China Southern Air Logistics starts Guangzhou–Nairobi freighter route with Boeing 777s

China Southern Air Logistics has started a direct all-cargo route between Guangzhou and Nairobi, its first freighter service to East Africa, China News Service reported on 19 October. The outbound flight, CZ5225, left Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport at 6:16 am Beijing time on 18 October with 92 tonnes of cargo, according to Beijing Business Today and Hong Kong Commercial Daily, two Chinese-language papers. The return flight landed at Baiyun at 5:55 am on 19 October carrying crabs and flowers from Africa, Hong Kong Commercial Daily said.

The route is flown with Boeing 777 freighters and takes about 10 hours one way. Outbound flights carry Chinese-made products such as new energy equipment, electronics and e-commerce goods. Return flights carry East African flowers and fresh agricultural products, which are sent on from Guangzhou to the rest of China.

China News Service described Nairobi as serving more than 10 neighbouring countries and as East Africa's largest e-commerce market. It said China Southern Airlines' export cargo volume to Africa has risen by more than 80 per cent year on year since the start of 2026.

China Southern also operates a Guangzhou–Nairobi passenger-and-cargo route and a Guangzhou–Addis Ababa passenger route. The airline expects its Africa cargo volume to rise significantly in October. A China Southern Air Logistics official, quoted by China News Service, said the freighter route would complement the belly-hold space on the passenger flights.

Astral Aviation, a Nairobi-based cargo airline, had resumed weekly Boeing 767-300 freighter flights between Nairobi and Guangzhou, the India-based air cargo trade publication STAT Times reported on 20 July 2026. Astral first opened the Guangzhou route in August 2024.