Kenya Airways launches direct cargo flights from Mombasa

On 26 November Kenya Airways launched direct cargo flights from Mombasa to various destinations around the world (Business Today, 26 November). The maiden flight, from Moi International Airport in Mombasa to Sharjah International Airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marked the first direct cargo flight from outside Kenya Airways’ cargo hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

KQ Cargo will initially run one weekly flight from Mombasa, ferrying mostly fish and seafood to UAE, and will gradually increase frequencies and destinations as demand grows (Capital Business, 26 November). Mombasa County Governor Ali Hassan Joho commended KQ for the bold decision to initiate direct cargo flights from Mombasa, as it will help spur not only the fishing industry but also other local businesses: “Air cargo continues to be more important than ever, and more so where businesses have been devasted by the Covid-19 pandemic. KQ’s decision to operate cargo flights direct from Mombasa is vital for economic recovery.”

Fresh horticultural produce is one sector that is clearly set to benefit, especially in light of the recent cargo capacity challenges faced by exporters of fruit, vegetables and cut flowers in the early months of coronavirus restrictions. Over the past 6 months, the KQ Cargo fleet has operated around 700 cargo-only flights, carrying over 10,000 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables, demonstrating the importance of air travel in moving food worldwide. Okisegere Ojepat, CEO of Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya (FPC), is featured in Kenya Airways’ promotional video for the Mombasa launch, stating: “We will make sure this works. We will move cargo from all over the region into this airport. We challenged KQ to give us a cold room. And we now have a cold room in this airport that was not there since 1978.”

The Kenya Airports Authority also announced the construction of a new cargo handling facility at Moi International Airport: KAA Commercial Manager Jack Bwana announced “we have already earmarked a location where the second Ultra-Modern Cargo Handling Facility will be built, and the ground breaking will shortly be done.”