, the airline’s Country Manager, Nigeria, said that the commencement of Abuja-Kigali route was part of the airline’s determination to expand its business to the nation’s capital.

Odunsi said the airline decided to give the diplomatic community and government officials the opportunity to experience direct flights to Kigali and other parts of the world through the destination.

She said that Rwand Air would be operating four times weekly flight to and from Abuja – Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday unlike Lagos where it operates daily flights.

Nigerian travellers can now fly direct from Abuja through Rwand Air without having to go to Lagos because; if you have not started business in Abuja you have not started in Nigeria.

We have been in Nigeria since 2012 but this is significant for us because it is something that has been on our minds before now, but we have made it happen.

All this while, the diplomatic community, government officials probably have been segregated because they have not been able to enjoy Rwand Air.

This is because most people won’t have the luxury of going through Lagos, but effective today, they can fly seamlessly without having to go to Lagos.

As an airline, we know that this is the political capital of the country and as Nigeria is expanding we have to be part of what it is doing.

Now we know we are doing what Nigerian travellers want because we cannot just be in the commercial capital without being where the stakeholders are, she said.

Odunsi said the airline was aware of the competition in the industry, adding Rwand Air’s unique selling point would stand it out such as its safety record and on-time performance.

She expressed optimism that the airline would be able to achieve 80 to 85 per cent load factor on the Abuja route through efficient service delivery.

The Rwandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Stanislas Kamanzi, commended the Federal Government, aviation agencies and management of Rwand Air in Nigeria for making it possible for the opening of Abuja route.

Kamanzi said the new route was a product of the long standing friendship between Nigeria and Rwanda, adding that the Abuja-Kigali route would deepen trade relationship between the two countries.

According to him, this is coming at the right time when Africa is moving toward integration and the fastest mode of transportation is through air.

We look forward to growing trade and diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Rwanda as well between East and West Africa.

That is what we need for our people to tap the wealth of our continent, he said.

Also, International Terminal Manager, FAAN, Mrs Hajara Musa, who represented the Airport Manager, said the authority was ready to give the airline the needed cooperation to enable it succeed.

Musa said the airport was always ready to receive more flights to encourage trade facilitation by the government.


Tourism Observer

EAST AFRICA: Nairobi With Highest Number Of Hotel Rooms And Hotels In The Region, It Was Lowest In Hotel Room Revenue 2017

Nairobi’s revenue per available room (RevPAR) a performance metric for the hotel industry was the lowest among other East Africa capitals in 2017, probably because of slowed business travel during the elections last year.

Nairobi registered the sharpest drop in RevPAR of 17.8 per cent to $60 (Sh6,000) last year.

Nairobi Hotel occupancy dropped causing it to follow other capitals in the region including Addis Ababa, Kampala, Dar es Salaam and Kigali, a survey by Cytonn Investment showed.

Nevertheless, it should be noted that Nairobi has the highest number of Hotel Rooms and Hotels in the entire region.

However, it is expected to recover on the back of high tourist arrivals, public sector support for tourism, as well as new air routes in the long term, the firm noted in its survey report.

RevPAR is calculated by dividing a hotel’s total guest room revenue by the number of available rooms in a given time period.

The metric is often used to compare performance between competitor hotels, defined by geographical location and market segment.

The Ethiopian market registered the highest RevPAR performance in 2017 at $104 against the regional average of $79, buoyed by strong demand from diplomatic and corporate clients.

Addis Ababa is home to the African Union offices, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, foreign missions, regional NGOs as well as the UN Conference Centre and the fast-paced growth of the Ethiopian Airlines which currently serves 101 destinations, Cytonn noted.

Kampala, registered a solid performance in 2017 with its average RevPAR increasing by 11.9 per cent to $94 compared to the previous year, lifted by an increase in domestic and regional tourism.

Kigali, recorded a slight increase in average RevPAR of 2.8 per cent to settle at $73.

However, as per the report, bed occupancy rates in Kigali recorded a decline of 3.9 per cent attributable to the sharp increase in average daily rates which rose by 5.7 per cent during the year, Cytonn noted.

Nairobi registered the highest number of International arrivals in 2017

Nairobi - 1.4

Kampala - 1.3

Addis Ababa - 1.2

Dar es Salaam - 1.2

Kigali - 0.9

Dar es Salaam, saw its average RevPAR drop by 13.7 per cent to $62 largely because of the shift of government operations to Dodoma as well as stalled entry of foreign firms.

Dar es Salaam also witnessed a 5.6 per cent decline in bed occupancy rates in 2017.

And though Kenya registered the highest number of international arrivals in the region at 1.4 million, Nairobi’s RevPAR was not reflected in bed occupancy which stood at 47 per cent, as many visitors opted to stay at the coast or in national parks.

Increased occupancy of facilities outside Nairobi helped Kenya to post an unexpected overall 20.3 per cent growth in tourism earnings to Sh120 billion.

The sharp increase came despite some expectations of a slowdown due to a prolonged and tense election period and the accompanying risk of violence.

Average Hotel occupancy rates in East Africa

Kampala - 56%

Nairobi - 47%

Kigali - 49%

Dar es Salaam - 52%

Addis Ababa - 54%

Kenya’s tourism performance in election years has been low due to fear of unrest and violence.

For instance, government statistics show that tourism was severely affected during the 2007/2008 period due to post-election violence.

International tourist arrivals slumped from the highest peak of the decade, 1,817,000 in 2007, to 1,203,200 in 2008.

Rvenue dropped from Sh65.2 billion to a low of Sh52.7 billion as visitors kept away from the country.

In the 2002 General Election the sector was also hit hard, with earnings sliding 11 per cent from Sh24.3 billion the previous year to Sh21.7 billion.

