On June 27, RwandAir, Rwanda’s national airline, launched service between Kigali and Paris. The airline will accommodate the title of being the sole gateway between Rwanda and France by beginning service on the route.
The airline will use its fleet of Airbus A330 aircraft to operate a three-times-weekly roundtrip schedule from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) to Kigali International Airport (KGL).
Since starting its maiden route between Kigali and Paris last week, RwandAir has said “bonjour” to Paris. The route will be flown three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and will become the 25th destination on RwandAir’s route map.
Flown on the company’s fleet of Airbus A330 widebody aircraft, flight WB700 departs Kigali every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 00:40 am, arriving at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at 09:30 the same day.
For the return leg, flight WB701 will leave Paris 12 hours later, at 9:30pm, where it will land back in Kigali at 6:00am the following morning.
Additionally, the new route between Kigali and Paris becomes the first in-air gateway between Rwanda and France – a small gateway of just eight hours and thirty minutes.
On the recently inaugurated route, RwandAir Chief Executive Officer, Yvonne Makolo, said:
“We are excited and proud today to celebrate the start of RwandAir’s new three-times-a-week service to Paris from Kigali. We know this fantastic new route to the French capital will prove very popular with our customers.”
“From tourists looking to discover the chic and sophisticated city of Paris, or eager to explore the beauty and wildlife of Rwanda, RwandAir’s new flights will also reunite friends and families and enable businesses to build stronger international links.”
“We look forward to growing our presence in the French market as we continue to expand our international route network and connect Africa with Europe and more overseas destinations.” she concluded.
The route, which was initially revealed in April of this year, was intended to enable visitors from the French capital to travel to Africa and discover that continent’s undiscovered treasure. Rwanda has a lot to offer, from its breathtaking scenery and fauna to its national parks that are home to mountain gorillas.
On the announcement which took place in April just this year, RwandAir CEO, Yvonne Makolo commented: “The launch of our first-ever flights to Paris is an exciting development in RwandAir’s continuing expansion and a testament to the importance of French-Rwandan relations”
She furthered on how relations between the two nations will be better off: “France is a major market for RwandAir as we connect the continents of Africa and Europe through our home hub in Kigali with this new direct service to Paris, one of the world’s top tourism destinations.
“French travelers can look forward to a warm welcome onboard on our inaugural flight today and for many more years to come as we deepen the ties of friendship and fraternity between France and Rwanda.”