RwandAir has been named Best Airline Staff in Africa at the 2026 World Airline Awards, giving Rwanda’s national carrier major recognition for passenger service.
The award was presented by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax during a ceremony at The Langham Hotel in London on September 18. Skytrax said the category recognises the quality of frontline staff service across both airport and onboard experiences.
RwandAir finished ahead of EgyptAir and Ethiopian Airlines, while Kenya Airways and South African Airways also featured among Africa’s top five for airline staff service, according to the published rankings.
RwandAir Chief Executive Officer Yvonne Manzi Makolo said the award recognised the contribution of the airline’s employees to the passenger experience.
The recognition comes as RwandAir continues to expand its operations from its Kigali hub. The airline says it employs more than 2,300 people and operates services across Africa, Europe and the Middle East, with partnerships extending its connectivity to additional destinations.
The Skytrax award adds to RwandAir’s recent international recognition. In June, the airline was named Best Cabin Service in Africa at the 2026 APEX Awards, based on independently verified passenger feedback from more than one million flights worldwide.
Skytrax also recognised RwandAir in 2025 as Best Regional Airline in Africa. Beyond the staff-service category, RwandAir placed ninth globally among regional airlines in the 2026 Skytrax rankings.
Skytrax said the 2026 World Airline Awards were based on a global passenger satisfaction survey conducted from September 2025 to August 2026, involving customers from more than 100 nationalities and more than 300 airlines. The survey screened responses for duplicate, suspect, and ineligible submissions.
Ethiopian Airlines retained the title of Best Airline in Africa, while FlySafair was named the continent’s Best Low-Cost Airline. Globally, Singapore Airlines was named the World’s Best Airline for the sixth time, followed by Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific.
For RwandAir, the award places particular focus on the people behind its growing network, highlighting the role of cabin crew, airport teams, and customer-service staff in shaping Rwanda’s presence in the international aviation market.
