Kenya Airways Cargo and Astral Aviation to boost trade between Africa and UAE

KQ will put its codeshare flight numbers on Astral Aviation flights originating from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates into Nairobi, for onward distribution within Africa. The agreement is expected to boost trade and commodity movement from the Middle East into Africa by leveraging the strengths of the two cargo operators in the Nairobi cargo hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Kenya Airways Cargo Director, Dick Murianki, said that the partnership will provide both airlines' cargo customers with more options to boost trade between the UAE and Africa, "KQ Cargo and Astral Aviation have had a long-standing commercial cooperation for the past 20 years, and this partnership is a continuation of our efforts to strengthen collaboration and partnerships amongst African airlines and to boost intercontinental trade while driving sustainable development of the African continent."

Sanjeev Gadhia, the chief executive officer for Astral Aviation, said: "This codeshare agreement, a first among two major players in the cargo sphere in Africa, will lead to a more efficient schedule and increased capacity for African traders wishing to bring in goods from the Middle East."