The Kenyan cargo airline Astral Aviation has announced the resumption of scheduled cargo flights between Haikou, China, and Johannesburg. The project is being implemented jointly with the Dubai-based company Fly Noor Aviation Services FZCO following the signing of a strategic agreement at the Air Cargo China 2026 exhibition in Shanghai. The document was signed by Astral Aviation CEO Sanjeev Gadhia and Fly Noor head Damanpreet Singh.
Under the partnership, Astral Aviation will operate two weekly cargo flights using a Boeing 767-300F aircraft with a payload capacity of up to 50 tons. The route will connect Haikou – the administrative center of China’s Hainan province and one of the country’s fastest-growing free trade ports – with Johannesburg via the airline’s cargo hub in Nairobi. The service is expected to facilitate the transport of e-commerce goods, electronics, textiles, consumer products, auto parts, and pharmaceuticals from China to Africa, while also streamlining the export of African agricultural and perishable goods to Asian markets.
The route’s resumption comes amidst rapid growth in trade between China and African nations, driving demand for reliable air cargo services and direct transport links. The companies anticipate that combining Fly Noor’s commercial expertise with Astral Aviation’s extensive African network will enable them to offer more efficient logistics solutions to shippers, consignees, and e-commerce market participants in both regions.