RwandAir and Qatar Airways have signed a codeshare agreement in a bid to up connectivity, enhance their customers’ experience and give them more options as they plan their trips to more than sixty-five destinations across the African continent, the Middle East, Europe and the United States. The agreement was signed at the recently concluded 77th Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) held in Boston.
According to Yvonne Makolo, the Chief Executive Officer of RwandAir, “This is a major milestone for RwandAir and marks the beginning of an exciting new journey with Qatar Airways. We are also immensely proud to welcome Doha to our route network, connecting customers with Qatar’s hub and further expanding their flight map. This codeshare agreement will give our customers significantly more choice and flexibility, allowing RwandAir to strengthen its global presence and build on its strong and loyal African customer base”, with plans of launching non-stop flights between their Kigali hub and Doha in December.
On his part, the Group Chief Executive of Qatar Airways, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al-Baker had this to say about the historic partnership:
“We share a very close and collaborative bond with Rwanda and welcome RwandAir’s new non-stop service between Kigali and our home in Doha. With this comprehensive codeshare agreement, we are committed to delivering greater choice and connectivity to our customers in Africa and around the world. The new partnership will help position Qatar Airways in the region and complement our African expansion strategy.”
He went on to predict that in a bid to “propel travel, tourism, and trade firmly on the path to recovery”, many more such agreements will be signed as airlines prepare to meet up with increased demand for travel.
As per the codeshare agreement, customers can purchase connecting flights on both airlines using just one reservation, with hassle-free ticketing, check-in, boarding, and baggage check experience.
While the deal will enable RwandAir customers to book offers to sought-after destinations in the U.S such as Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles and Dallas; Qatar Airways will, through this partnership, increase its presence in Africa, with access to destinations such as Bujumbura, Kinshasa, and Lubumbashi.
The agreement also enables both airlines to extend their services to important European cities such as London, Zurich, Madrid; and cities across Asia like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
It should be noted that both airlines recently merged their loyalty programs such that their entire customer base has the possibility of accruing and redeeming miles across their reciprocal route networks, with equal access to the airlines’ airport lounges in both Kigali and Doha.
