NAIROBI, KENYA – 2020/07/31: A Kenya Airways plane is seen at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Kenya Airways has resumed international flights following the easing of travel restrictions by President Uhuru Kenyatta. The flights had been stopped during the Coronavirus pandemic outbreak in the country. (Photo by Dennis Sigwe/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Kenya Airways plans to increase cargo flights to China from once to twice a week beginning Oct. 1, an official said on Thursday.
Peter Musola, cargo commercial manager of Kenya Airways told journalists in Nairobi that it will seek to deploy two freighters between Kenya and China in order to meet growing import demand as the East African nation’s economy recovers following the easing of restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“As we go towards the Christmas season in December, traders will begin to import a lot of electronics, clothes and shoes from China,” Musola said when the Agriculture Sector Network and the Agrochemical Association of Kenya donated 170,000 liters of pesticides that were airlifted by Kenya Airways to Kenya and Uganda to aid in the fight against the desert locusts in the respective countries.
Musola said that the bulk of Kenya’s exports consist of live crabs and flowers to China while it imports personal protective equipment (PPE).
He added that airborne flower cargo from Kenya to China has also reduced from 10 tons weekly to 2.5 tons currently due to the effects of COVID-19.
The national flag carrier currently operates one weekly passenger flight to China due to weak travel demand.
Kenya Airways currently operates two regional air freighters to dispatch cargo between Kenya and the east and central African region.
Musola added that it will soon convert two passenger 787 Dreamliner aircraft into cargo planes to boost revenues as passenger traffic remains subdued to the current global travel advisories that are hindering international human movement.
He added that the airline has also developed a strategy to acquire three wide-body freighters in early 2021 in order to boost cargo revenues.