RwandAir safety record makes the Rwandan national carrier the best bet for safety-conscious travellers from across the world. In case you didn’t know, RwandAir is the safest airline in Africa. With a population of 13.4 million people as of official census data conducted in 2021, it’s a big surprise that it has such a reputable airline. These safety ratings mirror the greatness of this East African country that has shed off a dark genocide shadow 28 years ago.
In certifying its upstanding ratings, RwandAir is a recipient of the Diamond Status rating by APEX Health Safety for COVID-19 prevention measures. This award, one of many, is indicative that the airline upholds the highest standards of sanitization and security throughout.
What’s RwandAir Safety Record?
RwandAir safety record according to SkyTrax is 7/7. Ideally, a seven-star rating. AirlineRatings.com also gave it a similar rating a while back and this is the highest rating an airline can ever get. The airline has a strong safety culture which gets better every year through new safety technological procedures.
A RwandAir aircraft. Photo/Wikipedia
Further, there is continuous and extensive safety training for all of its crew members, pilots included. The theory and practical bit of it are all taught, tested and exercised. Last but not least, the mechanical condition of its fleet is top-notch. There is no major accident history about the airline.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a UN agency recognized Rwanda for its competence in aviation safety and security monitoring. ICAO in the past conducted an audit of Rwanda’s aviation industry in eight crucial categories. Some of them include:
- The airport’s condition
- Air navigation services availability
- The readiness of aircraft for safe flight
- Its capacity to transparently investigate any arising incidents
Through the audit, ICAO ranked the airline 73.7% in terms of aviation safety controls. This is higher than both the African average and the global average of 67%, which demonstrates Rwanda’s competence in aviation safety. From the high RwandAir safety rating over the years, the Rwandese carrier expanded its route network and made inroads in North America, the UK and the larger Europe.
What is RwandAir Ranked in Africa?
Besides its top safety rating in the continent. SkyTrax named it the second-best African airline in 2021. In getting this information, SkyTrax ground its findings on a customer survey over a certain period seeking information on the performance and quality of over 350 international airlines. The votes by the respondents determine the winner in each category and most of them are people who have used the airline at some point.
The SkyTrax award came amid the Covid-19 pandemic which negatively affected the global airline sector as demand for travel fell precipitously and lockdowns and harsh travel restrictions spread over the world.
Does Qatar Airways Own RwandAir?
Qatar Airways does not own RwandAir. This rumour stems from an earlier agreement in February 2020 where Qatar Airways was to purchase a 49% stake in the Rwandan airline. What followed was the global pandemic that was Covid-19 and it left global airlines on their knees. The pandemic left the deal in limbo and it is yet to follow through.
RwandAir. Photo/The New Times
Beyond RwandAir safety rating; the national Rwandan carrier signed a code-sharing pact with Qatar Airways in 2021. The deal between the African and Gulf airlines, gives passengers more options, better service, and better connectivity to more than 65 locations in Africa and the rest of the world.
Further, RwandAir started operating additional nonstop flights in December 2020 from its capital of Kigali and Doha as outlined in this agreement. The partnership benefits passengers who fly with both airlines and broadens the network of routes available to each company. Customers benefit from the ease of connecting flights on both airlines with a single reservation, with a seamless experience for booking, checking in, boarding, and bag-checking that spans the whole route.
“This codeshare agreement will give our customers significantly more choice and flexibility, allowing RwandAir to strengthen its global presence and build on its strong and loyal African customer base,” RwandAir CEO Yvonne Makolo stated.
Hitherto, RwandAir Dream Miles and Qatar Airways Privilege Club loyalty members now have access to each other’s destinations. Thanks to a shared loyalty system between the two airlines. Passengers can now earn and redeem miles throughout mutually exclusive route networks and have access to the airport lounges of both airlines in their respective hubs in Doha and Kigali.
