Nairobi — Kenya Airways cargo (KQ Cargo) has signed a codeshare agreement with Astral Aviation to boost trade between Africa and the Middle East.

The first of a kind agreement in Africa will see KQ emblazon its codeshare flight numbers on Astral flights originating from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) into Nairobi for onward distribution in Africa.

The pact is expected to boost trade and commodity movement from the Middle East into Africa by leveraging strengths of the two cargo operators in the Nairobi cargo hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

KQ Cargo Director Dick Murianki said the partnership will provide both airlines' cargo customers with more options to boost trade between the UAE and Africa.

"KQ Cargo and Astral Aviation have had a long-standing commercial cooperation for the past 20 years, and this partnership is a continuation of our efforts to strengthen collaboration and partnerships amongst African airlines and to boost intercontinental trade while driving sustainable development of the African continent," Murianki said.

KQ and Astral have had a commercial and interline cooperation for cargo for the past 20 years, which has benefited both airlines by enabling cargo to move on their respective networks, creating the largest cargo network in Africa from the freighter-friendly JKIA.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Astral Aviation contracted Kenya Airways repurposed Dreamliners to carry Covid related materials from Guangzhou to Nairobi for onward connection to the rest of Africa.

"This codeshare agreement, a first among two major players in the cargo sphere in Africa, will lead to a more efficient schedule and increased capacity for African traders wishing to bring in goods from the Middle East," Astral Aviation Chief Executive Officer Sanjeev Gadhia stated.