RwandAir has landed at Doha International Airport in Qatar for the first time in its history. Rwanda's flag carrier now connects Kigali (KGL) and Doha (DOH), a route only possible following the signing of a codeshare agreement with Qatar Airways. Let's investigate further.

A route a few months in the making

Earlier this year, Qatar Airways and RwandAir signed a codeshare agreement. Both carriers are looking to increase connectivity within Africa. Additionally, the Rwandan airline announced a new route between Kigali and Doha. RwandAir took over the route; Qatar Airways operated for nine years but has stepped back.

When announcing the route back in September, RwandAir CEO Yvonne Makolo said,

"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."

Meanwhile, Akbar Al Baker, the Qatar Airways Group CEO, said that the new codeshare agreement would help position Qatar Airways in Africa and complement its expansion strategy in the continent.

The codeshare agreement was an expansion of the previous interline agreement that allowed passengers from both airlines to connect through their respective hubs DOH and KGL.

As of December 2021, RwandAir serves two domestic destinations and 26 international destinations in 21 countries. The airline is operating 1,107 flights, with 118,081 seats available, according to Cirium’s database. Its most important route connects Kigali with Nairobi, with 93 scheduled flights this month.

The arrival

On December 2nd, RwandAir announced it had officially landed at Doha International Airport. The airline used a Boeing 737-800 aircraft to fly the route.

RwandAir will operate the Kigali-Doha route three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The flight code is WB300. Interestingly enough, WB300 was the code for RwandAir's flights between Kigali and Dubai in the past.

Upon landing at Doha, the B737-800 received the customary water salute to commemorate the launch of the new roue.

The benefits of Doha

RwandAir knows its passengers will have a lot of benefits flying through Doha International Airport. The codeshare agreement between both national carriers is now offering customers "greater choice, comfort, and connectivity," said RwandAir in a statement.

Connecting more of Africa to the world, this newest addition allows passengers from Qatar’s airport to seamlessly travel to more than 25 destinations across Africa, Europe, and Asia. Qatar Airways passengers can take advantage of the partnership and choose from three weekly flights on rwandair.com by using their Qatar Airways Qmiles, added the airline.

Doha offers global travelers convenient connectivity through its strategic location. Approximately 80% of the world’s population is able to connect with Doha through 6-hour flights.

Yvonne Makolo, RwandAir CEO, added:

“RwandAir is proud to partner with HIA and Qatar Airways, which will act as a catalyst to continue our recovery and demonstrate our commitment to enhancing the traveling experience for our customers. It will provide greater connections through Doha to Qatar, and to destinations around the world on Qatar Airways, to dramatically boost the choice of routes for our customers from Kigali."

Would you like to travel between Kigali and Doha onboard RwandAir's Boeing 737-800? Let us know in the comments below.