An established British all-cargo airline specialising in hard-to-reach destinations. With Antonov and Il-76 freighter capacity and the Dubai and Sharjah gateways, it delivers cargo from China to central Asia, Africa, the Middle East and other difficult destinations.
China service partner: Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, handling bookings, inland connections, customs clearance and end-to-end logistics for cargo from China to central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Africa.
Coyne Airways, IATA two-letter code:7C, ICAO three-letter code:COY) is a UK-registered all-cargo airline headquartered in London at Lincoln House, 137-143 Hammersmith Road, London W14 0QL. It was founded by Larry Coyne in 1994 as a charter broker specialising in cargo to the former Soviet Union (CIS) and grew into one of the air cargo industry's most capable operators at delivering cargo where others will not or cannot go, with more than 30 years of cargo experience.
Coyne works as a virtual carrier: it does not hold a large fleet of its own but draws on long-standing relationships with aircraft operators in east and west to deploy Antonov, Il-76 and Boeing 747 freighters as required. Operating bases include London Stansted (STN), Cologne/Bonn (CGN), Dubai (DXB) and Tbilisi (TBS). The model gives it great flexibility for oil and gas equipment, outsize plant and humanitarian relief, and lets it operate at almost any airport with the right conditions, including remote airports that large airlines cannot reach.
The Coyne network covers Europe, central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Africa. From 1997 it pioneered scheduled cargo routes to the Caspian region, opening Baku, Tbilisi, Yerevan, Aktau, Atyrau and Uralsk and becoming a key logistics partner for oil and gas projects in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and other energy economies. It entered Iraq in 2004, opened Afghanistan cargo in 2006 and extended to Africa in 2013. Scheduled flights now cover east and west Africa through the Dubai and Sharjah gateways, and the interline partner network lets cargo from major cities worldwide connect to its gateways on a single Coyne waybill starting with 575.
| Airline | Coyne Airways |
| Company type | All-cargo airline (virtual carrier model) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Global headquarters | London, Hammersmith |
| Founded | 1994 (30 years in 2024) |
| Operating base | London STN, Cologne CGN, Dubai DXB, Tbilisi TBS |
| IATA two-letter code | 7C |
| ICAO three-letter code | COY |
| Air waybill prefix | 575(AWB 575-XXXXXXXX) |
| Official website | www.coyneair.com |
| London head office telephone | +44 (0)20 7605 6860 |
| Dubai office | +971 4 299 3922 |
| Core markets | Central Asia and the Caspian, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan |
All aircraft are freighters such as the Antonov An-12, Il-76 and Boeing 747-400F; there are no passenger flights, so loading space is larger and handling is more specialised.
Under the virtual carrier model, east and west freighters are deployed to match volume and destination, from a few tonnes up to more than a hundred tonnes, with flexible schedules and space.
Types such as the Il-76 have low runway requirements and can use simple airfields, reaching many points in inland central Asia and remote parts of Africa that large airlines cannot serve.
Through the global interline partner network, cargo from China and other major cities connects on a single Coyne waybill starting with 575 through the Dubai or Sharjah gateway onto Coyne's own flights.
For cargo bound for central Asian oil fields, the African interior, conflict zones or remote sites, passenger belly capacity usually does not reach, and Coyne Airways, which specialises in difficult destinations, is a dependable solution. A Chinese shipper books through a freight forwarder and the cargo moves on Coyne freighters.
| Aircraft type | Type | Main role / cargo characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Antonov An-12 | Medium freighter | The classic Soviet four-engine freighter with low runway requirements, suited to simple airfields in central Asia and Africa and to small and medium lots. |
| Il-76 | Heavy freighter | The long-haul workhorse with high payload and long range, able to reach remote and difficult airports, suited to oil and gas equipment, construction machinery and other heavy cargo. |
| Boeing 747-400F | Very large freighter | A mainline heavy freighter carrying more than a hundred tonnes in one lift, used on the London to Caspian mainline, suited to bulk intercontinental transport. |
| Tupolev Tu-204C | Medium freighter | A new-generation Russian freighter with about 30 tonnes of payload, suited to medium and long-haul bulk cargo. |
| Boeing 737F / 727F | Narrowbody freighter | Deployed through partners for short regional trunk routes in Africa, such as from Nairobi and Lagos to neighbouring countries. |
The key is aircraft choice: the Il-76 and Antonov freighters have excellent short take-off and landing performance and hold design, with forward and rear cargo doors for loading large equipment, and can operate on unpaved or simple runways, which is exactly what central Asian oil fields and inland African airports offer.
Coyne also works with operators in east and west over the long term, deploying Boeing 747 freighters when mainline capacity is needed and smaller aircraft for flexible small lots, matching the aircraft to the cargo and booking to the requirement.
Note: Coyne Airways operates as a virtual carrier, and the aircraft actually flown depends on the route and season; confirmation at booking applies.
