Astral Aviation Offers Freight Link to Mogadishu

Kenyan cargo carrier Astral Aviation is to launch what it claims to be the first scheduled freight link into the Somalia’s capital Mogadishu this month as the risk factor of flying into the city has reduced over the past few months. The airline will offer a weekly flight from its Nairobi base from March 14, 2012 using one of its Douglas DC-9 freighters. The aircraft provides up to 15 tonnes of cargo capacity.

The service is expected to provide an alternate to the limited belly capacity and sea-freight options that currently operate into Mogadishu, and will be complemented with connectivity from Europe, Middle East, Asia and South Africa via Astral's GSA's, Interline Partners and Freight Forwarders. Astral has experience of flying into Somalia having operated various charters for relief cargoes between August 2011 and January 2012 but expects a many inbound demand to Mogadishu as the there are very little exports from Somalia.

“The reason for the expansion into Somalia is to meet the increase in demand for aid and relief cargo in addition to cargoes which will be required by the peace-keeping missions which are being enhanced in Somalia,” the carrier’s Chief Executive Officer, Sanjeev Gadhia told The HUB. “This market has excellent growth opportunities but has been under-served due to limited air cargo and shipping options hence we foresee an increase in demand and a possible second frequency.”

According to Astral’s Operations Director, Michael Mutahi, the risk factor of flying into Mogadishu has been “significantly reduced due to the improved security in and around the airport”. Furthermore, the airport is being managed by a professional company, SKA Arabia, who has the equipment, personnel and the fuel to provide an efficient service to arriving operators.

The Mogadishu route will be the 6th scheduled destination in Astral's intra-African network which includes Juba, Mwanza, Dar-es-salaam, Entebbe and Kigali. The airline offers weekly links to Entebbe and Kigali, twice weekly flights to Dar-es-salaam and Mwanza and from February 1, 2012 added a third weekly rotation to Juba in South Sudan.

Astral Aviation is planning to further expand its intra-African network with the possible arrival of new aircraft this year facilitating this growth. The Nairobi-based venture currently has a fleet of three Douglas DC-9 Freighters and access to Boeing 727 and 737 models as well as some smaller regional turboprop types. However, it is planning to acquire up to six McDonnell Douglas MD-83SFs to replace the DC-9s and for expansion across the continent. It plans to fly to a number of new markets and has highlighted Angola, Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe for future development.

Alongside its scheduled operations Astral Aviation also offers charter capacity and has been involved in a number of emergency relief operations in Africa most notably the Niamey Famine, the Darfur Crisis, the Southern Sudan Relief Operations, the Mozambique & Madagascar Floods, the Eastern Congo Crisis, the Goma Volcano Eruption, and Humanitarian Crises in Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea.