RwandAir seeks to bring its first dedicated freighter as it tries to take advantage of increasing demand for air cargo services. The airlines is planning to maximize air cargo operations from Dubai for its biggest city in UAE and we see a lot of capacity from here, says Jimmy Musoni, CCO.
The international carrier of Rwanda, RwandAir operates domestic and international flights from its main base in Kigali International Airport in Kigali, Rwanda. It also hosts a sophisticated cargo operation from the same venue.
CARGOTALK caught up with its Chief Commercial Officer, Jimmy Musoni on his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to find out more details.
Elaborate on some of the techniques adopted by RwandAir Cargo Services operating from Dubai airport and Rwanda. What makes it unique from other carriers?
At the moment what we have scheduled passenger flights that also utilize belly capacity to carry cargo. However, there are efforts to maximize our cargo operations, especially in Dubai. Shortly. We are planning to expand our operations to meet demand from the UAE market. Dubai is the biggest cargo hub for us and, therefore, we see cargo potential from from this area. Plans are afoot to increase cargo capacity to this region.
What are some of the strengths of RwandAir in terms of air cargo and, special services to customers in the GCC region?
What makes RwandAir unique is the direct operations to Rwanda. Being a direct operator, operations are smoother and faster. Innovations are easier to initiate with more focus on customer feedback which helps in making faster faster within our processes. RwandAir continues to see growth of cargo capacity in this region and this is just the tip of the iceberg. With the introduction of freighter operations from United Arab Emirates (UAE), a lot will change drastically, especially meeting expectations of our cargo clients.
What are some of the upcoming strategies being adopted by RwandAir in collaboration with other air freight firms when it comes to perishable cargo, express courier, general cargo and dangerous goods?
This is something we will address soon. The number one promotion we are looking at is an upcoming event where we would introduce our cargo freighters to our loyal clients. We believe this will be an exciting moment for those who are looking at faster service between UAE and Rwanda.
What are the marketing initiatives you have undertaken for cargo agents to promote your airline?
There are several initiatives in the market at the moment. However, with the introduction of freighter operations, a lot will change as the market segments are expected to increase. Therefore, clientele portfolio will require more resources on the ground to ensure all stakeholders expectations are met.
What percentage of revenue is generated from cargo?
Since we are at a nascent stage, it is not at the levels that we expected. However, we hope it may grow gradually with the implementation of initiatives mentioned earlier.
As the new aircraft are fuel efficient, how is it helping you and what steps have you taken towards sustainability?
Fuel efficiency is a vital topic for the industry. There are initiatives that we have undertaken for cargo and for passenger flights. However, utilisation of new aircraft is important is a priority for us.
What are the ways in which RwandAir will go digital?
For cargo, we have many innovations, starting from systems. Booking cargo and cargo tracking systems have been digitized. We want our clients to have a comfortable experience with RwandAir.
-Abigail Mathias