Carrier plans June start for Muscat-Kigali service, targeting fresh produce and pharmaceuticals moving between East Africa and Middle East
Oman Air Cargo is hoping to benefit from the addition of a new passenger link to Rwanda.
The new service is planned to begin in June using a Boeing 737 aircraft and will operate between the airline’s Muscat hub and Kigali in Rwanda.
The carrier’s cargo division hopes to attract volumes to and from Rwanda to locations in the Middle East and Europe, using Muscat as a transit hub.
Target verticals include perishables and time-sensitive cargo flows between the regions.
“We are seeing sustained growth in demand between the Middle East and Africa, particularly for perishables and specialist cargo, and this new route allows us to respond with additional capacity and reach,” said Michael Duggan, head of cargo, Oman Air.
“By expanding our network into East Africa, we are providing exporters with reliable access to our global network and strengthening Muscat’s position as a dependable cargo hub.”
Fresh produce likley to be transported on the route includes fruit, vegetables, and flowers, alongside pharmaceuticals, general cargo, and express shipments originating in East Africa.
”Cargo arriving in Muscat will benefit from Oman Air Cargo’s onward connections to the Middle East, Europe, and the Indian subcontinent, positioning Oman as an efficient transit hub for African exports destined for global markets,” the airline said.
The airline’s cargo business is also hoping to benefit from a new service between Muscat and Singapore, utilising its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft due to launch in July.
The airline has been investing in its cargo operations in recent months. In November, it announced five new General Sales Agent (GSA) partnerships that will bring two new offline routes to Australia and Japan.
And in October, Lesley Cripps was appointed as European sales manager.
