Kenya Airways on Thursday started daily direct cargo flights from Mombasa to Sharjah International Airport in UAE and will gradually increase frequencies and destinations as demand grows.
The introduction of a direct cargo flight schedule follows up joint discussions between KQ, the Mombasa County Government, and fresh produce stakeholders from the coastal region to enable them to transport cargo faster and more efficiently to customers outside of Kenya.
The average load of Fresh Seafood per flight is about 18.75 tonnes.
Allan Kilavuka, CEO of Kenya Airways assured the fresh produce community the airline will continue to invest in growing its cargo business to address and meet the demand of its cargo customers. “KQ Cargo will work closely with fish and seafood farmers to maximize on the same-day perishables supply chain to cater for the consumers in the Middle East region,” said Mr. Kilavuka.
KQ Cargo fleet has operated some 700 cargo-only flights in the past six months. In total, KQ Cargo has been able to carry +10,000 tonnes of fresh fruits and vegetables, demonstrating the importance of air travel in moving food worldwide.