Above and Beyond: We're In This Together

Abu Dhabi Airports has welcomed Lebanese travelers arriving at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) with special gifts upon their disembarkation from Middle East Airlines (MEA) flight ME418. The arriving travelers were greeted by AUH’s Wellness Ambassadors, in celebration of the arrival of the first MEA flight since March 2020.

In line with the gradual resumption of commercial flights at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Middle East Airlines has resumed its flights between Beirut, Lebanon and the UAE capital.

Abu Dhabi International Airport has implemented a range of health and safety measures including a team of specially trained Wellness Ambassadors to support passengers by answering common questions relating to keeping healthy during travel, encouraging social distancing, monitoring the regular sanitization of surfaces, communicating testing and isolation procedures, and providing hand sanitizer and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves to passengers.

Abu Dhabi International Airport has also introduced touchless elevator technology as well as SterixGate sterilization booths designed to safely disinfect a person within as little as three seconds. Other new technologies and precautionary measures deployed at the airport include thermal scanning cameras that incorporate the latest Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and cameras with facial recognition capabilities and heat motion sensors.

LATAM has served more than 400 health professionals in South America by using its Solidary Plane to transport over 680 tons of medical supplies during the global pandemic.

Solidary Plane in Brazil: Actively collaborated with various NGOs and hospitals in food and medical supply donations used to combat COVID-19.

Food donations: More than 64 tons of food were donated to different NGOs supported by LATAM throughout Brazil. The company decided to use the goods that would be served in its flights for a new purpose. Institutions such as Gerando Falcões, Gastromotiva, Amigos do Bem and Instituto Tennis benefitted from these actions, which served as a logistics basis to support more than 70 institutions/projects.

Medical supply donations: LATAM transported 45 tons of medical supplies in partnership with institutions such as HCor, Albert Einstein, Policía Federal, Amigos do Bem, Universidad Pública de São Paulo (USP) and the Ministry of Health, among others.

Solidary Plane in South America: Since the pandemic began, LATAM Group has transported over 680 tons of medical supplies to different locations within Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Argentina. These include masks, rapid COVID-19 tests and medicines, among others.

Patients and health professionals transported free of charge: More than 300 people in need of urgent medical treatment have been transported in South America. In addition, over 400 health professionals have been transported (of those, 363 in Brazil) in order to address medical needs in different parts of the continent.

Greek flag carrier Aegean Airlines is offering 48,000 complimentary roundtrip tickets for 24,000 employees working for COVID 19 referral hospitals in Greece. During April, 38,000 Miles+Bonus members extended their own personal gratitude to those who took care of our health, by donating as many miles as they wished from their personal Miles+Bonus accounts.

Aegean tripled the miles collected so that the 24,000 employees working for the COVID-19 referral hospitals, would receive two roundtrip tickets to any destination in Greece and travel whenever they wish along with their beloved ones.

Air Partner’s freight division has carried out more than 160 dedicated cargo flights globally since February to support the urgent demand for personal protective equipment (PPE), COVID-19 test kits and other necessities in the fight against COVID-19.

In total, Air Partner has delivered more than 12 million kilograms of cargo thus far to the US and Europe from China and Southeast Asia on a range of chartered freighter aircraft such as the Antonov AN-124, Boeing 747-400F, Boeing 777F, Boeing 767F and Airbus A330F. Additionally, Air Partner’s freight team used their extensive experience to charter numerous passenger-configured aircraft to move urgent PPE cargo, as an innovative approach to overcome the global cargo aircraft capacity crunch during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emirates Airline customers will cover medical expenses of up to €150,000 ($173,797) and quarantine costs of €100 per day for 14 days, should they be diagnosed with COVID-19 during their travel, while they are away from home. This cover is provided by the Dubai-based airline, free of cost to its customers regardless of class of travel or destination.

This cover is immediately effective for customers flying on Emirates until Oct. 31, 2020 (first flight to be completed on or before Oct. 31, 2020). It is valid for 31 days from the moment they fly the first sector of their journey. Emirates said this means “customers can continue to benefit from the added assurance of this cover, even if they travel onwards to another city after arriving at their Emirates destination.”

Customers do not need to register or fill in any forms before they travel, and they are not obligated to utilize this cover provided by Emirates.

LATAM Cargo carried out the last of 39 flights on July 19 that transported a total of 240 million masks from China to Brazil. The operation, which began in May, was carried out using Boeing 777 passenger aircraft. The masks were acquired by the federal government to combat COVID-19. These over 1,000 tons of equipment have been distributed among health professionals in the 27 federal units.

Qatar Airways is donating 1 million kilos of freight to selected customers around the world to give to the charities of their choice. This will allow the movement of medical equipment, humanitarian relief and essential products to where they are most needed, free of charge.

“This action was triggered by the Covid-19 crisis,” Qatar Airways chief officer-cargo Guillaume Halleux said. “The pandemic is a tragedy for millions of people, and we looked for ways how we, as an airline, could help those in the greatest difficulty. This solution—shipping 1 million kilos of cargo free of charge—is a firm commitment for QR Cargo. More than just words, we wanted to act and to adopt a comprehensive approach based on actions for the future,” he said.

A Johannesburg-based CemAir 90-seat CRJ900 transported 80 South Africans home from Iraq and Jordan on a special repatriation flight, which arrived at OR Tambo International Airport July 8. Stranded for nearly four months, some South Africans found themselves in deteriorating circumstances, sharing accommodation, and relying on the charity of others for their survival.

CemAir has operated repatriation flights to and from 20 countries across the African Continent and Middle East during the COVID-19 pandemic, repatriating more than 1,000 stranded South Africans back home.

Hawaiian Airlines’ community outreach group, Team Kōkua, and partners have been working with interested Hawaiʻi public school principals on projects to freshen up their campuses and prepare for the new school year.

The projects included landscaping work, classroom prep, student device cleaning and set-up, painting and mural installations.

The work has been supported with donations of supplies from City Mill Co., Ltd. and the labor, talent and expertise of POW! WOW! Hawaiʻi, local artists, and teams of Hawaiian Airlines employees who live in these communities.

The initiative came together in the spring after school campuses were closed during the early days of the pandemic and the state’s “safer at home” orders, when students and teachers began distance learning after spring break. Many Hawaiian Airlines employees were on voluntary furlough due to a significantly decreased flying schedule and the company sought opportunities to extend more kōkua into its communities.

For the three projects completed thus far, Team Kōkua brought 221 volunteers who provided 1,064 hours of assistance, along with 55 hours provided by local artists.

LATAM Airlines Brazil’s sixth and final flight arrived recently in Galeão, Rio de Janeiro, carrying 69 monitors, 69 anesthesia devices and approximately 1 million PPE (caps and N-95 masks). The Boeing 777 flight ended a partnership with Rio de Janeiro and JBS to fight COVID-19 and completed the transport of 160 tons of supplies acquired by the City Hall.

Etihad Airways’ loyalty program Etihad Guest members have donated more than 10 million miles to support the prevention and response efforts in view of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in refugee settings. The 10 million Etihad Guest Miles is equivalent to 20 ventilators or almost 20,000 masks.

The initiative that began in April—in collaboration with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) globally and with Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) in the Middle East—saw every donated Etihad Guest Mile support basic infection control and adequate containment measures.

UNCHR will use the miles in Jordan, Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon to support over 10,000 people by providing both medical supplies and hygiene materials to refugee camps or monetary support for those who are unable to work due to the pandemic.

Alaska Airlines has teamed up with nonprofit disaster relief organization Airlink, to deliver nearly 9,000 lbs. of mixed medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) to COVID-19 hit communities in Palmer, Alaska.

The rural and suburban areas of Alaska have struggled to obtain medical supplies to treat both the normal flow of patients and new COVID-19 cases. The medical supplies and PPE will be distributed to local hospitals by the Alaska Conference of Adventist Community Services (ACS). ACS is the US arm of the Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA), both entities are partners of Airlink.

British Airways has donated more than 200,000 items including washbags, socks, snacks and blankets to more than 90 community projects, NHS hospitals, care homes and food banks across the UK to support the Covid-19 response. In addition, more than 1,100 colleagues have volunteered in their local communities.

Since March, the airline has donated: 74,000 toothbrush/toothpaste kits; 32,000 pairs of first-class socks; 24,000 blankets; 30,000 disposable razors; 4,000 eye masks; 3,500 amenity kits; 390 first class pajama sets; 4,000 handwash/creams; 11,000 snacks; 12,000 food tray boxes; 2,600 soft drinks; 500 cereal bowls; 500 spoons; and 6,300 kids’ activity packs for charities supporting vulnerable children.

