RwandAir has set its sights on introducing flights to the US and UK by 2017 as part of its international routes expansion programme.

The airline’s Chief Executive Officer, John Mirenge, said the carrier planned to open a new route from Kigali to New York.

He added that the airline planned to acquire a new Airbus A350 XWB wide-body aircraft for the Kigali-US route.

RwandAir also intends to introduce flights to London Gatwick by next year. Mirenge said the national carrier was currently negotiating with the UK Civil Aviation Authority in a bid to secure flight approval to London.

The airline is also set to introduce flights to Durban and Harare in the first quarter of 2017 using its Boeing B737-800NG aircraft.

RwandAir is also expected to introduce flights to Mumbai, and has appointed India’s Bird Travel as a general sales agent in preparation for the launch of the new route. Plans for services to Guangzhou are also on the cards.

Mirenge said the airline was currently expanding routes in Africa with last month’s introduction of flights from Kigali to Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

“Flights to Abidjan are currently tagged to our already existing destinations including Accra, Ghana, and will be served with three weekly flights,” he said.