Since the inception of the RwandAir flights from Kigali (KGL) to Brussels (BRU), the return flights were operated via London Gatwick (LGW). Passengers from Brussels to Kigali thus needed a transit visa for the United Kingdom if they were not citizens of an EEA country.
This way of operating resulted in very poor load factors: at the moment the KGL-BRU leg has a load factor of around 5-10%. KGL-LGW is around 15% and from BRU to KGL it is between 0 and 3%.
RwandAir has taken a drastic measure to improve the load factor on its flights to Brussels and London Gatwick: from the beginning of the winter season, the return flight from London Gatwick will also stop in Brussels. Instead of a triangular flight KGL-BRU-LGW-KGL, the route will become KGL-BRU-LGW and LGW-BRU-KGL. Passengers to Kigali boarding at Brussels will no longer need a UK transit visa.
The new schedule for the winter season is as follows:
WB700 KGL 08:10 – 15:50 BRU 17:10 – 17:25 LGW A330 -2-4—
WB700 KGL 08:40 – 16:20 BRU 17:15 – 17:30 LGW A330 —-5–
WB701 LGW 18:35 – 21:00 BRU 21:40 – 07:00+1 KGL A330 -2-4—
WB701 LGW 19:00 – 21:30 BRU 22:10 – 07:30+1 KGL A330 —-5–
Forum discussion: http://www.aviation24.be/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=54558&start=80
