Hope some of the famous spotters in the UK will take some great shots for the maiden commercial flight to Europe beginning next Friday.

as a reminder here are the time tables:

WB700 KGL1220 – 2000LGW 332 2
WB700 KGL1230 – 2010LGW 332 34
WB700 KGL1245 – 2025LGW 332 5

WB701 LGW2130 – 0710+1KGL 332 2
WB701 LGW2140 – 0720+1KGL 332 34
WB701 LGW2150 – 0730+1KGL 332 5


Looks like RwandAir will add a Swiss destination to their network soon. Good news to see they will expand Which one would make more sense GVA or ZRH first?

Even though the country is wealthy, the metro areas are quite small (1.3 millions and nearly 2 millions people), why not Paris or Frankur insteadt?

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo and her Swiss counterpart Didier Burkhalter have signed air service agreement opening Swiss skies to RwandaAir.

sources:
- http://en.igihe.com/news/rwanda-switzer ... ement.html
- http://rwandaises.com/2017/05/le-rwanda ... s-aeriens/
- http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/artic ... 23/212977/

Any news on what kind of aircraft they will be flying?

I Guess A333 or A332

90 minutes is tight turn for a 332.

I am guessing WB has signed an interline agreement with LX. That is the only way Switzerland makes any sense (although CH is still is a popular place for African elites to store money that is often ill-gotten)...

usflyer msp wrote:

90 minutes is tight turn for a 332.

Not really, dozens of A330s are turned in 90 minutes or less all over the world everyday. It doesn't leave any time for slacking, but is definitely doable.

usflyer msp wrote:

90 minutes is tight turn for a 332.

I am guessing WB has signed an interline agreement with LX. That is the only way Switzerland makes any sense (although CH is still is a popular place for African elites to store money that is often ill-gotten)...

Switzerland as much more to offer than corrupt banker. I cannot say that it's not happening but com'on. We would love to fly a A333 full of those people in with their suitcases full of money but it's not going to happen any time soon. Maybe some regular Swiss travelers and some business man?

eastafspot wrote:

Looks like RwandAir will add a Swiss destination to their network soon. Good news to see they will expand Which one would make more sense GVA or ZRH first?

Even though the country is wealthy, the metro areas are quite small (1.3 millions and nearly 2 millions people), why not Paris or Frankur insteadt?

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo and her Swiss counterpart Didier Burkhalter have signed air service agreement opening Swiss skies to RwandaAir.

Back in the days a lot of African airline used to fly to GVA. I hope to see some more colorful widebody around.

An air service agreement doesn't necessarily mean flights will be operated. SA has rights to ZRH and GVA but currently doesn't use them. Whether ZRH or GVA. I think this depends on the market they are targeting. If they have or intend concluding an interline agreement with LX, then it can only be ZRH. Should they go after the market generated by international organisations and African diplomatic representations, it could be GVA. Neither ZRH nor GVA really warrant a service for the general Swiss or Rwandan markets and I don't think anybody wants to go back to the days when QC,GN,UY and RK operated their B-747 and DC-10 through GVA with 10-15 passenegrs only !

eastafspot wrote:

Hope some of the famous spotters in the UK will take some great shots for the maiden commercial flight to Europe beginning next Friday.

as a reminder here are the time tables:

WB700 KGL1220 – 2000LGW 332 2
WB700 KGL1230 – 2010LGW 332 34
WB700 KGL1245 – 2025LGW 332 5

WB701 LGW2130 – 0710+1KGL 332 2
WB701 LGW2140 – 0720+1KGL 332 34
WB701 LGW2150 – 0730+1KGL 332 5

I'm on the inaugural this Friday from LGW I only booked earlier this week, but just got a time change...just a small 20 minutes for the Tuesday service KGL-LGW, now 1200-2000.

eastafspot wrote:

Looks like RwandAir will add a Swiss destination to their network soon. Good news to see they will expand Which one would make more sense GVA or ZRH first?

