Opportunities in attracting more airlines

Editor, RE: “FlyDubai launches country office, to issue UAE travel documents” (The New Times, November 3).

Thursday, November 05, 2015

Editor,

RE: "FlyDubai launches country office, to issue UAE travel documents” (The New Times, November 3).

It is impressive to see more airlines eyeing the Rwandan market and including the country in their flight schedules.

With FlyDubai now operating three flights between Kigali and Dubai every week, air connectivity, which is crucial for tourism development, will be enhanced with a substantial increase in air seat capacity.

As Sudhir Seerdharan, the FlyDubai vice-president for commercial operations (India and sub-Saharan Africa) remarked, the good business environment, coupled with peace and political stability, is what will enable this great nation to achieve economic development.

The Government of Rwanda’s recent investment of US$ 17 million towards expansion and improvements at Kigali International Airport endorses the fact that the airline industry is identified as a priority sector.

With rapid infrastructural expansion and increased flight operations into the country, Kigali could well become the preferred hub in the EAC region.

Clarence Fernandes