A similar trend was recorded in the 2013 electoral season despite the fact that the knocks were not as extensive as was witnessed in 2002 and 2007.

Kenya’s 2003 tourism earnings fell slightly by 2.1 per cent, attributed to the fact the elections were relatively peaceful.

Tourism in Kenya was affected by election turmoil 2008 and 2017 and terror attacks, which saw the decline in overall decline in tourism arrivals between 2011 and 2015.


Tourism Observer

KENYA: X mass Holidays Attract More Travellers For Jambojet

Budget airline Jambojet has introduced additional flights to the coastal cities as it seeks to cash in on the high demand from holidaymakers.

The airline’s CEO Willem Hondius said there has been increased demand for air travel between Nairobi and the Coast forcing the company to increase frequency starting Tuesday (Dec 19).

Jambojet is now operating three flights to Malindi and Ukunda and four to Mombasa per week.

Yes we have added flights to Malindi (3 per week), Mombasa (4 per week), Ukunda (3 per week plus a third frequency per day between December 19 and 31),said Mr Hondius.

Mr Hondius said all routes that the airline plies have registered high demand. During the festive season we see demand going up sharply and there is always need to add flights,he said.

Last week the airline received one of two planes it purchased last month at Sh6.6 billion to cater for increased demand this Christmas season.

The addition brings Jambojet’s fleet to six – two Q400 planes that it acquired earlier in the year and two Boeing 737s leased from Kenya Airways KQ its parent company.

The airline said the remaining plane will arrive later this month. The two planes have been acquired from Danish firm Nordic Aviation Capital.

The cost of booking air tickets has significantly gone up as more passengers seek to travel by air. Those who have been booking from last week are paying almost double the price compared with travellers who booked in November.

It’s still quite last minute unfortunately. However for the festive season people tend to book a bit earlier, said the CEO.

The airline in May got regulatory approval to fly to 16 regional routes, including Entebbe, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Kigali, Juba, Bujumbura, Hargeisa, Mogadishu, Goma, Kisangani and Moroni.

Meanwhile, Jambojet is set to start flights to Tanzania and Uganda by February next year, kicking off its regional expansion plan designed to see the low-cost carrier fly to 16 new routes.

The Transport ministry said it had applied for permission for the budget airline, a subsidiary of Kenya Airways is to fly to the countries.

Jambojet was in May granted regulatory approval to fly to 16 routes including Entebbe, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Kigali, Juba, Bujumbura, Hargeisa, Mogadishu, Goma, Kisangani and Moroni.

The government has applied for designations on our behalf to allow us operate on six regional routes, Willem Hondius, Jambojet’s chief executive said.

For now, the application covers Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of Congo. However, we intend to begin by flying to Tanzania and Uganda.

Jambojet also plans to start flying to Wajir by next February, adding to its existing flights between Nairobi and Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Lamu, Malindi and Ukunda (Diani).

The airline had earlier said it would make its international debut by the end of this year, but delays in receiving two Bombardier Q400 aircraft has seen them push their launch date forward.

These two planes are now expected before Christmas.

The extended electioneering period took a toll on the business, with total bookings for the four months to October dipping by around 16 per cent, Mr Hondius revealed.

The airline flies between 45,000 and 50,000 passengers per month.

In the weeks around the two general elections, he added, passenger numbers dropped by a quarter, highlighting the huge toll that the process had on Kenya’s aviation sector.

Kenya Airways’ latest annual report indicates that Jambojet reported a pre-tax loss of Sh25 million for the year to March, reversing a pre-tax profit of Sh126 million recorded the previous year.

The loss was attributable to last year’s peak season when insufficient aircraft messed us up. The elections affected us negatively this year. While business has rebounded, we shall assess the full impact with time, said Mr Hondius.

Jambojet is set to receive two new aircraft worth Sh6.6 billion before Christmas in anticipation of the high-season passenger demand and as the low-cost carrier prepares to start international flights.

The airline, a subsidiary of national carrier Kenya Airways is set to receive the first of two Bombardier Q400 on December 11. The second one is expected to touch down in Nairobi six days later.

Jambojet was in May granted regulatory approval to fly to 16 routes including Entebbe, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Kigali, Juba, Bujumbura, Hargeisa, Mogadishu, Goma, Kisangani and Moroni.

We are confident that the Q400 aircraft will allow us to implement our growth strategy as we strive to launch new routes and to respond to the anticipated increase in demand, Willem Hondius, Jambojet’s chief executive, said in a statement.

The budget carrier will lease the aircraft from Danish firm Nordic Aviation Capital which in turn signed a purchase order for the planes with Montreal-based Bombardier on Wednesday.

Jambojet, which has been operational since April 2014, currently operates four aircraft — two Q400 planes which were also acquired this year and two Boeing 737s leased from its parent firm.

The airline plies six routes in Kenya; between Nairobi and Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Malindi and Ukunda (Diani). We are looking at retiring our narrow body fleet (Boeing 737s) and transitioning to an all-Q400 fleet by end of this year, said Mr Hondius.

The carrier has already returned one of the Boeings to KQ with the national carrier now expected to put it up for sale.

Thousands of Jambojet passengers travelling to the Coast over Christmas were hit by flight delays and cancellations.

The airline said the delays resulted from technical problems on one Bombardier, which was compounded by the delayed arrival of the aircraft to handle higher passenger numbers during the holiday season.

Jambojet, which issued an apology for these delays, has since then set out to increase its fleet to avoid a repeat of this incident even as looks to expand regionally.

Jambojet has slashed baggage fees by up to 65 per cent in a bid to generate more non-passenger ticket revenue for the budget airline.

