Kenya Airways converts two 787 Dreamliners to carry cargo

Wednesday, September 15, 2021

While passenger air travel has plummeted during the pandemic, demand for air cargo has surged.

With e-commerce up and trucks often unable to cross borders, air freight becomes a global lifeline.

It helps in transporting medical supplies and personal protective equipment as well as all kinds of everyday products.

According to the International Air Transport Association, in June this year, African Airlines increased freight volumes by 33.5% compared to the same period in 2019.

This is a bigger increase than anywhere else in the world.

Allan Kilavuka, Group Managing Director and CEO at Kenya Airways described the media how the airline has pivoted to meet this market shift.  

Kilavuka calls this the world’s first cargo-converted Dreamliner 787.

Covid-19 has completely changed the worldview of the passengers.

The customer is demanding different things now.

They are more concerned about health and hygiene.

So the airline authority is taking extra measures to make them feel comfortable when it comes to that aspect of the business.

Until now cargo has been about 10% of the business made by African Airlines. The management wants to grow that to over 20% of its business and double it within the next three to five years.

In order to do that, it needs to increase its capacity.

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