The national carrier, RwandAir is set to join the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in February 2011, the airline’s top official has revealed.

RwandAir says the move will boost its ticket sales through increased inter-line and code-share contracts with other Airlines. The airline was supposed to have joined the association last year.

RwandAir’s Chief Executive Officer, Rene Janata, said the delay was caused by compliance procedures required by the international body.

"We have been in the process of getting a certificate from IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) but the audit took longer than we anticipated,” Janata said.

IOSA program is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline.

The national carrier is in an expansion process that has seen the company acquire a fleet of five planes including two Boeing 737-500, two Bombardier CRJs and a Dash 8.

"The carrier will also be able to sell more tickets from inter-lining and will also benefit from training programmes provided by the body,” Janata said.

He said that RwandAir’s monthly average passenger numbers has risen by 86 percent to 9,300 passengers this year from 5,000 last year following the acquisition of its own fleet.

The airline acquired two CRJS as well as the two 737-500 Boeings.

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