The low-cost carrier has announced that its highest luggage fee, charged on 32 kilogrammes of baggage, will drop to Sh5,500 for payments made at their airport and half that for bookings made through agents or online.

This marks a sharp fall from the Sh15,600 and Sh7,800 respectively which Jambojet, a Kenya Airways subsidiary, was charging its customers.

We have reduced the rates, allowing passengers to carry more for less, Jambojet chief executive Willem Hondius said. We have also reduced the baggage fee bands making it easier for passengers to choose.

Jambojet’s baggage policy review comes a few months after it hired Catherine Mwangi as its ancillary manager.

Ancillary services in the airline industry include entertainment, onboard shopping, Internet gaming, car hire, frequent flier programmes, hotel bookings, checked baggage and better cabin seating.

The extras normally add on to and sometimes exceed the budget ticket costs.

Ms Mwangi has previously held various marketing jobs at Qatar Airways, Air France-KLM as well as South African Airways.

Payments made at the airport will cost double across all bands.

Jambojet achieved a 90 per cent on-time-performance (OTP) in September and October mainly driven by a new fleet, records show.

The low-cost carrier recorded a six per cent higher average of OTP in the two months after recording 84 per cent in August.

OTP is an industry benchmark calculated based on flights taking off and landing within 15 minutes of the scheduled time.

We are well over our target of 80 per cent which is considerably better than the industry average. Without a doubt, this is a very good sign as we go into the peak festive season, said Jambojet chief executive Willem Hondius.

Our investment in the two new Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircrafts has enabled us to deliver a very reliable flight schedule across the country and live up to the expectation of customers.

The airline has maintained an average OTP of 85 per cent in the past seven months, Mr Hondius said.

Jambojet has in its nearly four years of operation in Kenya increased its routes from four to six, with increased frequency of flights due to fleet expansion.

It currently operates 75 flights per week on its domestic routes from Nairobi to Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Malindi and Ukunda.

The airline, which has a code-share agreement with Kenya Airways for domestic travel, expects delivery of two new aircraft later this year.




Tourism Observer

RWANDA: Bugesera International Airport To Be Completed By 2019

With the backing of the African Legal Support Facility, the Government of Rwanda has taken a concrete step toward becoming a transportation hub for the East African region with the signing of a concession agreement for the construction and operation of Bugesera International Airport.
Kigali is being positioned to become a nerve center for business, travel, and shipping in the sub-region.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the government of Rwanda by the minister of infrastructure, James Musoni and Manuel Mota, chief executive officer of Monta-Engil, on behalf of the developer and the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor respectively.

Worth approximately $700 million, the Bugesera Airport project is designed to be executed across four phases. The first phase will involve approximately 27 months of construction - at an estimated cost of $400 million - and is expected to be completed by 2019, at which point the airport will be able to accommodate 1.8 million passengers annually.

The development of Bugesera Airport is aligned with Rwanda's Vision 2020 - an ambitious strategy which aims to transform Rwanda into a knowledge-based, middle-income country by the end of the decade - as well as the country's economic development and poverty reduction strategy (EDPRS).

As such, the project is designed and is being implemented with the aim of generating socio-economic development in Bugesera, Kigali, and other parts of the Eastern Province. The airport will further sustain the development of the aviation sector by backstopping the growth of RwandAir with new facilities and training opportunities. The project is expected to provide approximately 2,000 jobs for local residents.

The ALSF provided assistance to the government of Rwanda in the development of the project, notably the provision of legal advisers who supported the government in its negotiations between project partners in the concession agreement for the construction and development of the airport.

The coordination of legal efforts was instrumental in ensuring the signing, first of a project development agreement and joint-venture agreement between the Rwandan government and investor, and subsequently of the concession agreement.

"We have anticipated this project for close to 10 years, all the while relying largely on local expertise," explained Emmanuel Rugambwa, a strategic investment analyst at the Rwanda Development Board.

"When we approached the ALSF, they swiftly helped us procure the required expertise to structure the project such that it attracts private capital. Since then, we've had many banks express interest in joining the project. The ALSF grant also includes a capacity building component which ensures that the procured experts will train Rwandans to monitor the project's development, as well as to structure future projects in a similar manner."

The Bugesera airport is designed to ease the air traffic load currently being experienced at Kigali International Airport which is the nearest to Kigali's central business district in Kanombe, 10km east.

In 2009 the Rwandan government employed TPS, a British engineering firm, to design and carry out a feasibility study to develop a new airport in Nyamata village in Bugesera, 40km south of Kigali.

The Bugesera Airport is designed to handle one million passengers and 150 million tonnes of cargo annually during its first phase from 2015 to 2025. Subsequent phases will follow with higher passenger and cargo capacities.

Under its second phase, Bugesera will incorporate building a second runway to approximate the capacity of the largest world airports.

The airport is also designed to provide leisure, hotels, and conference facilities. It is further hoped a free trade zone will be created in the area which will spur economic development.

Bugesera is an ideal location for an international airport because as Kigali expands, the two areas are expected to marry.



Tourism Observer
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UGANDA: Precision Air Rebounds To Entebbe International Airport Four Years After Quiting For Lack Of Business

Bukoba a Precision Air plane, touched down at Entebbe International Airport attracting happiness.

Precision Air plane was welcomed to a water cannon splash on its outer as the pilot turned into the parking position.

Precision Air had finally returned to the Entebbe route, four years after it suspended operation on the route in 2013, citing a restructuring process.

On Wednesday this week, Precision Air’s Manager Outstations and Offlines, Ms Lillian Musyoka announced, at a breakfast meeting in Kampala that they would return and commencing operation citing demand for flights particularly between Uganda and Tanzania.

This will mean that travellers no longer have to travel to Nairobi or Kigali in order to connect to Kilimanjaro and Dar Es Salaam.