Lufthansa, Fraport, and CENTOGENE have partnered to offer Coronavirus testing at Frankfurt Airport via a Test Center in the immediate vicinity. This is an RT-PCR test (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction Test), which detects whether there is an acute infection with the virus, and thus the risk of infecting other people they come in contact with.

Etihad Airways, in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has transported humanitarian aid from the UAE to 54 destinations.

To date, the UAE has assisted more than 1 million medical workers worldwide by supplying more than 1,000 tonnes of personal protective equipment (PPE), medical and food aid in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Etihad Airways continues to transfer aid from the UAE and is working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to obtain relevant aviation permits using Etihad’s extensive experience and vast network of connections with relevant authorities across the world.

JFKIAT, the operator of Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport—in partnership with XpresSpa’s new brand XpresCheck and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey—launched the first COVID-19 screening and testing location in a US airport. The pilot program is now open to all JFK terminal employees, airline employees and airport workers. The new XpresCheck has the capacity to screen up to 500 employees per day and will ensure that JFK workers have convenient access to testing at the airport.

Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of Raytheon Technologies Corp., donated 5,000 clear face masks to Novant Health. The masks will be distributed among 13 hospitals and 200 clinics across North Carolina.

While full face masks are critical to stopping the spread of COVID-19, they can also create challenges for individuals who are hearing impaired and rely on lip reading to communicate. For hearing-impaired patients at Novant Health, it had become difficult to communicate with doctors and nurses wearing full face masks during the coronavirus. Novant Health pediatricians were also finding that the full masks made it hard for children to understand them and increased their anxiety.

Qatar Airways signed a partnership agreement with Airlink promising to transport 200 tons of humanitarian aid free-of-charge over the next two years.

The agreement will benefit Airlink’s nonprofit partners aiding communities impacted by disasters and other humanitarian crises around the world.

Under the new agreement, Airlink, its non-profit partner AFYA Foundation, and Qatar Airways conducted their first project transporting over 64,000 pounds of soap to Botswana during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hand washing is critical to mitigating the spread of COVID-19. The shipment of soap was donated to a local organization based in Gaborone, Botswana, in order to provide basic, but vital assistance. According to UNICEF and the World Health Organization, 3 billion people around the world do not have access to hand washing facilities with water and soap at home.

London’s Heathrow Airport has donated a further 5,000 FFP3 face masks to NHS personnel at Hillingdon Hospital this week, taking the total donated to 16,000 since the outbreak of COVID-19. In addition, Heathrow has stepped up efforts to help local schools during the pandemic.

A total of 70 laptops have been delivered to local primary schools around the airport over the last two months, from funds that have been donated by the Heathrow Executive team, and have been raised through the recycling of airport IT equipment. The donated laptops mean pupils who previously didn't have access to a device will no longer be missing out on their education due to the impacts of COVID-19.

Heathrow has developed online educational resources for teachers and parents to support home schooling for those who may not be returning to class. Through these resources, students can design an airport terminal, learn` about the airport’s history, test their knowledge of geography, and see what it’s like to work in cargo or communications at the airport.

Heathrow has also donated separation barriers to Colnbrook Primary School to help divide their playground into sections to ensure social distancing is applied as students make their return back to school.

In May, the UK’s hub airport donated 5,000 FFP3 face masks and 60,000 liquid bags to NHS teams, 9,500 chocolate eggs for local children and more. Additionally, the Heathrow Community Trust (HCT) granted £95,000 ($117,284) in rapid emergency funding for local community groups responding to COVID-19, including food banks and support services for the isolated and vulnerable.

Caribbean Airlines provided airlift for 255 Caribbean nationals to their home countries via the airline’s first phase of repatriation flights on June 13.

The carrier facilitated a four-sector operation, with two sets of flight crews; originating out of Piarco, Trinidad with 40 Jamaica nationals on board for a nonstop flight to Norman Manley International.

This flight returned with 102 Trinidad & Tobago students from the University of the West Indies, Mona campus. On return to Piarco, the aircraft then headed to Grantley Admans International with nine Barbados nationals; before continuing on to Norman Manley with 104 Jamaica nationals on board.

Discussions continue with the government of Guyana about similar services for their nationals, and the airline is working with other regional authorities to provide the much-needed airlift for Caribbean nationals who have been stranded across the region since the closure of borders due to COVID-19.

Virgin Atlantic continues to operate cargo-only flights keeping global supply chains running and transporting essential supplies around the world. Through June, the airline is operating more than 600 cargo-only services, serving destinations including Delhi, Chicago, Brussels, Johannesburg, Lagos and Miami.

The airline continues to partner with the Department for Health and the NHS, working with them on 17 cargo charters per week from Shanghai and Beijing throughout June and July, bringing in the vital medical supplies that the teams here in the UK urgently need to care for patients. To date the airline has carried over 44 million items of PPE from China to the UK.

The Airbus Foundation, together with the French Red Cross (FRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), have flown a medical team and 14 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the Republic of the Congo, using an Airbus A330neo test aircraft. .

The cargo will help in the fight against both the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ebola crisis in the Republic of the Congo and the DRC. .

The A330neo departed from Vatry, France, on June 19 and landed at Brazzaville airport, Republic of the Congo, the same day with personnel from the IFRC and FRC on board to support logistics on arrival. Also on board was personal protective equipment needed to create an administrative base for a treatment zone for FRC.

Delta Air Lines has donated 1 million pounds of food to communities around the world during the COVID-19 crisis. “Since Delta has temporarily adjusted services on board and in Delta Sky Clubs, we have donated food and other provisions from warehouses around the globe to hospitals, schools, food banks and other organizations,” Delta stated in a recent Delta News Hub.

Total donations so far recently exceeded 1 million pounds, and the effort is still ongoing.

Santiago-based LATAM Airlines Group’s Solidary Plane transported over 400 health professionals in order to address COVID-19 needs and also allowed more than 300 people suffering from various diseases to receive medical treatment or urgent surgery in the region. Additionally, for the first time ever, it landed in China in order to transport medical supplies, including mechanical ventilators.

Nine years after its implementation, the Solidary Plane has become a vital air bridge for humanitarian and health needs in Latin America and, to date, has transported more than 400 tons of medical supplies including masks, rapid COVID-19 tests, mechanical ventilators and medicines, among others. “This has benefitted Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Argentina,” LATAM Airlines Group’s Head of Sustainability Francisca Arias said.

Part of these supplies come from China in over 60-hour flights considering the round trip. A team of more than 30 people participate in these flights’ planning and execution, remaining a challenge for the airline.

Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, imported 82 tons of medical supplies from India with partner medical suppliers, in response to national COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

Throughout May, Gulf Air operated four cargo flights from and to different cities in India, carrying back medications, medical equipment and hygienic products. Additionally, on May 27, Gulf Air operated a historic first in-a-series of cargo flights to Guangzhou, China, importing 21 tons of medical supplies in which the airline has utilized all compartments of its aircraft to maximize storage space.

Gulf Air is working alongside members of Team Bahrain to ensure sufficient availability of medical supplies during these unprecedented times. During April, Gulf Air also operated six flights to import 90 tons of medical supplies from India.

LATAM Cargo Brazil, in partnership with VTC LOG, transported 50 tons of essential hospital goods to combat COVID-19 in Roraima, in addition to respirators that will be sent to Rondônia.

The transportation was carried out May 29-30 on three flights using Boeing 767 aircraft (a freighter and a passenger airplane adapted for cargo transportation) and Boeing 777 aircraft (also adapted for cargo). They left São Paulo/Guarulhos airport for Manaus, where the cargo will continue its trip in order to be delivered in both states.

Of the total transported, 40 respirators will be sent to the state of Rondônia. The rest of the cargo, 50 respirators and about 50 tons of protection equipment and medicines, will be delivered to Roraima.

Qatar Airways announced a partnership with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency to provide humanitarian relief and assistance to the displaced globally. The two-year partnership, which is a first between both organizations, will involve a strategic collaboration whereby Qatar Airways will support with the delivery of crucial aid supplies to those most in need during these unprecedented times.

