Astral Aviation Ltd has announced the resumption of its dedicated Haikou (China)–Johannesburg (South Africa) freighter service, marking a significant step in strengthening air cargo connectivity between Asia and Africa. The service is being relaunched in partnership with Fly Noor Aviation Services FZCO following the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement at Air Cargo China 2026 in Shanghai.
The agreement was formalised by Sanjeev Gadhia, Chief Executive Officer of Astral Aviation, and Damanpreet Singh, Chief Executive Officer of Fly Noor Aviation Services. The collaboration signals the start of a long-term strategic partnership aimed at enhancing trade links and cargo capacity between the two regions.
Under the agreement, Astral Aviation will operate a twice-weekly scheduled service using its Boeing 767-300 Freighter, offering a payload capacity of up to 50 tonnes per flight. The route will connect Haikou—capital of Hainan Province and a key hub within China’s rapidly growing Free Trade Port—with Johannesburg via Astral Aviation’s Nairobi hub, one of Africa’s leading cargo gateways.
The reinstated service is expected to support the increasing flow of e-commerce shipments, electronics, textiles, consumer goods, automotive parts and pharmaceuticals from China into Africa. At the same time, it will facilitate exports of perishables, agricultural products and other high-value commodities from Africa to Asian markets.
The relaunch comes amid continued growth in China–Africa trade, driving demand for reliable and efficient air cargo solutions. By combining Fly Noor’s commercial expertise with Astral Aviation’s extensive African network and operational capabilities, the partnership aims to deliver enhanced logistics solutions for freight forwarders, shippers and e-commerce providers across both regions.