Basis: published typical maximum payload for each type (An-12 about 20 tonnes, Tu-204C about 30 tonnes, Il-76 about 48 tonnes, B747-400F about 113 tonnes). Actual space available depends on flight loading.
| Cargo fleet | Antonov An-12, Il-76, Boeing 747-400F, Tu-204C and others |
| Partner capacity | Regional freighters such as the Boeing 737F and 727F |
| Freighter | Yes (all-cargo airline with no passenger flights) |
| Operating model | Virtual carrier: own and partner capacity deployed on demand |
| Typical volumes | From a few tonnes in small lots to whole-aircraft loads of more than a hundred tonnes |
| Cargo it handles well | Oil and gas equipment, outsize pieces, construction machinery, humanitarian relief supplies, perishables |
| Route | Flight number | Schedule (day of week) | Departure | Arrival | Aircraft type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai DXB to Djibouti JIB | 7C179 | Monday, Thursday | 06:00 | 08:00 | Il-76 freighter |
| Dubai DXB to Asmara ASM (Eritrea) | 7C181 | Fri | 06:00 | 08:00 | Il-76 freighter |
| Sharjah SHJ to N'Djamena NDJ (Chad) | 7C189 | Sat | 08:00 | 14:30 | Il-76 freighter |
| Sharjah SHJ to Hargeisa HGA (Somaliland) | 7C183 | Fri | 09:50 | 11:40 | Il-76 freighter |
| Sharjah SHJ to Mogadishu MGQ (Somalia) | 7C5206 | Fri | 09:50 | 11:40 | Il-76 freighter |
| Lagos LOS to Abidjan ABJ (Côte d'Ivoire) | 7C5202 | Sat | 14:00 | 16:00 | 737 freighter |
| Lagos LOS to Abuja ABV (Nigeria) | 7C5203 | Monday | 10:10 | 11:30 | 737 freighter |
| Nairobi NBO to Juba JUB (South Sudan) | 7C5202 | Tuesday, Thursday | 08:00 | 09:30 | 727 freighter |
| Nairobi NBO to Mwanza MWZ (Tanzania) | 7C5205 | Tuesday, Sunday | 14:00 | 15:00 | 727 freighter |
| Nairobi NBO to Kigali KGL (Rwanda) | 7C6121 | Fri | 08:00 | 09:30 | 727 freighter |
Note: the times above are the scheduled services published on the Coyne Airways website for 2026. Actual schedules may change; check the latest information on the website or with Goodhope Freight. Schedules for the Caspian and central Asia, the Middle East and Europe are not fully published on the static pages, so confirm them separately when booking.
Counting the times published on the website, the Africa region totals about 13 scheduled cargo flights a week.
Coyne Airways currentlydoes not operate its own scheduled flights at airports in mainland China andhas no direct flights to China. Its international network works on a gateway connection model: cargo from Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, Hong Kong and other Chinese cities is carried by Goodhope Freight on interline partner airlines to the Dubai (DXB) or Sharjah (SHJ) gateway, then connects directly to Coyne Airways' own flights, using one Coyne air waybill starting with 575 so the cargo moves on a single document to destinations in Africa, central Asia and the Middle East.
Main Coyne Airways servicesCargo from China to central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Africa;China to the United Statesis outside the Coyne Airways network. For air freight from China to the United States, Goodhope Freight can arrange space with Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and other leading China-US carriers (see the other airline profiles on the Goodhope Freight website).
This region is where Coyne Airways started and remains its core strength, particularly for oil and gas field equipment, construction machinery and industrial materials.
Note: many destination airports in inland Africa have limited facilities, and the Coyne aircraft and operating experience cover exactly these difficult destinations.
Inland central Asia, remote parts of Africa and the Middle East and post-conflict reconstruction areas are beyond passenger belly coverage, and they are where Coyne Airways is strongest. After the gateway connection, Chinese cargo is genuinely delivered all the way.
Dedicated freighters throughout the movement, with no passenger baggage taking space. Large pieces, heavy cargo and irregular shapes load flexibly, and lots of several tens of tonnes can be arranged, which suits oil and gas, engineering and industrial bulk.
Bookings by weight, part-charter of pallet positions and whole-aircraft charters are all available, from urgent small lots to whole aircraft of more than a hundred tonnes, with fast quotation and flexible custom plans.
Oil and gas equipment, outsize pieces, dangerous goods, temperature-controlled perishables and humanitarian relief supplies all benefit from 30 years of operating experience, and the carrier works closely with operators in east and west on every kind of special loading.
For cargo from China to destinations in Africa or central Asia, the whole movement travels on one Coyne waybill starting with 575; Goodhope Freight handles the China leg and the interline connection, so the shipper does not coordinate several sectors.
Coyne Airways is an active member of TIACA and other industry bodies, works with many airlines and forwarders worldwide and is widely trusted as a neutral carrier.