Speaking at the launch, Ms Musyoka said the airline will operate four flights per week with two nonstop flights from Dar es Salaam and two services routing via Kilimanjaro.

The development fills a vacuum created on the route when Fastjet pulled out of the route in early December last year. Precision Air is partnering with local travel agent, Uganda Travel Bureau 2004 as its General Sales Agent and also coordinator of the airline’s operations in Uganda.

Travellers will be allowed with luggage of up 23 kilogrammes and up to seven kilogrammes of hand luggage.

Precision Air’s Commercial Director Mr Robert Owusu, stated that the decision to re-launch flights to Entebbe came after a market study which revealed that there was demand for flights between Tanzania and Uganda.

Apart from the business relationships, Tanzania and Uganda have a very rich history and we are going to honor that history by connecting the two countries through our services.

Passengers between Tanzania and Uganda should expect affordable and reliable flights, Mr Owusu explained.

Precision Air is currently the only IATA member in Tanzania and has recently announced a codeshare agreement with Etihad allowing the airline to offer more connection for passengers


Tourism Observer
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RWANDA: More Destinations For RwandAir

RwandAir has now launched its seventh West Africa destination, Abidjan, as part of the airline’s continued rollout of new countries important to its strategy to connect Africa via Kigali.

This follows the start of commercial flights on Rwanda Air a month ago to Cotonou and both new destinations are expected to begin feeding traffic into the WB network via Kigali to Eastern and Southern Africa, Dubai and soon to India’s commercial capital of Mumbai.

The recently acquired first Airbus A330-200 by Rwanda Air is meanwhile making yet more maiden appearances across RwandAir’s network with the most recent deployment taking the new bird to Cotonou, Libreville and Douala, where travel agents, corporate clients, invited guests from government, diplomatic corps and the business community were able to tour the aircraft while it was on the ground in the respective cities.

Named ‘Ubumwe‘, a Kinyarwanda word for Unity, will the aircraft now commence commercial flights four times a week to Dubai first before the arrival of a second Airbus A330-300 in November will then pave the way to launch operations to Mumbai.

The airline is banking on the aircraft’s superior inflight comfort and three class cabin configuration which offers Business Class, a dedicated cabin for 21 Premium Economy Seats and an Economy Class with 18 inch seats, the widest presently on offer by commercial airlines.

RwandAir will put several schedule changes into place, aimed to make travel to and from Southern African countries faster and easier, and offering seamless connections into their trans-Africa network and to their new intercontinental destinations.

Johannesburg will revert to nonstop flights, with several traffic days earmarked for a second daily service between Kigali and South Africa’s commercial hub. This change will also facilitate onward travel to Cape Town or Durban – and vice versa – which the current schedule makes difficult at best.

Come January next year, RwandAir will put several schedule changes into place, aimed to make travel to and from Southern African countries faster and easier, and offering seamless connections into their trans-Africa network and to their new intercontinental destinations.

Johannesburg will revert to nonstop flights, with several traffic days earmarked for a second daily service between Kigali and South Africa’s commercial hub. This change will also facilitate onward travel to Cape Town or Durban – and vice versa – which the current schedule makes difficult at best.

New destination Harare, Zimbabwe will, when launched in mid January, be combined with Lusaka, Zambia in a standalone triangular service routing KGL – LUN – HRE – KGL. Flights will in fact be raised from the present three times a week to LUN to five flights a week at that stage January.

The introduction of long haul services to Mumbai and later in 2017 to London will see RwandAir tap into the market of connecting passengers with yet greater determination, to make sure that they can fill their new Airbus A330’s but also carry more traffic into their Eastern and West African networks.

All flights to South Africa will be operated on Boeing 737 aircraft and, while no confirmation has been received as yet, there is speculation that the flights from Kigali to HRE and LUN will see the Bombardier CRJ900 deployed on that route.

The lack of slots for flights from Kigali to London Heathrow is seen as the key reason why RwandAir is now eying Gatwick, the UK capital’s second busiest airport.

The airline’s CEO Mr. John Mirenge, while speaking in Abidjan / Ivory Coast after the official inaugural flight to RwandAir’s latest African destination, gave the clearest indication yet that by 2018 Europe will be on the map for Rwanda’s national carrier.

During the runup of the delivery ceremony of the airline’s first Airbus A330 in Toulouse a few weeks ago did Mr. Mirenge also mention that London may be combined with another European waypoint but would not commit if that could be Frankfurt or another European gateway. At present does RwandAir only operate in codeshare with Brussels Airlines to the European capital.

Following the delivery of two additional aircraft in November, a brand new Boeing B737-800NG and a larger Airbus A330-300 variant is a widening of destinations expected in both Africa and beyond with Mumbai the first intercontinental target of the airline’s relentless expansion drive, fully backed incidentally by the Rwanda government.

In a related development are results due to be announced very soon of the IATA audit on Safe Ground Operations, in short ISAGO, which will certify RwandAir’s ground handling unit to be compliant with global best practice and standards.

RWANDA: Rwanda’s Wilderness In The Heart Of The City

While most cities battle with urban sprawl and the lack of truly wild spaces, the city of Kigali in Rwanda is planning a major greening project in the heart of the city.

A new €2.7 million plan is being developed to create a large eco-tourism park just a short drive from the city’s main international airport. The wetlands park will be around 130 hectares in size, and will be developed over the next three years, according to the local government.

City planners are hoping it will become a paradise for bird lovers, with Rwanda already considered one of the best locations for birding in the world. Despite the country’s comparatively small size (about the size of Belgium) – it is home to more than 700 different bird species in its dense forests, mountains, and wetlands. The new plan will also see walking and cycling trails developed alongside bird hides and leisure fishing ponds.