The partnership, which will be effective through to May 2022 will see UNHCR work closely with Qatar Airways to utilize the airline’s hub-and spoke network out of Hamad International Airport in Doha. By having access to a fleet of more than 200 aircraft, UNHCR will be able to deliver lifesaving support including water, medical care and hygiene materials to keep refugees, internally displaced people and host community members safe around the world.

Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker said, “During this crisis, we have worked closely with governments and NGOs to prioritize the shipment of medical and aid supplies transporting over 175,000 tonnes, the equivalent of approximately 1,750 fully loaded Boeing 777 freighters.”

Spirit Airlines has brought more than 7,500 people home in the midst of international travel restrictions, thanks to an ongoing humanitarian effort. The Florida-based ULCC has already flown 61 flights between eight countries and has obtained travel permits for over 25 more.

Since April 1, the airline has organized humanitarian flights connecting the U.S. with Colombia, Honduras, Haiti, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Aruba.

United Airlines delivered 7,500 face coverings over the past week to front line employees at San Francisco International Airport and the airline’s San Francisco Maintenance Base that were made from 12,284 pounds of uniforms that United upcycled.

Chicago-based United worked with upcycling partner, Looptworks, to produce masks that would supplement the supply of face coverings that the airline already provides all employees and customers.

In addition, United recently rolled out new Carhartt Company Gear for its 28,000 technical operations, ramp service and catering operations employees and originally planned to turn the surplus of older garments into carpet padding and insulation fiber. The company changed course last month to align with the latest guidance from the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) to wear face masks in public when social distancing is not possible.

Airlink and the Salvation Army have joined forces for the first time to fly 150,000 masks to New York JFK airport from Guangzhou, China. The masks will largely be distributed among Salvation Army frontline personnel ensuring staff and volunteers can continue to deliver food, shelter and emotional and spiritual assistance to vulnerable people during the COIVD-19 pandemic.

The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was sourced by the Salvation Army in China. Airlink normally uses its deep relationships with the airlines and airfreight carriers to secure free and low-cost space for nonprofits. On this occasion, the flight was supported by the Flexport Fund.

Since the ban on scheduled passenger flights and through May 31, Ukraine International Airlines operated 45 special cargo flights, carrying 870 tons of medical supplies and humanitarian relief shipments.

The humanitarian relief flights used Boeing 737 and 767 aircraft that had been partly configured to maximize the amount of cargo that can be delivered on these flights. The aircraft configuration allowed for about nearly 110 cubic meters of cargo on 737 aircraft and approximately 190 cubic meters on 767 aircraft.

London Stansted Airport’s 63-meter (207 ft.)-high NATS air traffic control tower lights up the night of May 21 to show appreciation to the UK National Health Service (NHS) and key workers.

The giant projection was captured on camera by a drone as the nation took to their doorsteps once again to “clap for carers.”

The dazzling images of thanks were displayed on the airport’s tallest building from 8:30 p.m. until just before midnight.

The idea was dreamt up by Matthew Silcock from NATS and Ross Barker from Stansted’s airfield operations team.

London Stansted COO Steve Griffiths said: “The whole country has come together to recognize the fantastic efforts being made by our brave and brilliant NHS and healthcare workers in the tireless fight against COVID-19. As part of that tribute, colleagues working at the airport join the weekly ‘clap for carers’ applause, but Ross has gone that bit further and created a special thank you message on the airfield and last night on the control tower, which I think you’ll agree looked absolutely incredible. Both were brilliant ideas and a very fitting way for the airport to say an even bigger thank you to all those NHS staff working so hard to protect us all at this time of immense difficulty and challenge for them personally.”

Outdoor projection company, EMF Technology, produced the visual, while local photographer Paul Hinwood captured the moment using a drone that had special permission to fly near the airport by air traffic control.

London’s Heathrow Airport has played a significant role in equipping front-line workers and hospitals in their fight against COVID-19. From January until March, Heathrow welcomed 5,269 tonnes of specific medical cargo items urgently needed to fight the pandemic—including hospital equipment, PPE, sterilization and disinfecting products, medical oxygen, medicines, swabs and test kits from dedicated cargo carriers like DHL Express or repurposed passenger aircraft. In March alone, Heathrow imported nearly 33% (32.9%) of the UK’s critical equipment, by value, compared to all other ports in the UK including rail, air and seaports.

Over January to March this year, Heathrow also welcomed 58% of the UK’s pharmaceutical imports by value, underscoring the airport’s role in keeping open the vital supply lines our healthcare needs.

Alaska Airlines has partnered with Trident Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Copper River Marketing Association and famed Seattle chef Tom Douglas to serve up the season’s first Copper River salmon to healthcare workers and the Greater Seattle community.

Douglas featured salmon donated by the seafood processors and the Copper River Marketing Association to prepare over 200 meals for Swedish Hospital medical professionals working on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. Pilots, flight attendants and management employees from Alaska delivered the meals and thanked workers for their efforts.

Collins Aerospace’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) teams from both its Bengaluru and Hyderabad, India, sites partnered with local non-profit organizations in the fight against COVID-19 and, together, donated $173,000. And with the lockdown impacting society’s most vulnerable people who need daily basic food supplies, a combined contribution of $7,500 was made to Youth for Seva to procure and deliver dry meal supplies for impoverished residents and migrant labor communities.

To support the Indian government’s effort to strengthen hospitals in both Bengaluru and Hyderabad, Collins CSR groups donated a total of $140,000 to the United Way to distribute hygiene and safety kits to healthcare staff and paramedics. A contribution of $25,500 was made to the NICE Foundation toward protection kits to equip police and sanitation personnel.

And Collins employees in both Bengaluru and Hyderabad came forward and contributed $1,800 toward United Way.

As part of its mission to mobilize the aviation industry in times of crisis, Airlink recently partnered with Ethiopian Airlines to transport hygiene kits to Uganda in hopes of preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the Bidi Bidi refugee settlement.

The eight-ton shipment was transported free-of-charge for Medical Teams International, a nonprofit organization focused on restoring health in crisis-stricken communities, who will be distributing the supplies to refugees.

The settlement in northwestern Uganda is occupied by more than a quarter of a million people fleeing South Sudan’s civil war.

Boeing completed another set of COVID-19 airlift missions May 11, deploying three Dreamlifter aircraft to transport more than 150,000 protective eye goggles and face shields from China to the US. Boeing worked in partnership with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to deliver the personal protective equipment (PPE) to frontline health care professionals in the MUSC system.

The MUSC Health team will use the PPE as they support the revitalization of the economy and ramp-up COVID-19 community outreach efforts, including diagnostic testing and antibody testing, across South Carolina. MUSC Health, under the guidance of the South Carolina Legislature and in partnership with South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, has established mobile screening and collection sites in rural and underserved areas.

The mobile setup allows health care providers to rotate sites, reaching people experiencing barriers to health care access for COVID-19 screening. Rural and underserved communities have experienced disparities in access to COVID-19 screening, testing, prevention and treatment in South Carolina and across the US.

Maryland received half a million test kits from South Korea on April 20, Gov. Larry Hogan announced, saying his wife, First Lady Yumi Hogan, helped close a deal with a laboratory there.

The first lady is a Korean American and has deep roots in Korea. A Korean Air Boeing 777 arrived without passengers but instead with 500,000 test kits, giving Maryland the capability of increasing testing. This was the first-ever direct flight from Seoul to Maryland.

Qatar Airways will give away 100,000 complimentary roundtrip tickets as a thank you to frontline healthcare heroes from every country in the world in need of a well-deserved break.

Healthcare professionals can apply HERE through 4:59pm ET on May 18. The 100,000 healthcare professionals who are selected can book up to two complimentary economy class roundtrip tickets on Qatar Airways operated flights—one for themselves and one for a companion—to anywhere on the airline’s global network. Healthcare professionals will also be offered a 35% discount to redeem at Qatar Duty Free retail outlets at the airline’s state-of-the-art hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha.

In an effort to provide additional safety for medical staff interacting with patients, the Etihad Airways Medical Centre (EAMC) collaborated with Etihad Engineering to design and develop 1,000 face shields for healthcare professionals working in medical centers across the UAE.

Etihad Aviation Group VP-medical services Dr. Nadia Al Bastaki said: “As part of our CSR efforts, as an organization we challenged ourselves to determine what we could do to help combat the effects of this global pandemic. With high demand for PPE in the UAE, our innovative design team at Etihad Engineering successfully developed 1,000 face shields for us to distribute locally.”

