A Boeing 767-200 converted freighter has been delivered to Astral Aviation of Kenya Air Transport by Cargo Aircraft Management, a subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group, Inc. under a five-year lease.
Astral is an all-cargo airline based in Nairobi, Kenya. With a fleet of 14 cargo aircraft and a network of 50 destinations in Africa and Europe, Astral is the fastest growing cargo airline in Africa. During the Pandemic, Astral operated cargo flights for PPE, ventilators, and test kits to 42 countries in Africa and will play an important part in the distribution of the COVID vaccine to and within Africa.
This is the first aircraft ATSG has leased to Astral, as well as the first Boeing 767 that Astral has put into service.
ATSG is a leading provider of aircraft leasing and air cargo transportation and related services to domestic and foreign air carriers and other companies that outsource their air cargo lift requirements. ATSG, through its leasing and airline subsidiaries, is the world’s largest owner and operator of converted Boeing 767 freighter aircraft.
Through its principal subsidiaries, including three airlines with separate and distinct U.S. FAA Part 121 Air Carrier certificates, ATSG provides aircraft leasing, air cargo lift, passenger ACMI and charter services, aircraft maintenance services and airport ground services.
“We are pleased to introduce the B767 freighter into our fleet,” said Sanjeev Gadhia, chief executive officer of Astral. “This aircraft will allow us to better serve the needs of our customers throughout our intra-African and Middle East networks, and ATSG’s support and assistance have been indispensable. Establishing a partnership with the world’s largest lessor of 767’s is something we have been after for some time now. I view this as the start to something special for Astral and all of sub-Saharan Africa.”
Astral currently provides scheduled and charter cargo service to more than 50 destinations in Africa and Europe, with its fleet of Boeing 747, Boeing 727, McDonnell Douglas DC-9, BAE ATP, Fokker 50 and Fokker 27 freighters operating out of bases in Nairobi and Liege.
Mike Berger, chief commercial officer of ATSG, said, “ATSG welcomes the opportunity to help Astral broaden its service offerings by delivering its first 767 aircraft, and we look forward to more opportunities to expand our relationship in the future with Sanjeev and his team.”
ATSG’s subsidiaries include ABX Air, Inc.; Airborne Global Solutions, Inc.; Airborne Maintenance and Engineering Services, Inc., including its subsidiary, Pemco World Air Services, Inc.; Air Transport International, Inc.; Cargo Aircraft Management, Inc.; and Omni Air International, LLC.
Courtesy ; AETOS Wire