Kenya Airways has received its first Boeing 737-800 freighter, enhancing its cargo capacity and the reach of its fleet for goods and mail transportation. These newly converted 737 freighters will operate on routes lasting more than 4 hours.
The addition of the 737 freighters is a response to the growing demand in the sector and the need for Kenya’s national airline to expand its cargo capacity. Kenya Airways Cargo will schedule its 737NG freighters to destinations such as Sharjah and Dubai World Central in the United Arab Emirates, Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Dakar in Senegal, Lagos in Nigeria, N’Djamena in Chad, Mogadishu in Somalia, Mumbai in India, Free Town in Sierra Leone, and Monrovia in Liberia, among others.
The Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways, Allan Kilavuka, highlighted that «As Africa continues to explore the available business opportunities on the continent, there is consensus on the need to invest in sustainable cargo systems that allow us to reach our full socio-economic development potential. One of these is the need for a well-developed air cargo system capable of supporting trade.»
«With the addition of this freighter, KQ will now offer increased cargo capacity on existing routes as well as new cargo destinations. We encourage the market to leverage this new arrangement to maximize business opportunities and the region’s potential,» added Kilavuka.
The 737-800 converted freighter has a range of up to seven hours of flight and can carry 20 tons of cargo. These features complement the capacity of the two 737-300 freighters currently operated by the company.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Air Cargo Analysis report for August 2023, the global air cargo capacity recorded 49.3 billion tonne-kilometers of available cargo (ACTKs) in August. Industry ACTKs were 12.2% higher than August 2022 levels and 3.9% higher than 2019 levels. In 2022, Kenya Airways transported 68,900 tons of cargo, including fresh produce, textiles, electronics, spare parts, pharmaceuticals, and live animals.
Kenya Airways plans to add a second Boeing 737-800 Freighter in 2024, scheduled to enter service in February 2024. These freighters will also capitalize on the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to catalyze trade within and outside the continent.
