RwandAir among the world’s most improved airlines
Friday, July 27, 2018
RwandAir also plans to enter the American market with flights to New York, in the USA. (File)

The national carrier - RwandAir - has been named among the most improved airlines in the World.

The 2018 World's Airlines Awards were announced Thursday in London.

The World's Airlines Awards are widely known as the ‘Oscars of the aviation’ industry.

The World's Most Improved Airline award reflects an airline's Quality improvement across the entire Awards programme, which analyses an airline's change in the global rating, and performance improvements in different award categories.

China Southern Airlines led the category as RwandAir,  which is only 15 years old came at number 10 in the World.

"The focus of the survey is for customers to make their own, personal choices as to which airline they consider to be the best, underlining the brand as the Passenger's Choice Awards,” reads part of Skytrax’s press release, a United Kingdom–based consultancy which runs an airline and airport review and ranking site.

Ethiopian Airlines leads the category of 2018 Best Airlines in Africa, followed by South African Airways, and Air Mauritius while Kenya Airways holds the fifth place.

Singapore Airlines was honoured to be named ‘World’s Best Airline’ in the Skytrax awards, followed by Qatar Airways and Japan’s ANA All Nippon Airways.

With a fleet of twelve aircraft including two wide-body Airbuses A330 acquired last year, RwandAir currently reaches out to 26 destinations across East, Central, West and Southern Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

Last year, RwandAir started flights from Kigali to Mumbai, Harare, London (Gatwick) and Brussels as well as Dakar from its new hub in Cotonou. RwandAir also introduced flights to Abidjan, Libreville and Brazzaville from its Cotonou hub. This year, RwandAir has started flights to Abuja in Nigeria, Cape Town in South Africa in April and May, respectively.

Guangzhou in China, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Bamako in Mali and Conakry in Guinea, will also be added to the expanding network.

RwandAir also plans to enter the American market with flights to New York, in the USA.

World's Most Improved Airlines 2018

1.China Southern Airlines

2.Philippine Airlines

3.Fiji Airways

4.Ryanair

5.Japan Airlines

6.Air Mauritius

7.Malaysia Airlines

8.KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

9.Aeroflot

10.RwandAir