Plans are underway for RwandAir to introduce flights to Gatwick Airport, London, in the UK by 2018. Flights to flights to Durban and Harare will be launched next year.

According to the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, John Mirenge, the Rwandan flag carrier is currently negotiating with the UK Civil Aviation Authority in a bid to secure flights approval to London.

Mirenge says the carrier is ready to operate the Kigali-London route as soon as it gets authorisation from the UK civil aviation body.

The routes expansion move comes after the airline recently acquired a new aircraft Airbus A330-200, while another Airbus A330-300 is expected to be delivered in November this year.

Apart from the London route plans, RwandAir is set to introduce flights to Durban, South Africa, and Harare in Zimbabwe in the first quarter of 2017.

The airline intends to operate flights to Durban and Harare respectively early next year using its Boeing B737-800NG aircraft.

RwandAir is also expected to introduce long haul flights to Mumbai, India, and had appointed India’s Bird Travel as a general sales agent in preparation for the launch of the new route.

Flights plans to Guangzhou, China, are as well on the cards.

Mirenge said the airline is currently expanding routes on the African continent with the recent introduction of flights from Kigali to Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

The airline currently flies to 19 destinations in Africa and the Middle East.

RwandAir’s acquisition of a new Airbus A330-200 brought the airline’s fleet to nine as four additional aircraft are expected to be delivered by end of February next year.