The governments of Rwanda and India have signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement, paving the way for RwandAir to introduce long-haul flights to Mumbai from April 5.

Flights from Mumbai will depart every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 01h45 and arrive in Kigali at 05h15. Return flights from Kigali will depart every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 23h55, and arrive in Mumbai at 11h25 the following day.

RwandAir, CEO, John Mirenge, said the necessary paperwork on the frequencies and equipment to be used had been completed. The airline also plans to introduce flights to the United Kingdom and the United States.

Last year, the airline received two new aircraft, Airbus A330-300 and A330-200, bringing its fleet to 11 aircraft. Mirenge said: “With the acquisition of the new aircraft, we are proudly reaffirming our plans for long-haul operations to connect Rwanda with other parts of the world.”

Rwandan tourism players are upbeat that the introduction of flights from Kigali to Mumbai would boost the sector, with more Indian tourists expected to visit the country.

Currently, travellers between Kigali and Mumbai have to change flights either in Entebbe, Uganda, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia or Nairobi in Kenya, with the journey taking more than 10 hours and costing upwards of $2 000.