►► KENYA: Rwandair boosts Nairobi with 5 additional flights starting 25 January.

[UPDATE 3 JANUARY] Following the announcement late last year of a new partnership between Kenya Airways (KQ) and Rwandan national carrier, RwandAir (WB), the latter have announced an increase in their weekly frequencies to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, served via Entebbe, Uganda. Effective 25 January, Rwandair will add an extra 5 weekly flights to Nairobi using a Canadair CRJ900.

■ SPAIN: Rwandair awards Iberia contract for CRJ900 maintenance.

The maintenance division of Spanish carrier Iberia (IB), Iberia Maintenance, and Rwandan carrier Rwandair (WB) have signed a comprehensive contract which will see the Spanish firm being responsible for the up keep and maintenance of the components of Rwandair's two brand new Bombardier CRJ900s.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Bombardier appoints SA Express its first Authorized Aircraft Service Facility in Africa; sees strong potential market for C-Series jets.

The first deals of the recently convened African Airlines Association (AFRAA) 44th Annual General Assembly being held in Johannesburg have been announced with Canada's Bombardier selecting South African Express Airways better known as SA Express (XZ) for the company's first Africa-based Authorized Service Facility (ASF) for its CRJ100, CRJ200 and CRJ700 regional jets, as well as its Q400 turboprops and other Dash 8/Q-Series turboprops. 

► ALGERIA: Iberia starts Oran, Algiers from Summer 2013.

Spanish carrier Iberia (IB), from Summer 2013, will expand its operations in Algeria, with the service resumption of Alicante – Oran and the addition of Valencia – Algiers effective 31 March 2013. The routes are to be operated with either a Bombardier CRJ200 or CRJ900 aircraft.

► RWANDA: See Pics of RwandAir's first CRJ-900NG arriving in Kigali!

Rwandan national carrier Rwandair (WB) has officially received its first of two Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) 900NGs (MSN# 15286 | 9XR-WH) following a hand-over ceremony in Montreal, Canada and a delivery flight routed Montréal - Goose Bay - Reykjavík - Ancona - Aswan - Kigali.

►► RWANDA: RwandAir announces network changes in preparation for its first Bombardier CRJ-900NG.

Rwandan national carrier Rwandair (WB) has announced various changes to its Nigeria and its previously announced East African route timetables, as it prepares for the arrival of its first Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) 900NG (MSN# 15286 | 9XR-WH) due, according to informed sources, on 22 October 2012.

► RWANDA: RwandAir announces CRJ900 routes; introduces other additional frequencies.

With the first of its two new Bombardier CRJ900NGs (MSN# 15286| 9XR-WH) due in by the middle of October 2012 and the second due in mid November, so Rwandan national carrier RwandAir (WB) has outlined the future routes they will be used on, in addition to various new frequencies to come into effect from 31 October 2012.

RwandAir CRJ900 '9XR-WH'

RwandAir CRJ900NG Routes

RwandAir: Kigali, Rwanda – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

-Effective 31 October 2012

• WB440 KGL1730 – 2030DAR CR9 | 1234567
• WB441 DAR2100 – 2200KGL CR9 | 1234567

Kigali, Rwanda – Entebbe, Uganda

-Effective 31 October 2012

• WB422 KGL1440 – 1625EBB CR9 | 1234567
• WB423 EBB1655 – 1640KGL CR9 | 1234567

Kigali, Rwanda – Nairobi, Kenya

-Effective 31 October 2012

• WB404 KGL0155 – 0410NBO CR9 | 1234567
• WB406 KGL1455 – 1710NBO CR9 | 1357
• WB402 KGL1455 – 1710NBO CR9 | 246

• WB405 NBO1155 – 1210KGL CR9 | 1234567
• WB407 NBO2125 – 2140KGL CR9 | 1357
• WB407 NBO2125 – 2140KGL CR9 | 246

Source [Airline Route]

Additionally, various new frequencies have been announced:

• Entebbe, Uganda: from 17x to 33x weekly flights.
• Brazzaville, Congo & Libreville, Gabon: 3x to 5x weekly flights.
• Dubai, UAE : from 6x to 13x weekly flights.
• Lagos, Nigeria: from 3x to 7x weekly flights.
• Johannesburg, South Africa : from 8x to 10x weekly flights.

