Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) has delivered a 767-200 converted freighter to Kenya-based Astral Aviation under a five-year lease.

The transaction was conducted through ATSG’s Cargo Aircraft Management subsidiary.

The delivery represents the first aircraft ATSG has leased to Astral, as well as the first 767 that Astral has put into service.

Astral’s chief executive officer Sanjeev Gadhia said: “This aircraft will allow us to better serve the needs of our customers throughout our intra-African and Middle East networks, and ATSG’s support and assistance has been indispensable.

“Establishing a partnership with the world’s largest lessor of 767s is something we have been after for some time now. I view this as the start of something special for Astral and all of sub-Saharan Africa.”

ATSG’s chief commercial officer Mike Berger commented: “ATSG welcomes the opportunity to help Astral broaden its service offerings by delivering its first 767 aircraft, and we look forward to more opportunities to expand our relationship in the future.”