Rwanda’s budding Air industry expected to handle 1.5 million passengers by 2018
The country’s budding Air market that has registered tremendous growth in the past few years is projected to handle over 1.5 million passengers by the year 2018, thanks to the positive economic growth, despite the global spillovers.
The projected growth is referenced on the continued positive performance of the economy , increased investments opportunities as well as the  promising tourism sector that saw an increase in international meetings held in Rwanda.
This, according to aviation experts is a  positive gesture that the country is on track to be a region’s logistics hub considering its strategic position between the East and central Africa regions.
With the positive performance outlook for the past ten years that has seen soaring passenger numbers as well as cargo volumes due to the entry of international airlines in to the market, Rwanda becomes Africa’s fastest growing Air to market, according by OAG Aviation market survey .
For example, a number of international airlines have been flying to and from the region’s growing air market thus boosting  both domestic and international frequencies, opening the economy to outside world.
“Connectivity brings people to business, delivers products to markets and reunites families and friends,†said Tony Tyler, Director General and CEO at The International Air Transport Association (IATA), a trade association for the world’s airlines.
He adds, “And that could mean access to vital sources of health care and emergency assistance; jobs selling products in global markets or welcoming tourists; or opportunities for education, exploring the world or creating business.â€
Accordingly, the Kigali International Airport handled 488,903 passengers (including international, domestic and direct transit passengers) in 2012 up from 276,115 passengers in 2008 while cargo had 6912,7 metric tonnes in 2012 when compared to 6784,4 metric tonnes in 2008.
But most profoundly has been the increase in the domestic market, that saw a rise in destinations thus linking the region and easing transport that has been a challenges for the region mainly the private sector.
The domestic flight frequencies moved from 2, 000 in 2007 to 40,000 in 2011, easing businesses and reducing the cost of delays for the business community.
Traffic between Kigali and European Union grew to 25,759 passengers in the first quarter of 2014 up from 8,164 passengers in the first quarter of 2011.
Currently, Rwanda’s air Market  has eight major players that include RwandAir, the National Carrier, Brussels Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar, KLM, Turkish Airways Kenya Airways and the recent entrant Fly Dubai that made its maiden flight in September 2014.
This according to experts will  see more Airlines venturing into the market while the  current ones also  open up new destinations and bring in new bigger birds, something that would require  prior planning to  handle the increasing traffic.
But the sector regulator Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA) says that plans to  handle increasing traffic has been put in place as renovation of the Kigali international airport , Kamembe Airport as well as construction of the Bugesera Airport.