SOUTH AFRICAN TRYING TO UPSTAGE KENYA AIRWAYS’ CARGO PLANS
The recent announcement in Kampala that South African Airways was about to introduce a once weekly cargo flight from Johannesburg via Dar es Salaam to Entebbe, using a B737 converted freighter, will have provoked some attention within the Kenya Airways quarters, as KQ also finalises the introduction of a converted B737 freighter to serve their regional network out of Nairobi.
Air cargo business has produced astonishing growth rates in recent months, worldwide but especially in Africa where much of the urgent cargo can only be delivered by air in the absence of sufficient road and rail infrastructure, and Kenya Airways announcement some months ago that they intend to introduce a dedicated freighter to serve their regional routes by delivering palletized cargo shipments was greeted with enthusiasm by importers, exporters and shipping companies.
However, it seems the early announcement has given other airlines the chance to outpace KQ’s acquisition of a cargo aircraft but it is expected that Kenya Airways will stamp its own authority over this region’s passenger and cargo traffic on the market just as soon as this aircraft will join the fleet and enter service.
Watch this space.
