Summary
- Kenya Airways has added a Boeing 737-800 Freighter to its fleet, addressing growing cargo demand.
- The airline plans to deploy the new aircraft on several routes.
- Despite global cargo demand increasing, African airlines had poor performance in August.
Kenya Airways is expanding its cargo capacity by adding its first Boeing 737-800 Freighter. It comes as the airline responds to the growing cargo demand within the region despite Africa recording a decrease in cargo volumes in August.
The aircraft will be deployed on several routes within Africa, India, and the United Arab Emirates. It is the third 737 freighter to join the carrier’s fleet, with a fourth reportedly set to be delivered next year.
Increasing cargo volumes
Speaking at the Global Logistics Conference in Kenya earlier this week, Allan Kilavuka, the Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways Group, commented on the airline’s cargo operations.
“As Africa continues to unravel the trade opportunities available within the continent, there is consensus that there is a need to invest in sustainable freight systems that will enable us to reach our full potential for socio-economic development. One of these is the need for a well-developed and capable air cargo system to support trade. With the addition of this freighter, KQ will now offer increased cargo capacity to existing routes as well as new cargo destinations and we encourage the market to take advantage of the new provision to maximize on the trade opportunities and potential for the region.”
Planned routes
Kenya Airways Cargo (KQ Cargo) did not disclose any details on the aircraft or its identity, but did share that the 737-800F would be used on flights to:
- Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Dubai World Central, UAE
- Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,
- Dakar, Senegal
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Ndjamena, Chad
- Mogadishu, Somalia
- Mumbai, India
- Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Monrovia, Liberia
The new aircraft has a cargo capacity of 20 tons and a range of up to seven hours. KQ Cargo also revealed that it plans to add two 737-800Fs to its fleet, with the second aircraft to be delivered by February 2024.
Currently, the airline operates two 737-300Fs, meaning its current cargo capacity will increase significantly in the coming months. The two 737-800Fs will also support trade within Africa and outside the continent through The African Continental Free Trade Area.
Global demand is up, but performance in Africa is poor
Data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released in August showed that global cargo demand increased for the first time in 19 months. Compared to August 2022, global demand measured in cargo tonne-kilometers increased by 1.5%, while capacity was up nearly 12% for international operations.
“Air cargo demand grew by 1.5% over the previous August. This is the first year-on-year growth in 19 months, so it is certainly welcome news. But it is off a low 2022 base and market signals are mixed,” said IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh. “Looking ahead, while many uncertainties remain, we can take some optimism from PMI data moving towards positive territory. This is particularly significant as we head into air cargo’s traditional peak year-end season.”
Photo: Kenya Airways
Despite the increase in global demand, airlines in Africa reportedly had the weakest performance during August, with a decline in cargo volumes by nearly 5% compared to the same period the year prior. In 2022, KQ Cargo carried more than 68,000 tons of cargo, primarily comprised of fresh produce, textiles, electronics, spare parts, pharmaceutical products, and live animals.
