NAC places two Embraer E190F with Astral Aviation
Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC), the world’s largest regional aircraft leasing company, has agreed a memorandum of understanding to place the first two E190F passenger-to-freight conversions with Astral Aviation, based in Nairobi, Kenya. In May 2022, NAC and Embraer reached an agreement in principle to take up to 10 conversion slots for E190F/E195F, with first deliveries […]
Astral Aerial and Yamaha to promote drones in Kenya
Astral Aerial Solutions has sealed a deal with Yamaha Motor Company to provide last mile air cargo delivery and crop spraying services in Kenya. The deal, signed at the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development will see Astral providing market entry support for the Yamaha Fazer R G2 drone. Astral Aerial Solutions aims to […]
Celine Hourcade to drive TIACA’s transformation
Celine Hourcade will join The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) as project manager, supporting the transformation program. Initial priorities for Hourcade will be the development of TIACA’s Sustainability Program including the Sustainability Award, and delivering the Cargo Service Quality objectives for the tool. She will also head up projects to roll out transformation initiatives as […]
Polmans and Gadhia to head up TIACA board
Steven Polmans will take over as chairman of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) next month, joined Sanjeev Gadhia as vice chairman. Polmans, the director of cargo and logistics at Brussels Airport Company joined the TIACA board in 2016, and served as vice chairman for two years. He will replace Sebastiaan Scholte, CEO of Jan […]
TIACA and AFRAA sign MoU to support cargo development in Africa
The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work closely on issues affecting air cargo, from security to digitisation. The MoU was signed at the 49th AFRAA Annual General Assembly (AGA) in Kigali, Rwanda, and TIACA will collaborate with AFRAA’s 40 members from […]
NAM and Astral sign wet lease deal for B747F with Air Atlanta
Network Airline Management (NAM) and Kenya-based Astral Aviation have signed a long-term wet lease with Air Atlanta Icelandic adding a factory-built, nose-loader B747-400 Freighter to their existing managed fleet of three MD11Fs. The B747-400F made its inaugural flight from London Stansted Airport to Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport yesterday, expanding NAM’s capacity to East Africa. […]
TIACA ES: Astral to start testing the Flyox drone
African carrier Astral Aviation is to start testing its two-tonne Flyox drone in Malawi next month as it looks to start operating regular flights, writes Justin Burns. Speaking at The International Air Cargo Association’s (TIACA) Executive Summit in Miami in the ‘Unmanned aircraft and new airline technology’ session on 19 October, chief executive officer, Sanjeev […]
Celebi Delhi and Astral Aviation CEOs join TIACA board of directors
TIACA is expanding its global reach by welcoming the CEOs of Celebi Delhi Cargo and Astral Aviation to the board of directors. Ramesh Mamidala is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management, and has over 22 years of air cargo experience, having previously worked for companies including Qatar Airways and Emirates […]
Air Cargo Africa 2017: Drones to be part of life
The potential of other transport methods including drones, UAVs and airships in Africa provided an interesting discussion to end the Air Cargo Africa conference and exhibition. The panel discussion, ‘Innovations in cargo delivery: from drones to UAVs to airships’ was moderated by BeCon Projects chief executive officer (CEO), Uwe Beck, who was joined by Astral […]
Astral remains committed to three-hub strategy
Astral Aviation remains committed to its three-hub strategy for Africa even though it is reconsidering the planned Western base in Lagos, chief executive officer Sanjeev Gadhia (pictured below) tells Air Cargo Week (ACW) staff writer, James Muir. Astral is planning a West Africa hub for the middle of this year and was looking at Lagos […]
Many issues to discuss as Air Cargo Africa returns for another year
There will be much to talk about at Air Cargo Africa in Johannesburg, with five panels discussing issues including Africa’s potential and overcapacity, and forum sessions including pharmaceuticals and perishables. The action will kick off with a welcome address by STAT Media Group editor-in-chief, R K Patra at 11.00h on Tuesday 21 February, followed by […]
Astral suspends cargo services in South Sudan, but runs evacuation flights
Astral Aviation has grounded freighters to South Sudan due to reported conflict in the area and won’t resume them until 15 July, but is carrying out charter evacuation missions. The African carrier had stopped all flights from 9-12 July, citing concerns over safety of their staff, affecting the three weekly cargo flights from Nairobi to Juba. […]
The last region of air cargo opportunity is rising
Africa is the last frontier of opportunity for aviation and the air cargo market, relatively untapped and waiting to develop into the powerhouse region many think it can become. However, it continues to be held back by political instability, despite this improving, a lack of infrastructure and co-operation between all 54 countries on the continent, […]
60 Seconds with Astral Aviation founder and chief executive officer, Sanjeev Gadhia
Justin Burns, ACW: How is business for Astral Aviation? Gadhia: We have experienced a 15 per cent decline in payloads in 2016, compared to the same period in 2015, which can be contributed to various reasons such as drop of oil, gas and mining commodities, which combined with a weak currency is affecting inbound volumes […]