Astral Aviation introduces freighter service to Tel Aviv

by Payload Asia

Theinauguration ceremony held at Astral’s hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was attended by the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture in Kenya, Hon Mithika Linturi, and the Israeli Ambassador in Kenya, Michael Lotem, along with dignitaries and clients from the private sector.

Astral Aviation (Astral) inaugurated its maiden flight from Nairobi to Tel Aviv on 5 June with a Boeing 757 freighter which will operate on the new scheduled route.

The direct flight from Nairobi to Tel Aviv will reduce the transit time from 24 hours to five hours for perishable products, particularly pineapples and vegetables, which previously were being routed via other hubs such as Istanbul, Addis Ababa, and Dubai. Return flights meanwhile will enable exports from Israel to reach Africa via Astral’s Nairobi hub.

Israeli Ambassador Michael Lotem promised that the government of Israel and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not only support the process of getting more products to get cargo full but also to get a full cargo from Tel Aviv to Kenya.

Astral Aviation will increase its frequency from a weekly to twice weekly service and will upgrade to the Boeing 767 Freighter. The airline is represented by Globespeed Ltd and is handled by Maman/Laufer Aviation in Tel Aviv.