RwandAir to Introduce Direct Flights to Doha as Part of Codeshare Agreement with Qatar Airways

 Now, Rundere and Qatar always have signed a court-share agreement which will allow their passengers to purchase connecting flights on both airlines. As part of the deal, Rundere will launch direct flights to Doha. Aviation analyst Alex Machero spoke to CNBC Africa's Julius Busimungu for more. This is the latest in signings, which ultimately brings the two airlines, the flag carrier of Rundere and the flag carrier of Qatar, closer together. And it's an initiative, a commercial initiative, this time a court-share agreement that is ultimately part of the wider deal between Qatar and Rundere. That's that big deal that had that initial signing. We know the details of that deal have been finalised. The deal is not yet closed, but when it is closed, it will see Qatar move ahead with around a 49% stake in Rundere. And one of the commercial components of the deal, ready at the surface now, the announcement yesterday in Boston, which is this co-share agreement that ultimately increases connectivity between the two airlines and ultimately gives Rundere passengers access to the intact Maraue's Rundere flag. And the same for Qatar, Rundere passengers onto the Rundere network, specifically for those destinations on the continent of Africa. So, you know, this is a component as part of that wider deal that brings the two airlines together that is all about boosting connectivity. And we often speak about connectivity, but what we really practically mean is making it easier for passenger flows to move through the Middle East hub and over to Rundere and then either to stay in Rundere itself or to move on with the airline to its destinations across the continent and vice versa. So it's really about making sure that passenger flow is as accessible and as easy as possible. And these type of deals typically drive the price down for consumers too. I'll ask you more about the 49% deal that Qatar Air has with Rundere, but part of the co-chair agreement that they signed yesterday was, you know, the ideals Rundere to also launch direct price to Doha. What competitive advantage does Rundere has on this specific road, especially when you consider that other airlines have been operating on this road for quite some time, like Ethiopian airlines? Well, the thing about the deal itself is that both airlines have very much to gain in different ways. And in relation to specifically the co-chair agreement, what this means is that by Rundere flying itself using its own aircraft, flying its own route between Kigali and Doha, it adds that extra frequency in addition to the existing Qasar Airway service, which is able to ultimately increase capacity and passenger numbers traveling between the two countries. But more specifically, it's about grabbing on to that passenger flow that flows through the hub of Doha's Hamad International Airport here in the Middle East. This is one of the main Middle East and Gatesways, and it has a passenger flow from all areas of the coming through. And so by Rundere operating the route, it means that they're able to latch on to an ultimately a grab onto a passenger flow that perhaps would arrive into Doha or transit through Doha a little bit later or earlier than the existing Qasar Airway service. So it's an additional service between Kigali and Doha, this time operated by Rundere and they have a lot to gain because they can gain that flow of transit passengers through Doha, bring them to Rundere and then of course you've got the choice of those passengers either ending that journey in Rundere in Kigali or using the airline to make those onward connection across the continent of Africa. That's the real gain of Rundere specifically operating here to Doha in addition to the existing Qasar Airway service. And from what we understand, they'll be operating here by the end of the year. So it's good news from passengers and it boosts that flow across the continent into the Middle East and then beyond. Alex, this is part of a big deal that they took the two airlines signed last year in Doha in which Qatar Airways wants to take 49% stake in Rundere. You say it is finalized but not closed. What does that mean exactly? Well, this is the latest that we've heard from the CEO Rundere in Boston and this is in partnership with the CEO of Qatar Airways. We know that the deal had that initial signing. You and I were both present when that was announced in Doha and what we know since then is that details have been established and it's a work in progress but that now they have reached the point that the details have been finalized but the deal is not yet closed and we can expect to be closed pretty soon as they are in a good position from what I understand both their lines are in agreement of the details of the deal and that's why they are comfortable enough to come forward and say that it has been finalized and so the next step is to close that deal and there was a delay with the deal itself and that's because of COVID. The airlines including Qatar Airways, they say that from from Doha here the priorities were obviously changing very quickly in the early days of the pandemic because we saw the world close down around us and given those shifting priorities a lot of deals including the Rwandan deal. We're put to side just for a brief moment while they address the key issues that hand not least getting people back into the air figuring out how testing would play a vital role and of course trying to get markets to open up safely now that we have access to vaccines and we do think that vaccines and it's from the aviation sectors point of you will be the way out of this in conjunction with other measures so we know that there was a delay with the deal but from what I understand and I've spoken to both carriers the deal is very much on track and this is that side deal this is the deal that is between Qatar Airways and Rwandan not forgetting of course the deal between Qatar and Rwandan for the international airport just near to Kigali where of course Qatar are hoping to build and operate and own 60% of the international airport that will be the flagship airport of Rwandan and they expect that to be to be operating perhaps by mid 2024. Alex before we wind up this conversation what rose do you think Qatar Airways will leverage in the future here in Africa for it to expand its presence on the continent? Well Qatar Airways just like so many airlines want to secure and widen and deepen the footprint on the continent of Africa they know this is a lucrative market they know that Africa has now started to ultimately take more more vaccine deliveries and so although it's been behind the rest of the world because of global inequality that we so sadly see all too often we know that there is still a strong aviation future on the horizon.

RwandAir and Qatar Airways have signed a codeshare agreement, which will allow their passengers to purchase connecting flights on both airlines. As part of the deal, RwandAir will launch direct flights to Doha. Aviation Analyst, Alex Macheras spoke with CNBC Africa’s Julius Bizimungu on what this means. 

RwandAir to start non-stop flights to Doha  

RwandAir and Qatar Airways have signed a codeshare agreement, which will allow their passengers to purchase connecting flights on both airlines.

RwandAir to start non-stop flights to Doha

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RwandAir to start non-stop flights to Doha

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