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Etihad Cargo expands African network: Etihad Cargo and Kenya-based cargo airline AstralAviation have flown their inaugural flight from Nairobi to Abu Dhabi in a commencement of an MoU inked to expand Etihad Cargo’s links to African markets, according to a press release. The agreement will see Astral Aviation and Etihad Cargo splitting 50% of all available capacity on the new Nairobi-Abu Dhabi route, a previous statement notes.
More details: Astral Aviation will begin running weekly flights between both cities beginning 28 March. The new cargo route will transport perishables including flowers, fresh fruits, vegetables and meat from Astral's hubs in Nairobi and Johannesburg to Etihad's Abu Dhabi hub, the statement notes. On the return leg, flights will carry cargo from Etihad Cargo's network in Asia, the USA, and Europe into Astral's Intra African network.
What else? In addition to Astral’s weekly connection, Etihad Cargo will provide additional belly capacity to its partners and customers via daily trips to Nairobi from 1 May, the statement added. Etihad Cargo also runs a weekly route that connects Amsterdam to Nairobi via the carrier’s hub in Abu Dhabi.
A global air cargo hub: This expansion of cargo operations to and from Zayed International Airports will support ambitions to turn Abu Dhabi into a global air cargo hub, the release note. Etihad Cargo recently inked a triparty MoU back in January to establish an origin-to-destination perishable foods air corridor, with Abu Dhabi Airports and Abu Dhabi Food Hub — in a bid to encourage two way food trade between the UAE and the rest of the world. They also were certified as one of five global airlines to receive IATA CEIV certifications to handle and transport pharma, fresh, live animals, and lithium batteries.
The UAE has been doubling down on air freight links to Kenya: Kenya Airways Cargo is also set to launch four weekly flights to UAE’s Sharjah Airport from Nairobi, in a bid to raise Sharjah Airport’s status as an international cargo hub and boost trade between the region and Africa.
