air-cargo

Astral Aviation Resumes China-South Africa Freighter Corridor

Astral Aviation is relaunching dedicated cargo flights between Haikou and Johannesburg in partnership with Fly Noor Aviation. This marks a significant expansion of air cargo connectivity between China and Africa. The twice-weekly service will operate Boeing 767-300F aircraft with 50-tonne payload capacity, routing through Nairobi. The partnership, formalized at Air Cargo China 2026 in Shanghai, targets fast-growing trade lanes for electronics, textiles, automotive components and pharmaceuticals moving from China into Africa, while facilitating African perishables and agricultural exports to Asian markets. Johannesburg serves as the distribution hub for southern, eastern and central Africa through Astral's regional network, while Haikou offers access to a major Chinese manufacturing and e-commerce center. The route addresses rising demand for reliable capacity and faster transit times on this developing trade corridor.