Caribbean Airlines utilized one of its Boeing 737-800 passenger aircraft for a cargo-only charter service, on May 8, for the first time in the airline’s history. This flight was part of a recently launched charter service and was used to move essential supplies from Guyana to Cuba. The new service was introduced to serve islands experiencing reduced cargo capacity due the closure of borders to commercial passenger flights due to COVID-19.

Caribbean Airlines GM-cargo and new business Marklan Moseley said the carrier continues to support the supply chain within the Caribbean and is offering our charter services, which supplements current weekly scheduled freighter flights.

New York-based JetBlue launched JetBlue Healthcare Hero, which will honor 100,000 healthcare workers with roundtrip flight certificates for two to anywhere JetBlue flies.

To kick off the program, JetBlue is donating pairs of roundtrip flight certificates for 10,000 healthcare workers at the Mount Sinai Health System, including their Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island campuses, as well as at NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public healthcare system in the US with more than 70 locations across the city’s five boroughs.

JetBlue is calling on customers to thank the healthcare heroes in their life—from doctors and nurses, to pharmacists, therapists, social workers, public health administrators and more—by nominating them for a chance to receive one of 90,000 pairs of roundtrip flight certificates for two to use when the time is right. Through May 15, 2020, customers can submit a brief description of why they are nominating their healthcare hero. For more information and full terms, visit jetblue.com/healthcarehero.

Sixteen flights carrying over 3,000 Jordanian students, who were stranded abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic, landed at Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) this week. The flights were from Cairo, Istanbul, Montreal, Chicago, Moscow, London, Frankfurt and Detroit have been received over the course of four days.

Eight flights from London, Chicago, Frankfurt, Cairo and Istanbul landed at QAIA May 7. Two flights from Istanbul and Moscow landed May 6; and three flights—two from Cairo and one from Istanbul—landed May 5. Additionally, three flights from London, Chicago and Istanbul were scheduled for May 8.

The repatriation effort was conducted as a partnership between Airport International Group and the Ministry of Transport; the Ministry of Health; the Jordanian Armed Forces—the Arab Army; the Royal Medical Services; security agencies; and national carrier Royal Jordanian.

United Airlines launched new Giving Tuesday Now campaigns aimed at helping nonprofits that rely on travel during the COVID-19 crisis. The airline will match all donations up to 500,000 miles through its Miles on a Mission crowdsourcing platform to help charities like:

• Fayette Cares needs miles to get domestic violence victims to safe locations
• COSIG, Inc. brings homeless veterans and those with disabilities to Virginia for housing and career training opportunities
• Combined Arms provides transportation for veterans who want to volunteer
• Project HOPE uses miles to deliver PPE and medical equipment to America's health workers and underserviced communities globally
• Rise Against Hunger uses miles for travel to countries in critical need for food distribution and life-changing aid

The launch of these Giving Tuesday Now campaigns is part of United's ongoing Miles on a Mission program, which raised 11 million miles for non-profit organizations this April alone. This program is just one of the many ways United gives back during these challenging times. To date, United has:

• Booked travel for more than 1,300 medical volunteers to New York, New Jersey and California to help provide frontline support to COVID-19 patients
• Operated more than 800 cargo charter flights that have moved over 48M pounds of cargo (including PPE, medical equipment, mail and other general cargo)
• Operated over 130 repatriation flights returning nearly 18,500 people home who were stranded abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Donated more than 173,000 pounds of food to food banks, hospitals and other organizations from United's catering facilities and Polaris lounges
• Donated 2,800 amenity kits to healthcare workers on the frontlines providing aid
• Donated $100k worth of advertising space in London to UNICEF to support its education efforts around COVID-19 and protecting children around

Bahrain national carrier Gulf Air, in coordination with a number of Bahraini enterprises specializing in medical supplies, transported 9 tons of medical items needed to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19, as well as general medications, medical equipment and hygienic products.

The medical drugs and equipment were chartered on special Gulf Air flights in an initiative spearheaded by Team Bahrain.

The collaboration between the national carrier and the local companies is to ensure the Kingdom possesses an abundant supply of medical drugs and equipment during this time to serve the shared goal of a safe and healthy community for all.

British Airways is increasing the number of cargo-only flights from China to the UK to 21 a week, up from 13 last week, as demand continues to rise.

From May, 14 flights each week will depart from Shanghai, and seven from Beijing carrying cargo in the hold and, where possible, in the cabin too. These flights will be able to carry up to 770 tonnes of cargo for the NHS each week, including PPE and ventilators.

In April, the airline has already operated 13 cargo-only flights from China to the UK carrying NHS supplies. The flights are operated in partnership with the UK government and IAG Cargo. The British Embassy in China is working with the Department of Health to procure medical equipment from China and deliver it to NHS hospitals all over the UK.

Airbus is developing a modification for A330 and A350 family aircraft which will enable airlines to install freight pallets directly onto the cabin floor seat tracks, after removal of the economy-class seats.

This solution will help with the airlines’ own business continuity, and also alleviate the global shortage of “belly-freight” air cargo capacity due to the widespread grounding of long-haul aircraft in the context of flights to transport large quantities of medical equipment and other supplies rapidly over large distances to where they are needed.

Compared with loading cargo onto seats, this Airbus solution facilitates easier and quicker loading and unloading operations, as well as reduced ‘wear & tear’ to the seats themselves. Other important benefits include the added security of robust fire protection, and the 9g load restraint capability to prevent anything from shifting in flight.

Central & Eastern European aerospace business group Avia Solutions Group has donated $2 million to the World Health Organization to transport future COVID-19 vaccines to highly infected places using the company’s Airbus A321, Dornier 228, Boeing 747-400F and 737-400F fleet.

“Today, the demand for cargo transportation rapidly increased, followed by the prices becoming 2-3 times higher. Some areas are facing issues for cargo transportation as the waiting time for large cargo or cargo to difficult areas can be as long as 2-3 weeks. As a group, we want to be sure that once the vaccine is invented, its transportation to areas, which need it most, will have been solved in advance,” said Vygaudas Usackas, Ambassador and Member of the Board of Directors of Avia Solutions Group.

Against the backdrop of the coronavirus crisis, Munich Airport is becoming increasingly important for the transportation of relief supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE). Among the current average of 20 cargo flights each day, there is an emphasis on the transportation of medical supplies.

Uzbekistan Airways is flying a Boeing 767F with medical supplies from the Chinese port city of Tianjin to Munich twice a week by order of the shipping company Senator International. Flights are scheduled to continue until the end of June.

Qatar Airways is flying a daily cargo service from Doha to Munich using a Boeing 777. This is expected to continue until the end of May and is also carrying medical supplies.

The same applies to flights carried out by Icelandair on behalf of logistics company DB Schenker using specially converted Boeing 767 cargo planes. These have been arriving from Shanghai once each day since last Sunday. Lufthansa will continue to fly an Airbus A350 carrying PPE from China to Munich via Seoul twice a day until mid-May.

Virgin Atlantic is set to deliver over 43 million items of personal protective equipment (PPE) in to the UK onboard special cargo-only flights, which have been chartered by the Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS throughout May, June and July.

Since the first charter on April 3, which was supported by Virgin Unite and Virgin Group, over 150 tonnes of medical supplies and PPE have been transported, including 66 ventilators, over two million face masks, 600,000 face shields and visors, one million disposable gloves, 38,000 items for eye protection, 125,000 protective coveralls and isolation gowns and over 25,000 battery-operated or manual ventilators.

Alexandra and its global supply chain partner, SEKO Logistics, have together supported the donation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including protective gloves, face masks and aprons, for frontline staff working in a British care home group.

The two companies have joined together to fund and deliver 380,000 items of protective equipment to The Orders of St John Care Trust, one of the UK’s leading not-for-profit care organizations providing high quality care for older people at 69 locations across Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, West Sussex and Wiltshire. The Trust’s 4,800 staff provide specialized dementia, intermediate, respite, day care and expert nursing for more than 3,500 residents.

A second cargo flight carrying much-needed medical supplies for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) touched down in Pittsburgh, as shippers look to respond to the need for medical supplies in US during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first National Airlines plane arrived April 25 from South Korea after a brief stop in Anchorage, Alaska. The repurposed passenger Boeing 757 jet carried nearly 150,000 N95 masks, which were offloaded and placed onto a truck just over an hour after landing. The masks will be distributed through the federal government nationally to hospitals, nursing homes and other high-risk facilities. The second flight arrived April 27.

