The inaugural flight between Doha and Kinshasa landed at N’djili international airport on Saturday June 1, 2024, bringing the total number of African destinations served by Qatar Airways to 29.
With this new route, Qatar Airways says it has opened a new gateway to Africa, linking the DRC with Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Indeed, the new route aims to link Kinshasa to the world, via Qatar Airways’ hub in Doha, Hamad International Airport, the “world’s best airport” according to Skytrax in 2024, says the company. Services between the two cities will be operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, equipped with 22 seats in business class and 232 seats in economy class.
Four weekly Qatar Airways flights are scheduled between Kinshasa and Doha, every Monday and Saturday, as well as every Thursday and Friday. The flights to Kinshasa also increase the number of flights to Luanda from one to four. The Kinshasa destination, Qatar Airways points out, also completes the airline’s more than 170 weekly flights across Africa.
Flight captain
Qatar Airways’ inaugural flight to Kinshasa was captained by Vanessa Umba, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Also on board were the Ambassador of the DRDC to Qatar, Valérie Kabeya, and Congolese-born flight attendant Naomie Kapinga.
Piloting the Qatar Airways flight to Kinshasa was a homecoming for Vanessa Umba, an experienced pilot who has been working for Qatar Airways since 2018. Currently, the Belgian-Congolese is an airline pilot and training instructor with the airline. Before joining Qatar Airways, Vanessa Umba worked for Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national airline, for 12 years (2006-2018). In 2011, at the age of 31, she became Gulf Air’s first female captain. On October 22, 2015, Vanessa Umba again made history, becoming the first female captain of a Gulf Air flight with an all-female crew. The flight was between Bahrain and Karachi in Pakistan.
Vanessa Umba began her career in aviation in 1999, joining the SABENA Flight Academy, now the CAE Training Centre, based in Brussels. After completing her training, she was recruited by Brussels airlines, where, at the age of 23, she became “First Officer” (Co-pilot) on BAe 146, a medium-sized commercial aircraft.
Active diplomat
Valérie Kabeya is the first-ever DRC ambassador to Qatar. She has held the post since November 2022, after presenting her credentials to the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on November 6, 2022. The ambassador and her team are responsible for serving the diverse community of people living in Qatar by providing information on the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country located in the heart of Africa. As such, she has been actively involved in making this air connection between Kinshasa and Doha a reality. Commenting on the inaugural flight, Ambassador Valérie Kabeya posted on her Twitter account: “Congo is now connected to the Gulf countries. We are confident that this direct route between Kinshasa and Doha will open up many opportunities in the future”.
Prior to her appointment as DRC Ambassador to Qatar, Valérie Kabeya held the position of Marketing Director at Comcast, a media group, the leading cable operator in the United States and the world’s second-largest broadcast and cable TV company in terms of revenues. She was responsible for innovation in information and communication technologies, as well as strategy throughout the US.
Valérie Kabeya holds a degree in business administration from the Jesuit Regis University in Denver, Colorado, USA.
Speaking about the participation of the three Congolese women on this inaugural flight, ambassador Valérie Kabeya, said that this unique moment highlights the place that women have in Congolese society. “It was an honor to be surrounded by exceptional women who each shine in their own field and exude excellence. Thank you again ladies”, she wrote on her Twitter account.
Nearly 170 destinations worldwide
Qatar Airways currently flies to nearly 170 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, the ‘World’s Best Airport’, as voted by Skytrax in 2021, 2022, and 2024. In 2024, Hamad International Airport also received the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ accolade for 10 consecutive years, as well as ‘World’s Best Airport Shopping’ for the second year in a row.
