The service offers unrivalled capacity for 80 tonnes per week of flowers and vegetables to the UAE. Astral will also upgrade the B767-200F on its Nairobi – Johannesburg route which it currently operates with the B727-200F, thus increasing the total capacity to 160 tonnes per week to South Africa. The freighter will further offer capacity on a high priority basis for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to and within Africa, in addition to humanitarian cargo.
Marking the launch of the B767 freighter in Nairobi on January 22 2021, Astral Aviation Chief Executive Officer Sanjeev Gadhia reiterated that the newly-acquired freighter will complement the existing fleet by providing new opportunities in the 40 tonne category which was previously underserved in Africa.