Boeing used its Dreamlifter to bring personal protective equipment (PPE) from Hong Kong to the US. Working in partnership with Prisma Health, Atlas Air Worldwide and Discommon founder Neil Ferrier, the company transported 1.5 million medical-grade face masks bound for healthcare professionals at Prisma Health in South Carolina.

The Dreamlifter, a converted Boeing 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter, flew from Hong Kong to Greenville, South Carolina, with the face masks in its lower lobe. Following the delivery, the Dreamlifter will return to its home base in North Charleston, South Carolina, and deliver 787 Dreamliner parts in support of the global aerospace supply chain.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) announced it is the first Japanese airline to carry vital medical supplies (i.e. masks, hazmat suits and test kits) as cargo, on its passenger seats and overhead compartments. This move by ANA increases cargo capacity, allowing the airline to transport approximately 1.4 times more cargo than when only using the conventional cargo compartments.

Due to the expansion of entry restrictions caused by COVID-19, passenger flights have been largely suspended or reduced worldwide, resulting in limited space for air cargo. To meet the increased demand for transportation of vital medical supplies, ANA began transporting masks and other items using the baggage storage space above the seats on the Shanghai to Haneda flights on April 10. Moving forward, ANA also began using passenger seats as cargo space on this route since April 22, and is considering expanding this on other existing routes as well. Other efforts include the operation of charter flights with the freighters. ANA had 86 flights in March and are expecting 297 flights in April.

Ukraine International has operated 11 cargo flights from China to Ukraine, Italy, Israel, Poland, France and Germany. The carrier expects to operate another 10 humanitarian flights in the next two weeks.

The flights are operated using Boeing 737 and 767 aircraft that has been specially configured to maximize the amount of cargo. The aircraft configuration allows for about nearly 70 cubic meters of cargo on the 737 and approximately 160 cubic meters on 767.

Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) this week turned itself into one of the largest ever emergency food banks in the region as airport parking lots are left vacant from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The large-scale food distribution operation was the first-ever for a major airport.

On Wednesday, April 22 from 1 p.m.- 3 p.m., the emergency drive-up distribution provided approximately 75,000 pounds of food to the Pittsburgh region. Hundreds of vehicles attended the food drive, held on the parking lots at Pittsburgh International Airport.

Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of the Etihad Aviation Group, has partnered with the Australian government to provide critical international airfreight assistance to Australia.

Under the agreement with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), Etihad Cargo will provide dedicated cargo services between Abu Dhabi and Australia, leveraging bellyhold capacity of its fleet of Etihad Airways passenger aircraft to deliver essential supplies into the Australian market, and facilitate bi-directional trade to further ensure continuity of fresh imports to the UAE from Australia including meat, fish and seafood, fruits and vegetables. The initiative was established by the Australian government to accelerate delivery of agricultural and fisheries exports into key overseas markets, with over 560 Australian businesses already registering their interest in utilizing the International Freight Assistance Mechanism.

Hawaiian Airlines brought 1.6 million face masks from China to Hawaii to help protect the state’s residents from COVID-19.

The Airbus A330 underwent special cargo hold modifications to maximize space and carry the large masks shipment. The cargo containers carrying the masks will be unpacked and boxes will be loaded onto Every1ne Hawai‘i “mask mobiles” for complimentary distribution statewide.

Virgin Atlantic has delivered 3.5 million items of personal protective equipment (PPE) into the UK aboard special cargo-only flights, which have been chartered by the Department of Health and Social Care and the National Health Service (NHS).

On April 21, the airline operated another 26-hour round-trip between London Heathrow and Shanghai. Stowed on board were tonnes of crucial medical supplies and PPE, in the cargo hold of the Boeing 787-9 aircraft, and also on the seats in the cabin, following special dispensation from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Since the first charter on April 3, which was supported by Virgin Unite and Virgin Group, over 80 tonnes of medical supplies and PPE have been transported, including 50 ventilators, 1.8 million face masks, 600,000 face shields and visors, 1 million disposable gloves, 38,000 items for eye protection, and 75,000 protective coveralls and isolation gowns.

The flights are operated in partnership with the UK government and Virgin Atlantic. The British Embassy is working with the Department of Health and Social Care to procure medical equipment from China and deliver it to NHS hospitals all over the UK.

United Airlines transformed one of its cargo facilities at George Bush Intercontinental Airport into a food distribution center to aid the Houston Food Bank’s efforts to feed families in need during the COVID-19 crisis.

The idea to convert the cargo space came from United baggage team member Mark Zessin.

Employee volunteers in Houston are receiving, packing, sorting and distributing food and other items to families in need. To date, employees have sorted and bagged nearly 160,000 pounds of food and household products and volunteered nearly 5,000 hours.

A LATAM Cargo Boeing 767 transported life-saving stem cells from Brazil to a patient suffering from myelodysplastic syndrome in Buenos Aires on April 17.

This trip was part of the company’s Solidary Plane program, which has addressed health needs for 9 years in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile. The program facilitates the transportation of patients that require medical treatment, multidisciplinary health teams, organs, tissues, stem cells and medicine, as well as medical supplies.

“In a pandemic situation, freighter flights become more important than ever, and programs such as the Solidary Plane become hope. We are facing the largest crisis in our history, but we will make every effort possible so one of our flights can provide a person with a life opportunity,” said LATAM Cargo captain Luis Eduardo Melnik, who flew the airplane carrying the stem cells.

Etihad Airport Services Catering (EAS Catering) has been commissioned by various government entities, business organizations and community centers, to prepare and provide meals to individuals impacted by the global spread of COVID-19. The facility has been selected to support these initiatives due to its stringent food handling procedures.

Since the start of the pandemic, EAS Catering has cooked and delivered over 15,000 meals a day to people self-isolating or under quarantine, frontline medical staff, humanitarian drives and for various businesses across the capital.

EAS Catering is also delivering amenities and providing a laundry service for Etihad employees living in temporary isolation at Masdar City so as to operate essential freighter and repatriation flights. These include loadmasters, cargo agents, pilots and cabin crew.

As part of its COVID-19 response, EAS Catering has also introduced a holistic safety training campaign, implemented a round-the-clock dedicated disinfection team for all high touch points, restricted access of all non-essentials persons to the premises, and installed thermal imaging stations at all entrances to ensure employees, visitors and suppliers are screened prior to entry.

Iberia is helping to bring home another 2,000 Spanish citizens in a second wave of repatriation flights this month. The flights are in collaboration with Spain’s Foreign Ministry and its embassies and consulates abroad, as well as the diplomatic missions in Spain of the countries of destination. In March the airline carried some 6,000 passengers on special flights, in addition to the 70,000 carried on scheduled services before the pandemic alert was declared.

Over the next two weeks, the airline will fly to destinations which are new to Iberia, such as Sydney, Manila, Bangkok, Praia (Cape Verde), and Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia), chiefly to repatriate Spanish citizens from these countries.

It will also make another three repatriation flights to Peru, one to Equatorial Guinea, another to Colombia, and another three to Argentina, one with a stop in Paraguay.

LATAM Cargo Brazil is using 20 passenger Boeing 767s to transport 240 tons of health-oriented cargo, including pharmaceutical supplies and other personal protection equipment to Brazilian cities including Recife, Salvador, Fortaleza, Belem, Manaus, Porto Alegre and Brasilia.

This action, developed by LATAM Cargo Brazil in the country’s north and northeast regions, comes in addition to the association with Amigos do Bem NGO. More than 2 tons of medicines, thermometers and sheets have been transported to various hospitals within the northeastern area.

Lincolnshire-based SL Engineering—in partnership with Sharing in Growth (SiG)—made components and dramatically increase ventilator manufacturing rates in the UK in just one week.

Explained joint managing director Shaun Stevenson: “The challenge was to assess, quote, procure material and tooling, and set up 24/7 working shifts all under the current COVID-19 restrictions. Then we had to manufacture and deliver components within a week from receipt of authority to proceed. This included completing full New Product Introduction processes, manufacture of parts culminating in customer approval of sample inspection control plans/first articles and delivery to customer all within one week! We would normally be looking at a matter of weeks or even months from receiving an invitation to bid to getting the first part dimensionally approved by the customer and into production. This timescale was condensed down to less than 48 hours which is an impressive achievement.”

