TL;DR: Astral Aviation has resumed its Haikou-Johannesburg freighter service through a new partnership with Fly Noor Aviation Services, formalised at Air Cargo China 2026 in Shanghai. The twice-weekly Boeing 767-300F service carries up to 50 tonnes per flight and routes via Nairobi. Johannesburg acts as the primary distribution gateway into southern, eastern and central Africa. The deal responds to rising demand for dedicated air cargo capacity on the China-Africa trade corridor.
Astral Aviation is back on the China-Africa corridor. The Nairobi-based carrier has restarted its Haikou-Johannesburg scheduled freighter service, this time backed by a formal cooperation agreement with Fly Noor Aviation Services. The deal was signed at Air Cargo China 2026 in Shanghai by Sanjeev Gadhia, CEO of Astral Aviation, and Damanpreet Singh, CEO of Fly Noor Aviation Services.
The route puts dedicated freighter capacity on one of the fastest-growing trade lanes in global air cargo. E-commerce volumes, electronics, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods moving from China to African markets have all surged in recent years. Reliable, scheduled capacity on this lane has been hard to find. Astral and Fly Noor are betting that changes now.
Route Details: Haikou to Johannesburg via Nairobi
The service operates twice weekly between Haikou’s international airport and Johannesburg, routing via Astral Aviation’s Nairobi hub. The aircraft is a Boeing 767-300 freighter, converted from passenger configuration, carrying up to 50 tonnes per flight. Astral currently operates a fleet of three converted freighters, including two Boeing 767 variants and a Boeing 737-400, all passenger-to-freighter conversions.
Haikou, the capital of Hainan Province, is a designated Free Trade Port and one of China’s fastest-growing centres for manufacturing, logistics and e-commerce. Johannesburg serves as the primary gateway for onward cargo distribution across southern, eastern and central Africa through Astral’s existing regional network. The Nairobi stopover connects both ends of the route to one of Africa’s busiest air cargo hubs.
What the Partnership Brings to the Lane
Under the arrangement, Fly Noor handles commercial sales and market development while Astral supplies the aircraft, routing and its established pan-African operating infrastructure. Together, the partnership targets shippers moving e-commerce shipments, electronics, textiles, automotive parts and pharmaceuticals from China into Africa. The route also supports exports in the other direction: perishables, agricultural products and high-value African commodities heading to Asian markets.
Sanjeev Gadhia, CEO of Astral Aviation, highlighted that the agreement reflects a shared vision of building stronger logistics bridges between China and Africa, with the dedicated twice-weekly service giving customers reliable capacity and access to a fast-growing trade corridor. Damanpreet Singh, CEO of Fly Noor Aviation Services, noted that the partnership brings together two organisations committed to dependable, customer-focused air cargo solutions that meet growing demand for efficient transportation between the two regions.
Astral’s Broader Africa Expansion
The Haikou-Johannesburg restart is not an isolated move. Earlier this year, Astral launched a weekly freighter service between Nairobi and Asmara, Eritrea, adding another underserved African city pair to its network. The carrier is clearly building out a scheduled freighter footprint across the continent, using its Nairobi base as the central connecting point between intercontinental routes and intra-African services.
The China-Africa lane fits squarely into Astral’s long-term strategy. Africa’s import demand for Chinese manufactured goods continues to grow. At the same time, African exporters need reliable capacity to move time-sensitive and perishable cargo to Asian buyers. A twice-weekly dedicated freighter, rather than belly capacity on passenger aircraft, gives shippers predictable schedules and consistent payload availability. That matters on a route where cargo has historically moved in fits and starts.
CSN Perspective: Why This Route Matters for Forwarders
For freight forwarders handling China-Africa cargo, this restart opens up a concrete option. Two frequencies a week, 50 tonnes per flight, a known routing via Nairobi and a carrier with an established African network. That is a workable foundation for consolidation products, e-commerce lanes and project cargo moving between Hainan and southern or eastern Africa. The involvement of Fly Noor adds commercial distribution reach, which should translate into broader market access for smaller operators looking to place cargo on this lane.
Forwarders quoting China-Africa routings need current rate intelligence and fast turnaround. Waiting on email chains to price a multi-leg route costs time and kills deals. On the CSN quote platform, you can compare airport-to-airport (A2A) and door-to-door (D2D) options across carriers on lanes like this without subscription fees or delays. Quote in minutes. Ship today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What aircraft operates the Haikou-Johannesburg route?
Astral Aviation uses a Boeing 767-300 freighter, a passenger-to-freighter conversion, carrying up to 50 tonnes per flight.
How often does the service operate?
The service runs twice weekly on a scheduled basis between Haikou and Johannesburg, routing via Astral Aviation’s Nairobi hub.
What cargo types does the route support?
The route is designed for e-commerce shipments, electronics, consumer goods, textiles, automotive parts and pharmaceuticals moving from China to Africa. It also supports perishables, agricultural products and high-value commodities moving from Africa to Asian markets.
Who are the partners behind the service?
Astral Aviation, a Nairobi-based carrier, and Fly Noor Aviation Services signed the cooperation agreement at Air Cargo China 2026 in Shanghai. The deal was signed by CEOs Sanjeev Gadhia and Damanpreet Singh respectively.
Why is Haikou significant as a departure point?
Haikou is the capital of Hainan Province and a designated Free Trade Port. It is one of China’s fastest-growing hubs for manufacturing, logistics and e-commerce, making it a strategic origin point for cargo destined for African markets.
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