Astral Aviation launches cargo flights between China and South Africa

Astral Aviation Ltd has announced the resumption of its cargo flight service between Haikou in China and Johannesburg in South Africa. This is being done in collaboration with Fly Noor Aviation Services FZCO, following the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement during the Air Cargo China 2026 exhibition in Shanghai.

Sanjeev Gadhia (2nd from left), CEO of the cargo airline from Kenya, and Damanpreet Singh, CEO of the leasing and charter provider from Dubai (UAE), signed the agreement aimed at strengthening air freight connections between China and Africa. Under this agreement, Astral Aviation will offer a scheduled cargo flight service with two flights per week, operated with a Boeing 767-300F. This aircraft has a payload capacity of 50 tons per flight.

Logistical connections between China and South Africa

The service will provide a fast and reliable logistics solution that connects Haikou, the capital of Hainan Province and China’s rapidly growing free trade port, with Johannesburg via Astral Aviation’s Nairobi hub, which is considered Africa’s main cargo hub. The route is expected to support the increasing shipment of e-commerce goods, electronics, consumer goods, textiles, auto parts, pharmaceuticals, and general cargo from China to Africa. At the same time, it will facilitate the export of perishable goods, agricultural products, and other valuable African raw materials to Asian markets.

The resumption of the service comes at a time when trade between China and Africa continues to experience strong growth. This leads to an increased demand for reliable air freight capacity and direct connectivity.

By combining Fly Noor’s commercial expertise with Astral Aviation’s extensive African network and operational experience, the partnership aims to provide enhanced logistics solutions for shippers, consignees, and e-commerce providers in both regions.

astral-aviation.com

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