British Airways operated a Boeing 777 to Shanghai, China to transport crucial medical supplies for the National Health Service (NHS) to the UK.

The flight was operated in partnership with the UK government and IAG Cargo. The British Embassy is working with the Department of Health to procure medical equipment from China and deliver it to NHS hospitals all over the UK.

The April 9 flight was the first of several British Airways flights containing medical equipment and supplies coming into the UK from China.

A Lufthansa Cargo Boeing 777F carried 8 million protective masks on board landed in Munich.

The 8 million masks were packed in 4,000 cartons, weighing 26 tons all together. The shipment was transported by Lufthansa Cargo on behalf of the Bavarian state government in cooperation with the logistics company Fiege.

Airlink has launched the AviationC.A.R.E.S. (Co-ordinated Air Response for Emergency Supplies) campaign to provide reliable airlift to organizations responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and promote generosity of the aviation industry in response to crises.

Airlink’s global impact fund under the AviationC.A.R.E.S. umbrella aims to raise $10 million in cash and in-kind support from individuals, corporate, and foundation donors to underwrite transportation and logistics for a growing network of nonprofit relief organizations.

Beyond the immediate COVID-19-focused needs of relief organizations, this funding will be used to help fuel relief efforts for fragile communities enduring ongoing natural disasters during the pandemic and beyond.

AviationC.A.R.E.S. draws attention to the important role airlines and the broader aviation sector play in the rapid and reliable delivery of aid and relief workers around the globe. #AviationCARES is a means for those inside and outside the aviation sector to show their support for an industry hard-hit by COVID-19, but still continuing to keep vital supply chains moving to deliver humanitarian aid.

Airlines, logistics companies, and nonprofit relief organizations interested in joining our efforts to bring critical medical supplies and other aid to communities fighting COVID-19 and recovering from disasters are encouraged to contact Airlink.

Latvian airline airBaltic this week performed the second special cargo flight to and from Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport in China, bringing around 1 million face masks made in Zhejiang and Jiangsu regions to Latvia.

This task was executed in close cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, AirLink Aviation Services and Wish Global.

Overall, 621 boxes or 5.4 tonnes of approximately 1 million face masks were carried intended for the National Health Service of the Republic of Latvia.

In order to meet increasing demand for delivery of cargo from China to Europe during COVID-19 crisis, airBaltic—in cooperation with its cargo representative, logistic company Wish Global and technical support of Airlink Aviation Services—has developed supply chain solution for cargo shipments from practically any big city in China to the Baltics and beyond, using passenger aircraft as cargo charters.

In March, aircraft service provider Duncan Aviation’s interior and upholstery team reached out to a local hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska, to ask for help in designing a face mask so the company could practice safe self-distancing as they worked. After realizing the magnitude of the mask shortage, Duncan employees stepped up to help.

The hospital shared specifics and two different mask templates were created. Using the hospital’s instructions, Duncan Aviation digitized the designs for cutting with its automated fabric-cutting machine, which usually cuts leather, sheepskin and other durable materials for use in business aircraft. Depending on the width of the material used for the masks, Duncan Aviation can cut materials for up to 900 masks every hour. To date, the company has cut more than 15,000 masks.

Upholstery professionals with Duncan Aviation’s full-service facilities in Lincoln, Battle Creek, Michigan, and Provo, Utah, have been sewing masks, as have more than 300 volunteers from local churches, fabric stores and hobby groups. Duncan has also cut and begun sewing hundreds of medical gowns for area health facilities.

“This all started with a team of employees who recognized a problem and had the means and desire to solve it,” Duncan Aviation president and CEO Aaron Hilkemann said. “It is indicative of the creativity, compassion and initiative found in our team members.”

Italy’s flag carrier Alitalia is operating new special flights from Spain, Mozambique, Algeria and India to repatriate Italian citizens, in coordination with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In addition, Alitalia has organized additional cargo flights from China to import millions of protective face masks and other medical supplies to Italy. Due to the strong demand for flights to transport the medical equipment to Italy, until May 4 Alitalia will operate a daily cargo flight to and from Shanghai, alternating Boeing 777 and Airbus 330-200 aircraft.

Fort Lauderdale-based ULCC Spirit Airlines has organized flights to Colombia, Panama, Haiti, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, and Honduras to pick up more than 1,300 U.S. citizens, residents and family members who have been in limbo since flight restrictions went into effect in mid-March.

The flights followed weeks of careful coordination with U.S. embassies and local governments to obtain an exemption to those restrictions on international flights. The airline plans to operate additional flights based on embassy requests.

Gatwick Airport is supporting the UK’s coronavirus response by providing use of its long-stay car park as a drive-through testing center.

Initially for use by National Health Systems (NHS) staff and invited key workers, the site opened April 8, and is available between 09:00–17:00 daily, on an appointment-only basis.

Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate said: “We have the space available at Gatwick to be able to host such a large-scale operation. Alongside keeping the airport open to support repatriation flights, amongst others, we are happy to be able to support the NHS, government and the country in whatever way we can.”

IAG Cargo is leading on coordinating efforts across International Airlines Group (IAG) airlines—including Aer Lingus, British Airways and Iberia—to transport critical medical supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE), hand sanitizer and ventilators.

Since March, IAG Cargo and its sister airlines are operating charter and cargo-only flights on passenger aircraft with shipments, including:

• More than 100 tonnes of hand sanitizer supplies from China, India and the Middle East to London Heathrow destined for the NHS.
• A large consignment of PPE for the NHS, carried on a British Airways Boeing 777-300 aircraft.
• Aer Lingus and IAG Cargo are operating up to five flights per day for two months from Beijing to Dublin to transport PPE.
• Iberia carried 90 tonnes of medical supplies and protective materials from Shanghai to Madrid.
• The first round-trip on the Shanghai-Madrid “medical air-corridor” included 3 million face masks.
• 60 tonnes of PPE have been carried in several flights between Mexico City and Madrid.
• Iberia has transported 23 respirators from Brussels and Munich transported to supplement intensive care units in five Madrid hospitals.
• Additional consignments have included: 3.5 tonnes of sanitary suits from Seoul to Dublin; 1.2 tonnes of face masks from New Delhi to Newark, USA; 4 tonnes of medical parts and accessories from JFK to Shannon and 2 tonnes of lab instrumentation and medical supplies from Boston to Milan.

Flydubai has allocated six Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft to operate as all-cargo flights to enable the movement of essential goods across its network and beyond, following the temporary suspension of passenger operations to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flydubai Cargo operated 44 cargo flights, carrying 146 tonnes of cargo. The airline has operated relief flights to a number of countries affected by the travel restrictions including Azerbaijan, Egypt, India, Kuwait, Lebanon, Montenegro, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.

UK airline crews have joined together in an effort called Project Wingman to help support frontline National Health Service (NHS) medical staff as they care for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Project Wingman recreates an airline lounge atmosphere to help doctors, nurses and health professionals relax and have refreshments in between shifts on hospital wards.

Initially launched April 2 at Whittington Hospital in North London, Project Wingman has expanded to North Middlesex University Hospital in North London, and more are planned.

So far, flight deck and cabin crew from British Airways, easyJet and Norwegian have reported for duty.

Etihad Cargo has added five additional routes using Etihad Airways passenger aircraft to increase the flow of essential supplies into the United Arab Emirates and provide further east-west connectivity between major markets.

Using bellyhold capacity on a mix of Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft, Etihad Cargo is introducing services between Abu Dhabi and Melbourne, Chennai, Kerala, Karachi, and Amsterdam, in addition to passenger freighters already operating scheduled cargo-only flights to Seoul, Beijing, Bangkok, Singapore, Manila, Jakarta, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Riyadh.

The new routes will further ensure continuity of fresh imports to the UAE including meat, fish and seafood, fruits, and vegetables, in addition to pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, as the nation continues to take responsible measures to ensure food security and national health as part of its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Idaho-based Aerospace innovator Tamarack Aerospace Group is repurposing its high tech 3-D printing capabilities and other connections to help the local community now facing shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tamarack’s aerospace engineers have been 3-D printing reusable, protective respiratory masks, which include a small industrial filter that provides equivalent protection to the N95 mask, for its local healthcare facility, Bonner County General Hospital. So far, Tamarack has produced more than 60 masks and efforts will continue until the need subsides.

