RwandAir Reroutes London Flights After DRC Airspace Ban Forces Emergency Stop in Entebbe

RwandAir has been forced to reroute its flights to London after the Democratic Republic of Congo banned all Rwandan-registered aircraft from its airspace.

The decision by the Kinshasa government, made when the flight was already in the airspace, adds hours to flight times and on Wednesday forced at least one plane to make an emergency refuelling stop in Entebbe International Airport.

Passengers on flight WBD710 from Kigali to London found themselves in an unexpected detour when, two hours into the journey, the pilot announced they could no longer fly over DR Congo and had to divert to Entebbe for refuelling.

"Stayed in Entebbe for five hours after being diverted due to not having enough fuel to go around DR Congo with all the diplomatic hurdles," one passenger told the Nile Post.

"We arrived very late in Heathrow—eight hours and 30 minutes behind schedule. It was exhausting, but the cabin crew did their best in what was an extremely long duty period for them."

The decision by DR Congo has added up to two hours to RwandAir's Kigali-London route. The DR Congo airspace provides the shortest corridor for flights from East Africa to Europe.

The ban also affects all other carriers flying from Rwanda, including Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines, which regularly use DR Congo’s airspace for shorter routes to Europe and West Africa.

In a statement, RwandAir confirmed the disruption: "Due to the closure of DR Congo airspace to Rwandan-registered aircraft, RwandAir has rerouted affected flight paths."

The Rwandan national carrier said it was working to provide the safest and most efficient alternatives while minimising inconvenience to its passengers.

"We apologise for any inconvenience and advise customers to monitor our website and X feed for updates," it added.

The ban follows a previous restriction three weeks ago when DR Congo blocked RwandAir flights into the country amid tensions over the M23 rebel conflict but had continued allowing overflights.

The Kinshasa government accuses Kigali of actively engaging in the M23 rebel advance and of occupying North Kivu illegally.

Rwanda denies the accusations and maintains it is only protecting its borders from aggression.

The latest decision by Kinshasa to cut off its airspace, however, completely shuts off DR Congo’s airspace to RwandAir and other Rwanda-based carriers, raising questions about legality under international aviation laws.

Aviation experts warn that sudden airspace closures not only disrupt airline operations but also pose safety risks.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) emphasize that such restrictions should be handled through structured diplomatic processes to ensure minimal impact on global air traffic.

With rerouted flights increasing fuel consumption and operating costs, the long-term impact of DR Congo’s decision could be significant for both airlines and passengers traveling through the region.

For now, travellers on affected routes are being urged to check for updates as airlines adjust to the new flight paths.