The Nyandungu Wetland park as it will be known, will also feature picnic areas, a café, and a spot specially designated for wedding photos.

The area had slowly been encroached on by development, with cattle grazing in the wetlands, and also the illegal development of garages and other light industry. Under the new plan, the site will be protected in an attempt to return it to its former glory as a vibrant wildlife habitat. Rwanda has emerged from its violent recent past with tourism playing a key role in getting the country’s economy back on its feet.

Many travellers are attracted by the opportunity to see rare mountain gorillas in their natural habitat in the famous Virunga Mountains.

With the opening of the eco-tourism park in Kigali however, visitors can still get a taste of Rwanda’s wilderness without even leaving the city. For those heading into the country, there are three different national parks to visit: Akagera, the location for a lion reintroduction programme; the Nyungwe rainforest, home to thirteen different primate species, and Volcanoes National Park.

ZANZIBAR: Turkish Airlines Launches Istanbul - Kilimanjaro - Zanzibar Route

Turkish Airlines has launched flights to Zanzibar in anticipation of a flood of visitors during the festive season to the spice island of zanzibar.

The new service will route from Istanbul via Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar and back from there to Istanbul and operate initially three times a week using a Boeing B737-900NG.

Zanzibar has subsequently become Turkish Airlines' 50th African destination making it the leading non African airline offering flights into the continent. Other destinations served in East Africa are Entebbe, Kigali, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam while in the wider region does Turkish fly to Mogadishu, Asmara, Djibouti and Addis Ababa.

Zanzibar has in recent years seen several new five star resorts launched while long time crowd favourites like Blue Bay Hotels have upgraded and modernized to stay in the top game of attracting tourists from around the world.

The Turkish Airlines service via Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar is clearly geared towards capturing the global tourism traffic which in this case can offer travelers the experience of both safaris and a sun and sand vacation all wrapped into one.

BOTSWANA: Air Botswana Finds New Marriage With Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways is pleased to announce a code-share partnership with Air Botswana, offering Qatar Airways travellers enhanced access to three key destinations in Botswana, Africa.

The partnership with Air Botswana, the national airline of Botswana, will provide Qatar Airways passengers with connections to the Botswana cities of Gaborone, Francistown and Maun via Qatar Airways’ South Africa gateway Johannesburg. Qatar Airways operates double-daily flights between Johannesburg and its state-of-the-art hub, Hamad International Airport in Doha, with onward flights to more than 150 destinations worldwide.

The new code-share agreement allows business and leisure travellers fast and convenient access to the home of Botswana’s rich mineral industry, abundant game reserves and luxury safari lodges. Botswana’s luxurious tourism experiences are complemented by Qatar Airways’ ultra-modern fleet of aircraft featuring the world’s best Business Class on services to South Africa.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said when making the announcement: 'Our new code-share agreement with Air Botswana will offer even greater opportunities for passengers from across our global network, especially from key markets in Europe and Asia to easily connect with popular destinations in Botswana, to take advantage of exclusive leisure experiences. Code-share partnerships and airline alliances continue to play an important role for Qatar Airways. We are committed to serving the travel needs of the African market and the addition of Air Botswana flights to Qatar Airways’ route network is an important expansion of our network'.

The Southern African region is an important market for Qatar Airways, with three destinations in South Africa including Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, and on the east Maputo in Mozambique. Expansion in this region is a key focus for Qatar Airways, having launched services to the Namibian capital Windhoek on 28th of September, with Lusaka in Zambia to follow, and the resumption of services to the Seychelles in December 2016.

Air Botswana’s Acting General Manager, Ms. Agnes Khunwana, said: 'We are delighted to join forces with a renowned global airline like Qatar Airways to launch code-share services to a number of Botswana cities. This partnership provides Qatar Airways’ passengers with easy and direct access to a number of key business and high-end leisure destinations across Botswana while providing easy access to Qatar Airways’ global network for the people of Gaborone, Francistown and Maun when booking directly with Qatar Airways. We look forward to working closely with Qatar Airways into the future'.

In Eastern Africa does Qatar Airways fly to Entebbe, Kigali, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar and this latest expansion into Africa provides the continent with quality air services connecting Africans to the rest of the world with just one stop in the airline's award winning hub airport in Doha, Hamad International.

SOUTH AFRICA: South African Tourists In Zimbabwe Decline,Weak Rand To Blame

Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi

South African tourist arrivals in Zimbabwe have declined sharply by about half — and the weak rand was to blame, Tourism minister Walter Mzembi has said.

Mzembi at the African Union summit in Kigali, Rwanda, over the weekend said that Zimbabwe used to have about 2,1 million tourists arrivals in the country, of which almost 1,5 million were South African.

“It went down by almost 50%, and that is not assisting the struggling economy,” he said of the economic situation in the country.

“The bullish United States dollar has made Zimbabwe as a destination uncompetitive for South Africans and anyone not using US dollars,” he said.

Mzembi said Zimbabwe’s economy “has been gliding through a recession some time” on the back of declining productivity as well as the “bullish” US dollar — which is the main currency in use in Zimbabwe.

He said 70% of Zimbabwe’s imports were from South Africa, and 77,8% of its exports went through the country and about two million lived in South Africa “as part of our Diaspora”.

“You can’t disregard or wish away umbilical relations between South Africa and Zimbabwe,” he said.

Mzembi said recent measures by Zimbabwe to curb imports from South Africa were adopted to arrest the country’s decline in productivity, but he admitted the measures “could have been conceived better”.

He said, for instance, the ban on the importation of South African goods that were also being manufactured in Zimbabwe also counted for ordinary travellers carrying household goods, and these have now been exempted.