Tamarack also reached out to its connections in Shenzhen, China to help the hospital source 2,400 FDA-approved N95 masks when the hospital’s normal supply chain was experiencing serious delays.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is combining with the Netherlands government and healthcare-to-electronics conglomerate Royal Philips in creating a “cargo air bridge” for essential medical supplies from China to Europe.

The airline is delaying the planned retirement of two of its Boeing 747s for several weeks to help move much-needed supplies.

KLM plans to launch its new cargo air bridge April 13 and maintain it for six to eight weeks. The route will use specially redeployed Boeing 747 combi aircraft for the China-Netherlands sector, with 2X-weekly flights to Beijing and 3X-weekly to Shanghai. This will provide around 250 tonnes of extra cargo capacity each way per week.

LATAM Cargo is adding new cardo destinations to favor the export of perishable products from South America to North America, and the import of electronic products, among others, from the US and Mexico to South America.

LATAM plans to offer mango exporters in Peru and salmon exporters in Chile a greater transportation capacity to the West Coast of the US, an area known for being one of the main centers of salmon consumption in the country. In addition, Los Angeles offers a better connectivity to the Asian continent, a market that has increased its demand in recent years becoming a relevant destination for salmon.

In addition, the incorporation of Mexico into the freighter network will favor exporters of electronic products that want to enter South America.

Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services is adapting operations to the evolving global demand for air cargo services following the COVID-19 pandemic. Ethiopian Cargo has extended its reach to 74 destinations globally, and caters to charter flight needs anywhere in the world boundlessly, carrying much needed medical supplies in the ongoing fight against COVID-19.

In the month of March, Ethiopian transported a total uplift of over 45,848 tons of cargo to different parts of the world deploying both its freighters and passenger fleet. The shipments included pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and healthcare products carried on 86 charter flights using Boeing 777 freighters, each with a capacity of 100 tons.

Vietnam Airlines operated two special flights from Vietnam to Germany on April 6 and 8. These flights were sponsored by the German government and jointly organized by Germany’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnam Airlines. The flight on April 8 also transported medical supplies from the government and people of Vietnam to Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

The flights, which were operated on Boeing 787-10 aircraft, carried nearly 600 German and EU passengers to Frankfurt (Germany).

A Lufthansa Cargo aircraft carrying 8 million protective masks landed in Munich on April 8. The Boeing 777F was welcomed by the Bavarian Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder, the German Federal Minister of Transport Andreas Scheuer and the Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG Carsten Spohr.

The 8 million masks were packed in 4,000 cartons, weighing 26 tons all together. The shipment was transported by Lufthansa Cargo on behalf of the Bavarian State Government in cooperation with the logistics company Fiege.

Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, Iberia said it has operated 23 repatriation flights to/from Algeria, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Japan, Morocco, Panama, Peru, Poland, Dominican Republic, Senegal, and Uruguay, with the support of Spain’s Foreign Ministry and the diplomatic missions to Spain of the respective countries. These flights have enabled more than 6,000 people to reach their homes.

In addition, since the state of emergency was declared in Spain in mid-March, more than 70,000 people have traveled in scheduled Iberia flights to countries around the world, including the US, Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica, Brazil and Chile.

Iberia is also taking part in public-private sector collaborative schemes to bring medical supplies to Spain from China.

Delta Air Lines is providing more than 200,000 pounds of food to hospitals, community food banks and other organizations around the world to support people in need as well as those working tirelessly on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both perishable and non-perishable goods are being donated after Atlanta-based Delta adjusted service offerings on board and in Delta Sky Clubs to reduce touchpoints between customers and employees. Charities include Feeding America, Georgia’s Food & Resource Center and Missouri’s Carthage Crisis Center, among others.

As more airlines are using passenger aircraft to transport essential medical supplies to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, a Netherlands-based safety products company Trip & Co has brought to market a solution to easily transport air cargo on passenger seats.

Since 2019, Trip & Co has been developing a solution for cargo transportation in passenger aircraft cabins: the Cargo Seat Bag and Cargo Seat Net. Together, Bag and Net fixate, stabilize, secure and protect cargo and crew during flight, according to the company.

Trip & Co CEO Tijmen Koster said: “There is no need to remove passenger seats, allowing for less conversion time before an aircraft can operate in its new role. Also, there is hardly any conversion once restoring operation as a passenger aircraft. In addition, there is no need to source used and/or wrong-sized materials such as not-fitting cardboard boxes, stretched straps et cetera.”

UPS will manage and broker 25 charter flights over a two-week period under Project Airbridge to transport 3 million pounds of personal protection equipment (PPEs). Shipments are originating in China, Malaysia, Honduras and other countries.

The Kentucky-based cargo carrier said it is working with Dublin, Ohio-based Cardinal Health and other healthcare distributors and providing air freight brokerage services on third-party as well as UPS-owned aircraft to support the effort.

On April 4, the UPS opened a new 450,000-sq-ft. distribution center with dedicated space for FEMA. The facility is located within miles of UPS Worldport, the company’s air hub in Louisville, Kentucky.

Etihad Airways’ loyalty program Etihad Guest launched a campaign to encourage members to donate their Etihad Guest Miles to support the prevention and response efforts in view of the COVID-19 outbreak in refugee settings.

Through the initiative, in collaboration with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) globally and with Emirates Red Crescent in the Middle East, Etihad Guest aims to support basic infection control and adequate containment measures for refugees and other forcibly displaced people.

Donated miles will be used to purchase essential healthcare equipment including ventilators, gloves, masks and soap. Members who have donated will receive information detailing the monetary value of how their miles have helped those impacted or at risk by the pandemic.

Airbus continues to purchase and supply millions of face masks from China, the large majority of which will be donated to governments of the Airbus home countries, namely France, Germany, Spain and the UK.

An Airbus flight test crew completed the third mission between Europe and China with an A350-1000 test aircraft this week. The aircraft returned to France with a cargo of 4 million face masks on April 5.

Since mid-March, the previous two missions were performed by and A330-800, and A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). Airbus also deployed an A400M and its Beluga fleet to transport shipments of masks between its European sites, in France, Germany, the UK and Spain.

Airbus said it continues to support the fight against the coronavirus pandemic wherever possible.

Virgin Atlantic teamed up with Virgin Group’s nonprofit foundation, Virgin Unite, to fly a Boeing 787-9 special charter flight from Shanghai to London, bringing in essential medical supplies and PPE equipment for the National Health Service (NHS).

Manned by seven pilots and four cabin crew, the aircraft carried over 350,000 items of essential PPE supplies and medical equipment, including respirators, ventilator parts, face masks, scrubs, aprons and eye protection in both the hold and in the cabin of the aircraft. These essential items will help keep NHS heroes working on the frontline safe and will support patients who are in great need.

Etihad Airways will partner with Australian company Elenium Automation to trial new technology, which allows self-service devices at airports to be used to help identify travelers with medical conditions, potentially including the early stages of COVID-19.

Etihad will be the first airline to trial the technology, which can monitor the temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate of any person using an airport touchpoint such as a check-in or information kiosk, a bag drop facility, a security point or immigration gate.

The Elenium system will automatically suspend the self-service check-in or bag drop process if a passenger’s vital signs indicate potential symptoms of illness. It will then divert to a teleconference or alert qualified staff on site, who can make further assessments and manage travelers as appropriate.

In partnership with Amazon Web Services, Elenium has also developed “hands free” technologies that enable touchless use of self-service devices through voice recognition, further minimizing the potential of any viral or bacterial transmission.

Etihad will initially trial the monitoring technology at its hub airport in Abu Dhabi at the end of April throughout May 2020, initially with a range of volunteers, and as flights resume, outbound passengers.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is operating a series of flights bringing vital protective medical equipment from China to Switzerland. The operation, which is extensively supported by the company’s Swiss WorldCargo airfreight division, is being conducted on behalf of the Zurich Cantonal Pharmacy and in collaboration with knechtcare / Welti-Furrer (the Knecht Group) and Männedorf Hospital.

Under the operation, more than 10 cargo-only SWISS Airbus A340 flights will be performed this month from Mainland China, bringing over 35 million personal protection items for the use of healthcare personnel including protective suits, medical gloves, safety goggles and breathing masks. All in all, the transports will amount to over 200 tonnes.

Spain’s air navigation manager ENAIRE is focusing efforts on flights carrying respirators, test kits and personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as on flights to repatriate Spaniards who were abroad and are able to return to our country.

