RwandAir re brands, expands and appoints Flight Directors as UK GSA. RwandAir, formerly Rwandair Express, has announced its change of name along with the adoption of a new tag line, which is: "Fly our dream to the Heart of Africa". At the same time an increase to daily of flights between its home base, Kigali and Johannesburg has been confirmed.

This is in addition to the current programme of double daily services from Kigali to Nairobi and three times per day from Kigali to Entebbe. Following the recent signing of an interline agreement with Brussels Airlines to code share on direct flights from Brussels to Kigali, RwandAir have also announced the appointment of Flight Directors as their UK general Sales Agent. MIchael Otieno, Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications said: "There is going to be a lot of visible changes internally and externally as we brace ourselves to deliver the new RwandAir. We want to position our airline as a leading carrier in the region while at the same time aggressively market our product overseas. Worldwide today, there is massive excitement about Rwanda as a country and a destination.

As the national carrier, we cannot afford to be left out of it!!" Paul Argyle, Chief Executive of Flight Directors said: " We are proud to be representing RwandAir at this exciting moment in their history. The airline has a strong business model, a new, dynamic management team and the complete backing of the Rwandan Government. The country itself is fast becoming one of Africa’s must-visit places with a very stable economy and a growing infrastructure for visiting tourists - including excellent hotels and unique attractions, such as the mountain Gorillas. Initially we are seeking to grow the demand for short stay holidays, as add-ons to longer duration visits to Kenya and South Africa, but in the longer term we expect the trend to be reversed with the warm welcome experienced in Kigali to become the entry and exit point for tourists exploring the whole of East and South East Africa.

Many UK tour operators already feature Rwanda but with the availability of the new RwandAir services, we expect demand to grow considerably in the future". Flight Directors Head of Sales, Vikki Joyce (see photograph) said: " I have just returned from the world famous " Kwita Izina - Gorilla Naming Ceremony*" which is a huge annual international celebration of the birth of baby wild gorillas, which was unique and absolutely charming. Rwanda was everything I had hoped for with wonderful, friendly people, stunning scenery, amazing wild-life all within a safe environment, but tinged with a taste of the real Africa". Michael Otieno summed up the mood of heightened enthusiasm and high expectations: " This is a young country and we are looking forward to creating a young, vibrant, people-friendly airline, We want Rwandese wherever they are, to draw pride and a sense of nationalism from their national carrier." Notes: RwandAir is the National carrier of Rwanda, with its main operating base at Kigali International Airport.

RwandAir are currently in the process of acquiring new aircraft and currently operate two Canadair CRJ-100 aircraft with 50 seats and one DHC-8 aircraft with 37 seats. RwandAir operate International services from Kigali to: Nairobi (Kenya), Entebbe (Uganda), Bujumburra (Burundi), Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) and Johannesburg (South Africa). RwandAir operate Domestic services from Kigali to: Gisenyi and Cyangugu.

The airline’s two letter designator is "WB" and it is available for all IATA travel agencies through all four GDS systems: Amadeus, Galileo, Worldspan and Sabre. Ticketing is through Flight Directors. For UK Reservations and Sales, please call: 0871 6634313. For Media enquiries please call Paul Argyle on 0870 6080737. For online booking of all Rwandair services please visit: http//:www.rwandair.co.uk or for more corporate information visit http://www.rwandair.com. * Notes on Kwita Izina On Saturday, June 20th 2009, the RDB/Tourism & Conservation ? the successor of ORTPN? will host the Fifth Kwita Izina to give names to the newest arrivals in the Gorilla families. Names will be given to eighteen (18) mountain gorillas at the Volcanoes National Park. This year?s ceremony coincides with the ?International Year of the Gorilla,? proclaimed by the United Nations.

The International Year of the Gorilla was launched at a ceremony in early December 2008, where Prince Albert II of Monaco and representatives of more than 100 governments gathered to discuss increasing measures for nearly 100 species endangered by pollution, climate change and over-hunting. By declaring 2009 the International Year of the Gorilla, the international community hopes to draw the attention of the public and funding agencies to the plight of these primates.

As a country that has been in the forefront of gorilla conservation we heartily welcome the proclamation of the International Year of the Gorilla. The theme for this year is ?Celebrating the Year of the Gorilla?. Under this theme, we shall celebrate the efforts of all those that have contributed to the welfare of our wildlife and its conservation and give opportunity to everyone to contribute to the sustainability of conservation for Gorillas. We are expecting over 100 key personalities in wildlife conservation and business to attend the event. The Gorilla Naming campaign is aimed at ensuring the future of Rwanda?s mountain gorillas and will provide an opportunity for all those who care about the mountain gorillas to contribute to this common effort. Two different, but complementary activities are planned for this event: the naming ceremony where selected people will be given the opportunity to name the gorillas in public and a Gorilla Conservation Conference that would help to celebrate the achievements in conservation of these endangered species.