Kenya Airways, tapping into growing trade between Africa and China to build its burgeoning cargo network, is launching 747-400 freighter service this month between Guangzhou in China’s industrial manufacturing region and the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.
The airline will tie the operation to its growing regional cargo business across Africa and to its expanding partnerships in Europe, said Sauda Rajab, general manager for cargo Kenya Airways.
“The idea is to connect the three continents — Asia, Africa and Europe,” she said. “We believe we are suitably placed to increase trade between China and Africa, and felt this would work both for us and our partners.”
Those partners include the Air France-KLM group, which has an equity stake in the African carrier, along with other members of the Skyteam Alliance of passenger airlines and the cargo operations at the Skyteam carriers. Rajab said the routing of the widebody freighter would include Amsterdam and Lagos, Nigeria and the airline will use two 737-400 freighters joining Kenya Airways’ fleet next year to connect with cargo traffic with other cities across Africa.
The Journal of Commerce Online
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