Purpose
Identify potential cargo operators and aircraft types that could serve direct or feeder routes between the USA/Canada and the Canary Islands, Abuja, and Cape Town, including backhaul opportunities (e.g., perishables from South Africa) and possible partnerships with DHL, FedEx, Amazon Air or ACMI/charter providers.
1) Canary Islands (Gran Canaria LPA, Tenerife TFS)
Current situation:
Airfreight is mainly handled via mainland Spain (Madrid, Barcelona) using belly-cargo on passenger aircraft and regional night freighters. No regular direct US-Canary cargo flights exist. Annual throughput at Gran Canaria Airport is about 15–20 thousand tons, indicating limited potential for stand-alone long-haul freighter operations.
Key operators / options
- Swiftair (Spain) — Nightly B737-300/400 F operations between Madrid (MAD) and LPA/TFS.
- Vasco / Binter Logistics — Regional logistics partner for inter-island and mainland feeder traffic (ATR / regional jets).
- Integrators (DHL, FedEx, UPS) — Serve the Canaries via Spanish hubs (MAD, AGP) with dedicated feeders.
- Charter viability: Only for one-off or seasonal peaks; trans-Atlantic charters would require B767F or B777F, but volume is generally insufficient for economic operation.
2) Abuja (ABV)
Current situation:
Abuja functions as Nigeria’s administrative hub but Lagos (LOS) remains the main international cargo gateway. Most freight from the USA reaches Nigeria via European or Middle-Eastern hubs.
Key operators / options
- Allied Air (Nigeria) — Domestic and regional cargo carrier using B737-400/800 F aircraft, connecting LOS ↔ ABV and regional routes.
- Ethiopian Cargo, Turkish Cargo, Qatar Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo — Operate wide-body freighters (B777F, A330F) to Lagos and other West-African gateways; Abuja can be reached by road or feeder aircraft.
- Integrators (DHL, FedEx, UPS, Aramex) — Maintain in-country operations and own feeder networks; ideal partners for e-commerce and express traffic.
- Charter options: Brokers such as Air Charter Service (ACS) or Delta Global Solutions can source B737F–B777F capacity for ad-hoc or AOG shipments.
3) Cape Town (CPT) — Including Return Flows: CPT → USA (Perishables)
Current situation:
Cape Town handles around 75 thousand tons of cargo p.a. — a major South-African freight hub. Most long-haul shipments to/from the USA move via Johannesburg, Dubai, Istanbul, or European gateways. Regular direct CPT↔USA freighters are rare, but seasonal charters for perishables (grapes, berries, citrus, flowers) are common.
Key operators / options
- Airlink Cargo / South African regional carriers — Domestic and Southern-African feeders (BAe 146F, ATR, small jets).
- Qatar Cargo, Turkish Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo, Ethiopian Cargo — Intercontinental carriers with reliable temp-controlled networks; handle most CPT exports via hubs. Aircraft types: B777F, A330F, A350F (when introduced).
- National Airlines, Atlas Air, Southern Air (ACMI/charter) — Suitable for direct or seasonal charters between CPT ↔ US East Coast using B747F, B767F, B777F.
- Integrators (DHL, FedEx) — Well-established in South Africa, providing express services, brokerage, and cold-chain solutions.
- Perishables handling: Exports typically consolidate at CPT or JNB, then uplift via freighter charter or belly-capacity using temperature-controlled ULDs.
4) Global Charter & ACMI Providers
- Air Charter Service (ACS) — Worldwide broker for B747F, B777F, B767F, A330F, AN-124 charters.
- Delta Global Solutions / Delta Cargo Charters — Offers tailored ACMI and full-charter services with mid-/long-haul freighters.
- African regional carriers: Astral Aviation, Allied Air, Suid Cargo, National Airlines — Provide regional and intercontinental charter capacity.
5) Typical Aircraft & Use-Cases
| Aircraft Type | Range / Payload | Typical Use-Case |
| B737-300/400/800 F | Short-/medium-haul | Intra-Europe or intra-Africa feeders (e.g. MAD–LPA, LOS–ABV) |
| B767 F | Medium-long range (~50 t) | Ideal for trans-Atlantic mid-size charters (CPT ↔ US East Coast) |
| B777 F / A330 F / A350 F | Long-range (90–110 t) | Large seasonal loads, perishables, long-haul consolidation |
| B747 F / AN-124 | Heavy / oversize | Project or outsize cargo; high charter cost |
| Passenger belly (A330/A350/B777 PAX) | – | Regular small-lot or temp-controlled freight |
6) Recommended Contact Targets
- Swiftair (Spain) — Canary Islands night-freight operations.
- Vasco / Binter Logistics — Inter-island cargo and feeder capacity.
- Allied Air (Nigeria) — Regional network & ABV connectivity.
- Airlink Cargo (South Africa) — Domestic feeder to CPT.
- Qatar / Turkish / Emirates Cargo — Hub-and-spoke capacity with temperature-controlled options.
- Air Charter Service / Delta Global Solutions / National Airlines / Astral Aviation — Charter sourcing for trans-Atlantic and seasonal flows.
- Integrators (DHL, FedEx, UPS, Amazon Logistics) — For express, e-commerce, and door-to-door freight solutions.
7) Next Operational Steps
- Contact the identified carriers to confirm available capacity, routing options, and frequency for Q4 2025 / Q1 2026.
- Assess charter economics for a CPT↔US East Coast B767F or B777F rotation during the perishables season.
- Engage with DHL/FedEx network-planning teams to explore co-loading or dedicated integrator capacity.
- Validate cold-chain infrastructure at CPT/LPA/ABV (temperature-controlled warehouses, cut-off times, ULD management).