Rwandair Express plans to choose Brussels Airlines or Italy's Meridiana as its new strategic partner.
The carriers pre-qualified in May as bidders for a 40% stake in Rwandair Express and have completed on-site evaluations of the airline. Rwandair Express chief executive Manzi Kayihura says bids will be submitted in July and the privatisation will be completed in late August, assuming one of the bids is satisfactory.
"We're privatising to the best strategy for our country, not the highest bidder," Kayihura says. He adds whether the process is completed "depends on what's on the table". If the government sells a 40% stake to a foreign airline it will subsequently launch a tender to sell another 40% to an institutional investor.
Kayihura says the carrier wants a foreign partner "to take over the long-haul traffic". Rwanda has been served by Brussels Airlines and its predecessor Sabena since 1962. Over the past year Brussels Airlines has been looking to expand its presence in Africa by investing in and partnering with local carriers. In June the carrier applied for an operator's certificate in Mauritius to support its African development strategy.
Meridiana does not operate any scheduled services to Africa but has been looking at expanding its network and buying stakes in African carriers.
Kayihura says Rwandair has no plans to operate its own long-haul services. It now operates to six regional destinations with one Boeing 737-500 and one Bombardier Dash 8-200.
Source: Airline Business