“You want to allow space for the travelling public to be able to import within duty remit,” he said.

Other issues related to the ban, including the concerns raised by small traders who protested against it earlier this month, would be discussed “on a bureaucratic” level with South Africa’s trade and industry department, he said.

Asked how the country would deal with traders exporting goods from South Africa to other countries via Zimbabwe, Mzembi said the implementation of this still needed to be finalised.

“All the unintended consequences have been acknowledge. The current exercise is to review and smoothen the implementation,” he said.

“If there are any issues that need to be escalated at a political level, politicians will be engaged,” he said, adding that it wasn’t at this stage yet.

RWANDA: Pan-African Passports, Rwanda Is ready

Rwanda has moved ahead, in popularising the Pan-African passports, with the modalities already in place to print and issue the sophisticated travel document sooner than later, Louise Mushikiwabo, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Government spokesperson has said.

Mushikiwabo said this, on Thursday, while addressing journalists at sideline of the ongoing African Union Summit, in Kigali.

"The time has come for the popularisation process of African passport to be started," Mushikiwabo said.

"Rwanda is already printing out similar passports and we will be picking it up from here, during this summit, we will be printing and distributing different categories of passports, including diplomatic, official and ordinary passports."

On Sunday, it is expected that that the Pan-African passports will be symbolically handed to African Heads of State due here to attend the 27th African Union Summit, in Kigali-with hope that they will go on to distribute them to citizens in their respective countries.

"The passports to be handed to Heads of State are not specifically for the presidents, but for entire African citizens. This will be a symbolic genesis of easing the visa regimes across the continent," Mushikiwabo said.

She added that, delays to put into place seamless visa regime across the continent have hindered the continent's social and economic integration, due to limited mobility of people and goods.

"The African passport portrays the roadmap through which we seek to move African integration. From Kigali, we expect that countries will start on modalities and enter into discussions with the AU Commission to print each country's pan-African passport," Mushikiwabo noted.

Fears of insecurities on free movement

There has been perceived security-related fear which might originate from easing free movement of people across the continent, with some people saying that this process might pose security threats especially terrorists roaming across the continent easily.

However, Mushikiwabo noted that easing mobility of people and goods across the continent "will not compromise security."

"Of course security is key when we are talking about the e-passport across the continent. The fear of insecurity should not stop Africans from moving from one country to another, but rather, we, countries must pickup our preparation on the issues of e-passport in regard to people's movement."

UGANDA: Will Uganda Get Another National Carrier?

President Museveni, when addressing the first cabinet meeting of his new government, reportedly told them that 'because our brothers in Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa let us down' the formation of a national airline was now a priority.

When the former Uganda Airlines was finally dissolved it was because the carrier was broke and had been stripped of its cash cows like a ground handling monopoly, handed to a local consortium while the other profit making arm, the ownership of the local Galileo franchise, too eventually went into private hands.

No investors could be found at the time, as suitors swiftly discovered that all they would get was a debt ridden empty shell with no aircraft and few other assets.

Years later came the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, set up Air Uganda and was after seven years of operations nearing break even point, when the Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority killed them off, as amply explained here at the time.

That in fact happened at a time when the Ugandan government had the offer on the table to invest into the airline and turn it into a quasi if not real national carrier. While government pondered the offer did the Uganda CAA do their dirty work however and - allegedly to escape ICAO sanctions - pulled the international AOC's of all Uganda registered airlines, at one stage citing safety concerns.

This however was swiftly dismissed as a fairy tale and smoke screen as domestic operations by some of the affected airlines like the Aero Club in Entebbe, Ndege Juu in Kajjansi and of Eagle Air from Entebbe were allowed to continue even though they could not fly across the national borders.

Over 230 highly qualified employees of Air Uganda lost their jobs and connections to Nairobi, Juba, Kigali, Bujumbura, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Mombasa and Mogadishu literally vanished overnight leading to a scramble for seats and substantially higher fares.

While eventually then RwandAir and Ethiopian were given fifth freedom traffic rights to fly out of Entebbe, to Juba first and then, in the case of RwandAir, to Nairobi, were most other former U7 routes no longer available on direct flights and needed transit elsewhere.

A former Air Uganda employee in fact, when discussing the development last night, promptly responded, on condition of anonymity: 'Unless those responsible at UCAA for the Air Uganda closure are retired or sacked and a new team installed, what will change.

Who will guarantee a new investor that they will not pull the same stunts all over again if they are faced with a potential ICAO audit failure like it was the case when they shut down U7'.

Airline sources reached in the short time also denied that there have been 'failures' on the part of regional airlines flying to and from Entebbe in regard of fares, but that for one it was the market vis a vis supply and demand of seats which led to pricing and perhaps the lack of incentives by the Ugandan authorities to make flying in and out of Entebbe cheaper.

Others pointed to the challenges even established airlines in the region were faced with, such as Air Tanzania or Kenya Airways, and that an upstart would find it very difficult to capture traffic on especially international routes, where the likes of Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Fly Dubai from the Gulf and Brussels Airlines and KLM from Europe offered both competitive fares and state of the art equipment, infrastructure and global connectivity, a national airline would find impossible to match.

One other aviation source then added yet more salt when pointing out that under the NCIP - short for Northern Corridor Integration Projects - an aviation deal was reached that member countries like Uganda and South Sudan without a national airline, would let those with well developed national carriers operate routes out of Entebbe on fifth freedom rights.

Towards that end is RwandAir increasing their fleet from the present 8 to 12 aircraft by the middle of next year, offering a wider range of connections for Ugandan travelers either directly out of Entebbe or via Kigali.