Source [RwandanFlyer]

Kigali, Rwanda – Dubai
-Planned service increase from 6x weekly to daily. The daily service operates nonstop in both directions, replacing 3x weekly nonstop and 1-stop service via Mombasa, Kenya.

• WB300 KGL0045 – 0830DXB 738 | 1234567
• WB301 DXB0950 – 1335KGL 738 | 2467
• WB301 DXB1010 – 1335KGL 738 | 2467

Kigali, Rwanda – Johannesburg, South Africa
-Planned service increase from 8 to 10 weekly

• WB100 KGL0100 – 0500JNB 738 | 123567
• WB100 KGL0100 – 0500JNB 735 | 4
• WB102 KGL1445 – 1845JNB 738 | 356

• WB101 JNB0800 – 1200KGL 738 | 123567
• WB101 JNB0800 – 1200KGL 735 | 4
• WB103 JNB1930 – 2330KGL 738 | 356

Kigali – Lagos, Nigeria
-Planned service increase from 3x weekly to daily

• WB200 KGL1435 – 1745LOS 738 | 1234567
• WB201 LOS1830 – 2340KGL 738 | 1234567

Source [Airline Route]

► CANADA: See Pics of RwandAir's first Bombardier CRJ-900NG Jet just out of the paint shop!

The first pictures out of Montreal's Mirabel Airport, Canada have emerged of Rwandan flag carrier RwandAir's (WB) first of two Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) 900NGs (MSN# 15286| 9XR-WH), due for delivery in October of this year. The value of the two CRJ 900s together is USD$185million.

Said RwandAir CEO John Mirenge on signing the contract in March:

"Based on our experience with the CRJ200 aircraft, the dual-class 75-seat CRJ900 NextGen aircraft was the logical upgrade. CRJ900 NextGen aircraft also provide exceptional reliability and have much in common with other CRJ aircraft. These aircraft will be configured with seven business class seats and 68 economy class seats."

Source [Bombardier]

RwandAir CRJ900 '9XR-WH' in the paintshop.

All done. (RwandAir)

The jets will play a pivotal role in freeing up Rwandair's larger Boeing 737-800s as the carrier seeks to increase its regional footprint in coming months, with much speculation surrounding possible new routes to Lusaka (Zambia), Cape Town (South Africa), and Juba (South Sudan).

► ZIMBABWE: Startup "Sol Air" gets IATA code; plans to lease CRJ 900.

With the slow demise of Air Zimbabwe, a vast gap has been left in the Zimbabwean domestic market. Aside from South Africa's Solenta Aviation, and a few charter companies flying between Harare and the main tourist/safari areas (Bumi Hills, Hwange Park, Kariba and Victoria Falls) there has not been a regular large-scale service between Zimbabwe's two main cities - Harare and Bulawayo - for quite some time.

However, it was announced  recently by Managing Director, Nkosilathi Sibanda, that local start up "Sol Air" has obtained an IATA code (ZS) in addition to an operating licence from the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ), awarded in February of this year. 

According to it's licence mandate, Sol Air has been designated the Bulawayo-Francistown-Gaborone, Harare-Bulawayo, Bulawayo-Victoria Falls and the Harare-Masvingo-Buffalo Range routes, which Sibanda said, would likely be serviced with a leased Bombardier CRJ 900.

Claiming international financial backing to the tune of  USD$3.5 million, Mr Sibanda was also quoted as saying the airline was "in talks with two companies in Dubai and South Africa to lease us three 70-seater aircrafts and the talks will be concluded with a month" (sic).

The question many people want to know is the answer to though, is will this airline survive where so many others have failed? In a market renowned for much talk and little substance, the Zimbabwean domestic airline scene is littered with the corpses of failed airlines like Zimbabwean Express Airlines, flyKumba, Vic-Falls Airways, Expedition Airways, Zambezi Airways and Mid Airlines, all of whom were unable to break the Air Zimbabwe monopoly.