National carrier RwandAir on Wednesday made its maiden commercial flight to Lubumbashi, the mining capital of DR Congo, with the local private sector welcoming the development.
The maiden flight was serviced by the carrier’s Boeing 737-700NG which landed at Lubumbashi International Airport at a few minutes past noon.
On board were 63 passengers, seven in the business class and 46 in the economy.
The route will be operated on Wednesdays and Mondays departing Kigali at 10 AM and returning the same say at 5PM.
Next month, RwandAir plans to operate additional flights to Goma making it the third destination in DR Congo.
Members of the private sector from the two countries welcomed the development, saying that it will reduce costs and time previously taken to travel.
Rwandan businessman Erneste Nsazineza, who was one of the passengers on the inaugural flight, said that the new route will help investors of both sides create ties that could benefit the mining industry.
John Mudahigwa, another player in the mining sector, told The New Times that he was happy about the new route.
"There are very positive prospects that come with this new route. Especially to me, I work with many people in Lubumbashi but because of transport constraints, connecting was a bit difficult, which is something that this flight will address," he said.
Leonidas Simpezwe, vice chairman of Rwanda Mining Association, said that the new route is a response to many problems.
"Congo is one of the top mining countries globally, and the first with a lot of copper belts in the world. This shows how this route will boost Rwanda’s economy through cooperating on both sides.”
"Our operators through this route will explore big markets for our mining products, and vice versa,” he added.
To Liliane Kabey, a Congolese businesswoman based in South Africa, traveling with RwandAir is a better experience compared to other carriers.
"A direct flight is something that everyone could wish for, whether for business or vacation purposes. I don’t remember the last time I took a quick flight home like this.”
Mumin Hategekimana, who owns a travel agency in Rwanda believes that the new route will also lift traveling companies in Rwanda.
"The most interesting part of the new route is that passengers will be able to travel and return the same day. Following the travel options of the new route, and the way many Congolese connect to Rwanda for other flights, it will bring a huge positive effect to our industry,” he told The New Times.
Another important thing, he said, the new flight to Lubumbashi might also provide more jobs on both sides.
Before taking off, pilot Asuquo Obot, said that opening new routes for RwandAir is something to celebrate because it adds value not only to the airline, but also to the whole country in general.
"This route is proof that we are on track in our promise to deliver good service to Africa, and also to put Rwanda on the map when it comes to aviation,” he said.
To connect to Lubumbashi before, one had to transit in Ethiopia for more than four hours but now the journey is reduced to less than two hours, according to Sangwa Nyembo, a Congolese student at AUCA University in Kigali.
"Last time I travelled home, it took me almost 12 hours to get to Lubumbashi. Today I used only two hours, and the cost was much less compared to what we used to pay before” said Nyembo.
According to central bank data, DRC remains the main destination for Rwanda’s informal exports. It accounts for 86.9 per cent of Rwanda’s informal cross border exports.