RwandAir has become the first African airline to vaccinate all staff against Covid-19, as it seeks to position itself as one of the safest on the continent.

The airline began its vaccination rollout programme earlier this month targeting all staff and crew who received their first shot.

Non-airline staff at Kigali International Airport, the airline’s hub, have been vaccinated as well to ensure a safe and secure environment for all passengers.

The drive comes just after RwandAir announced it will be the first carrier in Africa to start trialling the IATA Travel Pass in April to enable the safe resumption of international travel.

Yvonne Manzi Makolo, chief executive of RwandAir, said: “Rwanda’s rapid roll-out of the first consignment of vaccines to arrive in the country prioritized all frontline workers, including RwandAir’s staff and crew.

“The vaccination programme has been designed to ensure we provide a safe and secure environment for travellers, both in the air and on the ground.

“We have carefully considered every customer touchpoint at Kigali International Airport and on board our aircraft, as the world resumes travelling in the post-Covid era.

“We look forward to welcoming our customers back to RwandAir.

“As an airline, the health and safety of our customers and staff is our number one priority and we have been working hard to restore our customers’ confidence to fly.”

In addition to RwandAir staff and crew, the staff of other airlines operating at the Kigali International Airport also received their Covid-19 vaccinations at the same time.