RwandAir to give Jambojet run for its money on Goma route

RwandAir has introduced flights to Goma and Lubumbashi just weeks after budget carrier Jambojet made the same announcement.

The Rwanda’s flag carrier announced last week that they will be starting flights to Democratic Republic of Congo in a date that is yet to be announced.

The move is a direct competition to Jambojet in a route that lacks good connectivity both domestically and internationally.

DRC market is currently served by the national carrier Congo Airways, which flies to eight domestic destinations, including Goma, Kinshasa and Lubumbashi.

The Jambojet inaugural flight to Goma will be on September 10, starting with two frequencies weekly. This is set to grow to four weekly, flying on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

The DRC route is becoming one of the favourite routes for carriers with airlines taking advantage of poor connectivity in that market.

Kenya Airways in April signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Congo Airways to collaborate, strengthen, and bolster aviation ties between Kenya and The Democratic Republic of Congo.

The signing of the cooperation was witnessed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Congolese counterpart Félix Tshisekedi during Mr Kenyatta’s three-day State visit of DR Congo.

Kenya, just like many other countries, are looking to leverage on the DRC market by diversifying its export destinations, particularly when the Covid-19 induced disruption has brought into focus the need for deeper inter-regional trade.

The airline is taking advantage of the huge opportunity the African market has to offer, and the rising demand for air connectivity in the region.

“There is a growing demand for air transport across the continent, with the International Air Transport Association projecting that Africa will become one of the fastest growing aviation regions within the next 20 years, with an average annual expansion rate of almost five percent. We, as Jambojet, are keen to be part of this growth,” said Jambojet.

Lubumbashi is the second-largest city and mining capital in DR Congo. It is also rich in fertile soil for agriculture which calls for many investors.

Goma is the provincial capital of the eastern DRC and is a commercial hub for the majority of businesses including cross-border trade with Rubavu district in Rwanda.

Jambojet currently flies to six destinations including Mombasa, Diani, Eldoret, Kisumu and Malindi from its primary hub in Nairobi. The airline also operates a direct flight from Mombasa to Kisumu and Eldoret.

In a bid to diversify its product offering, Jambojet launched Charter services in October 2020.