In Central Africa, Qatar is finalizing a 49% fairness stake in Rwandair, offering a base on the new airport in Kigali, that Qatar owns a 60% stake in. It’s possible that Rwandair, a small provider, will enhance its fleet of lower than 20 plane and that Qatar will present long-haul connectivity from Kigali. Code sharing routes exist already.
In Southern Africa, Qatar is at the moment in negotiations for an fairness funding in a locally-based airline, as but unidentified. Hypothesis that the carriers could also be SAA or Airlink, every of which might present connecting visitors by way of Doha for Qatar’s community.
The Backside Line
Qatar sees Africa as a possible differentiation between it and different Gulf carriers, and already has an intensive African community. The three way partnership and code-sharing alternatives in Rwanda and Southern Africa might present extra feed to Qatar’s worldwide hub at Doha, which opens up a number of new potential routes. Most Africans journey long-haul on vacation, somewhat than between African international locations, a perfect alternative to Qatar. An fairness funding that helps professionalize struggling African carriers is a profit to the trade.
