Astral Aviation has delivered 100 metric tons of humanitarian aid supplies from Nairobi, Kenya, to Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), utilising its Boeing 737-400 freighter.
The relief cargo originated in Europe and was transported from Liège Airport (LGG) in Belgium, to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi onboard a Boeing 747F operated by Astral’s interline partner, Network.
Upon arrival at Nairobi, the cargo was transferred to Astral’s ground handler, Çelebi and thereafter onto the 737-400F for onward transportation to Bunia.
The multi-stage air cargo solution was specifically designed to overcome infrastructure limitations at Bunia Airport (BUX), which is unable to accommodate widebody freighter aircraft.
The operation was coordinated in partnership with global logistics providers Scan Global Logistics and AVICO, as well as charity UNICEF.
“This operation highlights the importance of strong partnerships across the air cargo and logistics value chain,” said Sanjeev Gadhia, chief executive of Astral Aviation.
“No single organization can address humanitarian challenges alone. The successful movement of these relief supplies from Europe to Eastern DRC reflects the power of collaboration between airlines, freight forwarders, logistics specialists, airport stakeholders, and humanitarian partners working towards a common objective.”
Safety, security, and regulatory compliance were a priority throughout the operation. Astral worked closely with aviation regulators, public health authorities, airport operators, and ground handling partners in both Kenya and the DRC to ensure full compliance with all operational, safety, security, and biosecurity requirements, while maintaining the highest standards of crew welfare and cargo handling integrity, said Philip Omondi, head of safety and quality at the airline.
“Africa’s challenges require African solutions supported by global partnerships,” added Gadhia. “This mission demonstrates how cooperation between international logistics providers and African cargo airlines can create resilient supply chains capable of delivering humanitarian assistance to communities that need it most.”
Astral Aviation has extensive experience supporting emergency response operations throughout Africa and has previously transported critical medical supplies, vaccines, personal protective equipment (PPE), and humanitarian cargo during major public health emergencies, including Ebola outbreaks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and cholera response operations across the continent, according to Anthony Mwangi, head of charters at Astral Aviation.