Insider information suggests that a group of international aviation investors is considering the setting up of a new airline based in Entebbe, but given the trend of rising crude oil prices, the cost of new aircraft - the airline would need both short / medium haul and long haul equipment to face the competition - and the globally emerging lack of pilots meeting the required standards, this will be a mammoth task to accomplish.

'Unless a new airline starts pole pole with say two or three aircraft for short regional routes, the initial losses would be staggering. They would need an approach like Air Uganda started up, building market share on key regional routes before branching out and gradually adding more.

Even then must an investor have deep pockets to sustain the initial losses for as much as two years, hoping the world economy will not throw tantrums and that the East African region is remaining stable and the money is found for all the infrastructure projects presently under planning. Look at RwandAir how they patiently over many years now built their brand and route network. That takes time and money.

The Rwandan government is fully behind their airline, but given our budget challenges and priorities like Health, Education and infrastructure, how much can Uganda squeeze out from the annual budget to support such a venture until it matures and breaks even'

Many questions indeed and certainly fodder for thought, giving airlines already on the route enough time to plan their market strategies in the event this becomes reality, of how best to compete using their networks, known brands, ability to adjust fares into and out of Entebbe and importantly, their frequent flyer programmes which give direct incentives and benefits to their loyal passengers.
Watch this space for regular and breaking news from Eastern Africa's aviation scene.

QATAR: Qatar Airways Perpetual Winner of Awards More Awards

Qatar Airways has been announced as the winner of two prestigious accolades at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2016 – Airline with the Best Business Class, and Best Airport Lounge in the Middle East for the Al Mourjan Business Lounge in Hamad International Airport. Award winners are determined through votes cast by the readers of the prestigious industry magazine, Business Traveller Middle East, making Qatar Airways a firm favourite of business travellers across the region.

Mr. Ishfaq Jalal, Vice President - GCC, Levant, Iran, Iraq & Yemen at Qatar Airways, collected the award for Airline with the Best Business Class, and Mr. Abdulaziz Al Mass, Vice President, Commercial and Marketing at Qatar Airways received the award of Best Airport Lounge in the Middle East Award during a ceremony held on 24 April at Palazzo Versace, Dubai.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Mr. Akbar Al Baker, commented on the win: 'Qatar Airways is committed to going above and beyond by creating memorable experiences for our passengers whenever they fly with us. We are proud to have had our Business Class and Business Lounge facilities recognised by Business Traveller Middle East’s readers, demonstrating the service excellence we deliver is a winning strategy for the people who matter most to us. Recognition from our passengers, as well as from industry specialists such as Business Traveller Middle East, encourages us to continue to develop our offering by taking our exceptional services one step further, both on the ground and in the air'.

Mr. Abdulaziz Al Mass (centre), Vice President, Commercial and Marketing at Qatar Airways received the award of Best Airport Lounge in the Middle

The awards were received on the opening night of this year’s Arabian Travel Market, at which Qatar Airways has been showcasing its world-renowned award-winning service and hospitality, that, combined with its innovative products, demonstrate the airline’s commitment to delivering its new philosophy, Going Places Together. Qatar Airways aims to create memorable experiences for passengers as they travel across the airline’s global network.

On April 27th, coinciding with the official opening of Dubai International Airport’s Concourse D, Qatar Airways will launch its new Dubai Premium Lounge. Situated near Gate 15 in Concourse D, the Dubai Premium Lounge is available to First and Business Class passengers, as well as Privilege Club Platinum and Gold members, who can enjoy the lounge’s facilities which are set within a modern and a sophisticated space for travellers to relax and rejuvenate before their journey.

Qatar Airways serves all key destinations in Eastern Africa, Entebbe, Kigali, Nairobi, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam and even Zanzibar but notably not Mombasa, a destination the airline would like to fly to but has not been given favourable consideration by the Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority as yet.

In the Horn of Africa does QR serve Djibouti, Asmara and Addis Ababa.

QATAR: Qatar Airways Introduces New Standards At Arabian Travel Market 2016

Qatar Airways is preparing to bring its unique offering to the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the Middle East’s leading travel trade fair taking place in Dubai from 25-28 April 2016. This year, Qatar Airways will showcase the award-winning service and hospitality that the airline is renowned for, making memorable experiences for passengers world-wide.

At its state-of-the-art exhibition stand, Qatar Airways will give visitors a premier experience in its A380 First Class cabin, which takes luxury travel to new heights. The cabin, featuring ultra-wide seats, privacy dividers and the flexibility to convert the space into a fully flat bed or extend a table to invite a guest to dine with them, provides travellers a haven of tranquillity and relaxation while cruising at Mach 0.85 for business or leisure.

Visitors can also get a feel for the luxuriously appointed Dubai Premium Lounge located in Dubai International Airport’s Concourse D. Available to Qatar Airways First and Business Class passengers and Privilege Club Platinum, Gold and Silver members, the Dubai Premium Lounge is a modern and sophisticated space where travellers can relax and rejuvenate before their journey. The recently opened lounge is decorated with artistic Arabic calligraphy, Mediterranean-style tiles and calming water fountains, featuring private family areas, shower facilities, spacious seating areas and an international cuisine buffet.

Speaking on the airline’s involvement in Arabian Travel Market for this year, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: ' Arabian Travel Market has consistently been one of the most exciting platforms for us to participate in, providing us with the opportunity to network with our passengers and partners alike.

We are looking forward to recreating the unique Qatar Airways experience at our stand this year, enabling visitors to get a true taste of what it means to be a Qatar Airways passenger travelling to any one of our more than 150 global destinations'.

Several senior representatives from Qatar Airways will be present during the event. On day one will Mr. Al Baker hold a press conference to discuss the airline’s expansion plans, upcoming developments, and the newest additions to its growing portfolio of offerings.