For customers exporting oilfield equipment, engineering supplies, relief goods or e-commerce cargo from China, Coyne Airways is a suitable carrier when the destination is somewhere ordinary airlines do not reach. For regular mainlines such as China to the United States, we can arrange capacity with carriers such as Delta and United.
| London headquarters | +44 (0)20 7605 6860 Email caspian@coyneair.com |
| Dubai office | +971 4 299 3922 (covers Gulf and Africa business) |
| China office | No directly owned China office is publicly listedNone available For bookings use the general sales agent network or a freight forwarder |
| Official website | www.coyneair.com |
| Air waybill prefix | 575 (AWB 575-XXXXXXXX) |
Note: Coyne Airways has a worldwide general sales agent (GSA) network. Chinese customers should book through a freight forwarder, which deals directly with Coyne's sales and operations teams; paperwork is simpler and capacity is more secure.
This is Coyne Airways' most representative business. From drilling rig components and oil pipe to pump station equipment and heavy construction machinery, Coyne uses the large cargo doors and high payload of types such as the Il-76, together with long experience in the oilfield network of Central Asia and the Caspian region, to give Chinese exporters a stable air channel for oilfield materials. Oversized and overweight pieces can be given a custom loading plan and a charter can be requested, so equipment built in China can be moved and loaded.
Coyne Airways provides temperature-controlled air cargo for perishables including fruit, vegetables, seeds and chilled and frozen food. With close management of transit times and cold chain steps, perishable exports from China can connect at the Dubai gateway and reach markets in Africa and the Middle East still fresh. For perishables, state the temperature requirement (ambient, chilled or frozen) and expected volume at booking so the right aircraft and loading sequence can be arranged.
Coyne Airways carries dangerous goods that are properly declared and has broad experience in humanitarian relief cargo: from emergency supplies after disasters to peacekeeping and reconstruction materials, Coyne has flown many missions for international organizations and government agencies, including to Iraq and Afghanistan. Relief supplies, medicines and emergency equipment exported from China can all move on Coyne capacity arranged by us.
Coyne offers three flexible modes: whole-aircraft charter, part-pallet allotment and booking by the kilogram, with 24/7 response to urgent needs. Chinese cargo can depart from Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing and Hong Kong, connect at the Dubai/Sharjah gateway under one 575 air waybill and fly straight to destinations in Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East; Coyne also has interline partnerships with many airlines worldwide (for example via African hubs such as Nairobi, Lagos, Dakar and Johannesburg), extending service to more remote points so cargo genuinely moves from China under one air waybill.
Coyne Airways covers Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Africa and does not operate China to United States routes. For air cargo from China to the United States we can arrange capacity with the main carriers on the lane, such as Delta and United; Coyne Airways suits special cargo from China to Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Coyne Airways has official offices in London and Dubai and no own office in China at present. Chinese customers should book through a freight forwarder such as our company, which deals directly with Coyne's sales and operations teams; worldwide GSA network contacts can also be found at www.coyneair.com.
Through a gateway connection: cargo moves from Chinese cities to the Dubai (DXB) or Sharjah (SHJ) gateway and then connects to Coyne's own flights to Africa, Central Asia and elsewhere. One Coyne air waybill beginning with 575 covers the whole journey; we handle the domestic leg and confirm the connection, so the shipper does not coordinate the separate legs.
Yes, and this is where Coyne Airways is strongest. Oil and gas equipment, construction machinery and outsized pieces can be given a custom loading plan and, where needed, a whole-aircraft charter, using the wide hold and short take-off and landing capability of types such as the Il-76 to reach oilfields in Central Asia and inland points in Africa that ordinary airlines cannot serve.
Every shipment has an air waybill number beginning with 575 (for example 575-XXXXXXXX), and status can be checked with Coyne customer service or its GSA. Our own customer service also updates the client at key points such as booking, connection, departure, arrival, customs clearance and delivery, so the whole journey is visible and controlled.
Dangerous goods must be declared under IATA rules with the required documents; for perishables and temperature-controlled cargo, state the temperature requirement and volume in advance. Such special cargo should be quoted and booked 3 to 5 working days ahead, with our help in preparing documents and confirming the loading plan so it ships compliantly and without delay.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited is based in Shenzhen, China and focuses on international air cargo from China to Central Asia, the Caspian region, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Africa. We work closely with Coyne Airways and its Middle East gateway agent and provide domestic leg connection, booking, export declaration, mainline carriage, customs clearance and delivery as one service. Destinations cover African port cities and inland project sites in Central Asia; transport plans and quotations are available from us.
Disclaimer:Prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight). Airline names, codes and brand marks mentioned here belong to their respective owners, and our company has no affiliation, agency or investment relationship with the airlines described. The information is compiled from public sources for reference only and does not form a contract of carriage or a commitment. Space, rates and schedules are subject to actual confirmation by the carrier or its authorized agent at the time of booking.