After plans of operating Embraer 190 P2F converted freighter aircraft went to ashes, Nairobi-based Astral Aviation intends to grow its fleet by adding Boeing freighters. “We are talking about one B737-400F joining the fleet by the end of this year, complemented by a B737-8F in 2026,” Sanjeev Gadhia, CEO of the African cargo airline told CargoForwarder Global in an exclusive call. He further indicated that more freighters are to come.
Originally, Astral Aviation intended to operate two leased P2F converted Embraer 190F. However, after comparing the pros and cons, the executive stepped back from the Embraer deal, originally signed in 2021. He named a couple of reasons for this retreat: The freighters were ordered in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic when yields were going through the roof. At that specific time the E190F, seemed to be the right equipment for serving pan African routes.

Major price gap
However, shortly after, rates went rapidly south. This price decrease made it impossible to generate profits with the aircraft, Sanjeev states. The limited payload in combination with excessive lease rates and declining yields were other obstacles Astral Aviation was not willing to shoulder. This said, management decided to step out of the deal and target Boeing freighters instead. “While the E190F can accommodate 12 tons, its competitor, the Boeing B737-400F ‘classic’ can uplift 18 tons per flight,” he reasons. The price difference in operating the two models amounts to 40% in favor of the B737F, he calculates. Hence, in comparison, the B737-400F delivers better value-for-money.
More B737F and B767F
The executive leaves open whether this is a fundamental decision against P2F converted freighters originally built by the Brazilian airframer or whether the plans have just been pushed into the backburner and might be reactivated at a later stage if operational conditions are more favorable. Time will tell and much depends on market conditions in Africa, he says.
Now he wants to add another B737-400F “classic” to the fleet, which will happen before the end of this year. In 2026, a leased B737-8F is to follow, upping the fleet to four B737F units, enabling the Kenian cargo carrier to expand and densify its intra-African network. In addition, Mr. Gadhia announced to CargoForwarder Global that the B767F sub-fleet consisting of three units will be supplemented by two further aircraft of this Boeing type for long-haul flights to the Gulf States and the Far East, with Astral relying on the B777F in the longer term.
Africa will be a dorado for e-Com, but only in a few years’ time
So far, Africa, he says, is a low-yield air freight market overall, which is particularly true for general cargo. And e-commerce is still in the initial phase. Many places lack the necessary infrastructure for e-trade, for example in terms of electronic availability, the use of cashless payments or delivery options on the last mile. “We are four years behind the global trend, but Africa, with its very young population, is gradually catching up with e-trade. I expect the first major boom in 2027.”
With the four leased B737 freighters and the B767-F sub-fleet, Astral Aviation should be well prepared for the expected upswing in terms of capacity and the routes it serves.