In East Africa does Qatar Airways fly to Entebbe, Kigali, Nairobi and also to Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam and the holiday island of Zanzibar.

Plane Carrying 140 Skidds Off Runway

When the bi-annual Bahrain Air Show opens its doors on the 21st of January will Qatar Airways once again be present in a big way, showcasing three of their state of the art aircraft for display.

It was just about a year ago when the airline as global launch customer entered the Airbus A350XWB into service with scheduled flights from Doha to Frankfurt. Qatar Airways now has seven of these state of the art aircraft in service, deployed on the routes to Frankfurt, Munich, Singapore and more recently Philadelphia. The world’s aviation media were invited for the global launch event a year ago and many will no doubt look forward to the Bahrain show which runs from the 21st to the 23rd of January at the Sakhir Air Base just outside the capital Manama.

Also on show will be Qatar Airways Airbus A380, featuring the airline’s acclaimed First Class cabin besides their award winning Business and Economy class sections. The third aircraft on display will this year come from the Qatar Airways Executive flight division, showcasing a Bombardier Global 5000 business jet.

Said the airline group’s CEO Mr. Akbar Al Baker, who during the launch event last week in Los Angeles on occasion of Qatar Airways’ inaugural flight to the City of Angels once gain robustly rebutted allegations by the US legacy carriers about unfair competition: ‘We look forward to welcoming guests and visitors on board our very latest aircraft at the Bahrain International Airshow, and celebrating the one year anniversary of A350 operations as the global launch customer.

This aircraft is the very latest in design, technology and comfort, and will make its first appearance at the air show this year, which will delight aviation enthusiasts, families and other visitors to the Middle East’s first major aviation event of 2016’.

Qatar Airways serves East African destinations out of Doha with Airbus A320 aircraft, flying to Entebbe, Kigali, Nairobi, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar while in the wider region also operating flights to Djibouti, Asmara and Addis Ababa.

In a related development will visitors to the Bahrain Air Show also no doubt look forward to the expected announcement by host country national airline Gulf Air, which has indicated that they will make public their future fleet renewal plans at the air show.

KENYA: Lufthansa’s Return To Nairobi, Bad Start

Lufthansa, which forced partner Brussels Airlines off the Nairobi route in exchange for flights to Accra / Ghana, is coming under severe and sustained critique for their apparent U-turn to scale back the number of services operated from the envisaged four to just three, in addition to which a smaller aircraft is now scheduled to operate the Frankfurt to Nairobi flights from mid October.

The news a few months ago that Brussels Airlines, which operated an Airbus A330-200 from Brussels via either Bujumbura or Kigali to Nairobi before returning to Brussels nonstop, had been pushed to accept a deal reportedly forced upon them by senior partner Lufthansa, to yield the route to Kenya to them, had caused some serious consternation among travelers and travel agents alike.

At the end of the 1990’s did Lufthansa ditch the Nairobi route under the flimsy pretext of not having a suitable aircraft after the sale of their Airbus A310 fleet, though insiders at the time speculated that the Africa management forced the decision over revenues as flights to destinations like Asmara and Addis Ababa continued uninterrupted. ‘They could not stand the competitive heat over low fares, that is the truth about what happened back then’ volunteered a Nairobi based travel agent before adding ‘We were happy with Brussels Airlines. They were punctual, offered good fares and good service. Many of us are sad that they were pushed out of Nairobi and the latest news about Lufthansa now scaling back flights from four to three is just a reminder how they abandoned Nairobi 15 years ago. In fact, if the rumours are true that they intend to use a small single aisle aircraft they are very mistaken if they think they will make an impact in Kenya. Airlines like Qatar or Etihad use the Airbus A320 but that is only for a flight of about 5 hours. Frankfurt to Nairobi is eight plus hours and squeezing people into a small aircraft will be self-defeating. The Gulf airlines, BA, KLM, Turkish will all have a field day to demolish Lufthansa’s sales efforts’.

Another senior travel agent rubbished the Lufthansa return altogether when commenting on the emerging news that the airline planned to scrap the Sunday flight and change the aircraft from a wide body to a Boeing B737-700: ‘For one an airline like Lufthansa is expected to operate daily flights and absorb the startup cost until the route is profitable. Secondly, reducing the already ridiculous four flights to three is doing their reputation a lot of extra damage. People are asking why do you come back with a very limited service? Thirdly, the distance is just too long to use a single aisle aircraft for the route, a very bad way to relaunch and re-enter Kenya. Fourthly, even when they eventually bring a wide body it is an old Airbus A340, in other words they offload their rubbish equipment on the Kenyan market. Why, and I asked you that before, did they not just let things be as they were. They codeshared with Swiss and Brussels Airlines and it worked well. This is just an ego trip for them it seems and the way they are starting up makes them a laughing stock. You wait and see how the likes of Emirates, Qatar, Turkish, KLM and BA will take them apart. Foolish, very foolish’.

Wait and see it for sure is as all eyes are on the inaugural flight and what whoever comes to Nairobi to represent Lufthansa on the occasion will have to say in mitigation of such poorly planned changes sprung on the Kenyan market at the very last moment.

‘We had high hopes for a big global airline like Lufthansa to come back to Nairobi’ said a regular source close to the Kenya Tourism Board before adding ‘Now it seems for whatever commercial reasons they have they are not delivering what they promised. That is a big letdown because the net effect, after Brussels Airlines goes away, is a loss of available seats, not an increase as we were told. This is very disappointing from a company like Lufthansa, very disappointing’.

No doubt will the airline now use spin doctors and local PR links to mitigate this rather unmitigated re-entry disaster and everyone will watch their next moves and the reasons they will give to the public.