Even though the country is wealthy, the metro areas are quite small (1.3 millions and nearly 2 millions people), why not Paris or Frankur insteadt?

i'm surprised that BRU isn't first to be honest given it has proven links and passengers loads. Otherwise I think Paris would make sense. Either way, i'm happy to see them at LGW. Selfishly, I hope the flights this week aren't too busy!

africawings wrote:

Any news on what kind of aircraft they will be flying?

My itinerary shows a A330-200 (so 9XR-WN)

9XR-WN is currently in DXB, so no sign of it coming up LGW today, at least not directly from KGL.
9XR-WP their A333 has an unknown flight status on a MBA - KGL service.
So good luck for the inaugural tonight !

Not good news for Qatar, fly Dubai, Ethiopian or Kenyan all of who currently provide Kigali with a link to Europe.

It doesn't seem to have been picked up yet with any flight tracking sites. Flightstats seems to be predicting it's over the middle of Libya, but on other sites Libya is empty of planes apart from on the coast. Otherwise a big blank.

https://beta.flightstats.com/flight-tra ... ign=weblet
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/RWD7 ... /HRYR/EGKK

Edit

On twitter, Rwandair have a bunch of posts and pictures (ah, the joys of social media)

https://twitter.com/FlyRwandAir

TC957 wrote:

9XR-WN is currently in DXB, so no sign of it coming up LGW today, at least not directly from KGL.
9XR-WP their A333 has an unknown flight status on a MBA - KGL service.
So good luck for the inaugural tonight !

You can find inaugural flight's coverage on twitter, videos and all, it has occurred.

Yes indeed ! It's the A333, currently on it's way into LGW over Algeria.

gabrielchew wrote:

eastafspot wrote:

Hope some of the famous spotters in the UK will take some great shots for the maiden commercial flight to Europe beginning next Friday.

as a reminder here are the time tables:

WB700 KGL1220 – 2000LGW 332 2
WB700 KGL1230 – 2010LGW 332 34
WB700 KGL1245 – 2025LGW 332 5

WB701 LGW2130 – 0710+1KGL 332 2
WB701 LGW2140 – 0720+1KGL 332 34
WB701 LGW2150 – 0730+1KGL 332 5

I'm on the inaugural this Friday from LGW I only booked earlier this week, but just got a time change...just a small 20 minutes for the Tuesday service KGL-LGW, now 1200-2000.

eastafspot wrote:

Looks like RwandAir will add a Swiss destination to their network soon. Good news to see they will expand Which one would make more sense GVA or ZRH first?

Even though the country is wealthy, the metro areas are quite small (1.3 millions and nearly 2 millions people), why not Paris or Frankur insteadt?

i'm surprised that BRU isn't first to be honest given it has proven links and passengers loads. Otherwise I think Paris would make sense. Either way, i'm happy to see them at LGW. Selfishly, I hope the flights this week aren't too busy!

africawings wrote:

Any news on what kind of aircraft they will be flying?

My itinerary shows a A330-200 (so 9XR-WN)

GABRIEL,

**** You MUST WRITE A TRIP REPORT ! *****

Honestly, why did not you told me this before??? We could have been together on the LGW-KGL flight!!
Only at the last minute my brother informed me about your twitter account and your intentions
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the flights and fingers crossed you can add your account about the trip here on A.net or anywhere else!

A pretty good add for our East African cousins. Decent service, a more direct routing then going by the Gulf, and flying on a real, local African airline. I hope the route is a great success.

eastafspot wrote:

GABRIEL,

**** You MUST WRITE A TRIP REPORT ! *****

Honestly, why did not you told me this before??? We could have been together on the LGW-KGL flight!!
Only at the last minute my brother informed me about your twitter account and your intentions
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the flights and fingers crossed you can add your account about the trip here on A.net or anywhere else!

A report might be coming....!

It seems both A330s are on this route, as the first flight was the A333, second was A332.

Some pics:

So what happened to today's flight? No data on Flightradar24.

scbriml wrote:

So what happened to today's flight? No data on Flightradar24.

It's a Wednesday - flights are Tues/Thurs/Fri.