In addition, from March 23, ENAIRE has been expediting any charity and repatriation operations being undertaken by airlines, such as Iberia and Air Europa, and companies like Inditex and Mango, in cooperation with various ministries of the government of Spain.

British Airways is working with a number of organizations—including the NHS Helpforce team, St John Ambulance, London Ambulance Service and Age UK—to place skilled cabin and flight crew staff as volunteers to help fight against the COVID-19 virus.

The airline already has a partnership with the British Red Cross, providing vital support for their UK response work, and will be encouraging more colleagues to sign up to their Community Reserve Volunteer network to provide practical assistance in local communities.

Magnetic MRO is stepping up to provide temporary passenger aircraft cabin modifications to address the need for COVID-19 medical cargo transportation.

One modification option can be done while leaving the seats and fixing cargo boxes on them with the special straps; the second option allows the removal of seats to change the type of operations.

In addition, Magnetic MRO can also provide cabin modification for medical stretchers installation on various aircraft types, including Airbus A321 family, Boeing 737-800, 747-400, 777-300, ATR and other aircraft. Such modification can support airlines to utilize their passenger cabin fleet in relation to COVID-19 medical assistance requirements.

Delta Air Lines’ wholly owned subsidiary Delta Flight Products is collaborating with Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI), a nonprofit affiliate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, to manufacture face shields to protect hospital workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Using materials and designs provided by GCMI, Delta Flight Products is leveraging its manufacturing facilities to quickly deliver an initial order of 2,000 shields to aid workers in New York, and an additional 4,000 for Atlanta-area hospitals.

Purchase, New York-based Atlas Air Worldwide is supporting the White House’s Project Airbridge, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), for several charters to multiple destinations in the U.S.

On March 29, Atlas Air operated the first flight for Project Airbridge from Shanghai, China into New York JFK. The flight carried 130,000 N-95 masks; nearly 1.8 million surgical masks and gowns; more than 10.3 million gloves; and more than 70,000 thermometers. The supplies will be distributed primarily to New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut hospitals, with the remainder designated for nursing homes in the area, as well as other high-risk areas across the country.

Atlas Air operated two additional flights carrying personal protective equipment (PPE) operated into Chicago: one from China on March 30 and one from Malaysia on April 1.

In addition, Atlas Air on April 2 operated a dedicated charter for the Frontline Responders Fund, containing PPE headed for medical systems in the San Francisco Bay area. The shipment, originating in Shanghai, contained approximately 65 tons of PPE, including 4.5 million face masks, 121,300 surgical gowns and 16,000 hazmat suits.

Over the past week, Etihad Airways has been operating special flights that have allowed stranded passengers to return home, and to support the “UAE Food Security Program” as part of previously announced plans to utilize belly-hold capacity of passenger aircraft for cargo.

These services give citizens of other nations, who are unable to leave the UAE because of current COVID-19 restrictions, the opportunity to fly home. In some instances, Etihad has also been able to repatriate UAE citizens, and carry fresh produce as belly-hold cargo on the return segments back to Abu Dhabi.

To date, these services have covered a number of destinations, including the US, Australia and Sri Lanka.

Etihad will continue to offer such services, and from April 5, will operate a regular service to a number of destinations starting with Seoul Incheon, and following with others such as Melbourne, Singapore, Manila, Bangkok, Jakarta and Amsterdam. These destinations are subject to government approvals.

Latvian flag carrier AirBaltic operated a special cargo flight from Riga to Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport in China, to bring 900,000 face masks and 80,000 respirators made in Zhengzhou and Yiwu regions to Latvia.

The special flight, using an Airbus A220-300, was made following a request from the National Health Service of the Republic of Latvia March 28-29.

Overall, 619 boxes, 5.1 tonnes or 47 cubic meters of approximately 900,000 face masks and 80,000 respirators were carried. Three pilots and two technicians were on board the aircraft to perform the flight.

Airbus has deployed a new air-bridge flight between Europe and China to deliver additional face mask supplies to France, Germany, Spain and UK health systems in support of the COVID-19 crisis efforts.

The aircraft, an Airbus A330-200 undergoing conversion as Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), took off March 26 from Airbus’ Getafe site near Madrid (Spain), reaching the Airbus site in Tianjin (China) on March 27. The aircraft, operated by an Airbus crew, returned to Spain March 28 with a cargo of more than 4 million face masks.

Earlier in March, Airbus organized flights from Europe and China with A330-800 and A400M aircraft to donate thousands of face masks to hospitals and public services around Europe.

In mid-March, as coronavirus testing began across much of the country, FedEx workers answered a call from the US White House Task Force to transport COVID-19 test samples from test sites to labs for analysis.

In less than 24 hours, FedEx designed pick-up and delivery operations to move more than 20,000 COVID-19 test samples from 50 test sites in a dozen states to labs in 10 states for analysis. It all occurred over a weekend when people are typically not working, and included 28 flights, 40 trucks, and countless team member volunteers to deploy.

The initial operation was successful, and FedEx is now scaling up as Task Force testing centers expand throughout the country. Working with different government agencies from the onset, FedEx said it is now “well versed in compliance with the regulations and rules for transportation of COVID-19 test samples.”

Virgin Atlantic and UK LCC easyJet are asking staff, who have not been working since the COVID-19 pandemic grounded aircraft, to consider helping at the new NHS Nightingale hospitals—temporary critical care field hospitals being built across the country.

EasyJet has written to all 9,000 of its UK based staff, which includes 4,000 cabin crew who are trained in CPR, while Virgin Atlantic has written to approximately 4,000 employees, prioritizing those with the required skills and training.

Those who sign up will perform clinical support roles, under the close instruction of nurses and senior clinicians on the wards at the NHS Nightingale Hospitals across the country.

The NHS hospitals are being built in London, Birmingham and Manchester, and other sites are being considered. Support workers will change beds, tend to patients and assist doctors and nurses working on the wards.

In addition, Virgin Atlantic is working with organizations in healthcare, grocery, retail and customer service to secure temporary and voluntary employment opportunities for its people.

UK-based leisure airline Jet2.com brought a group of 29 school children and teachers from Spanish island Lanzarote who were unable to return home from London Gatwick Airport after another airline canceled their flight. Jet2.com was able to get the group onto its London Stansted-Lanzarote flight so they could return home before all flights were suspended.

In addition, Jet2.com has donated thousands of snack boxes to help charities in their work supporting the elderly and the homeless in Greater Manchester and Yorkshire. The leisure airline donated the boxes March 31 to Otley Action for Older People, Age UK’s Manchester Resource Centre and SPIN (Supporting People in Need) Manchester, a charitable organization that feeds, shelters and supports both the homeless and people in need. The snack boxes, which would normally be purchased by customers flying with Jet2.com, contain chocolate flapjack, Pretzels, Italian cheese, crackers and Pizette cheese—enabling the charities to provide more food and snacks to people who are in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Delta is carrying medical supplies globally via cargo flights and operating repatriation flights to get travelers and their loved ones home. Additionally, free flights are being offered to medical volunteers in certain U.S. regions that have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 to support medical professionals on the front lines.

“We know getting surgical masks, gloves, gowns and other protective equipment expeditiously to facilities across the country is imperative to protecting medical professionals and helping address the COVID-19 situation,” Delta Cargo VP Shawn Cole said. “Operating regularly scheduled cargo flights means suppliers in China can get these supplies to hospitals and healthcare facilities across the U.S. within hours, not the days or weeks it would take via cargo ship.”

Qatar Airways acquired and transported 500,000 test kits to Doha to be donated to local health services as part of its effort to manage the COVID-19 outbreak. Qatar Airways is also working with governments around the world to maintain a strong schedule of flights and organizing charter flights where needed. The airline said it has received words of thanks from many countries, including the governments of Germany, the UK, France, Pakistan, and Oman for its efforts to return their citizens.

Alitalia continues to organize cargo flights from China to Italy to transport protective face masks and other medical equipment necessary to help Italian hospitals to manage the COVID-19 emergency. This week, the Italian flag carrier operated three Boeing 777 cargo flights to/from Shanghai.

In coordination with the Crisis Unit of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alitalia also continues to organize special Boeing 777-200 flights to/from airports in Maputo, Mozambique; Goa, India; and Prague, Czech Republic not usually served by the airline, to repatriate Italian citizens still stranded abroad.

ACMI operator Avion Express will re-enter the air freight market in response to the rapidly changing situation in the market as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Avion Express, which has been focused on the transportation of humanitarian air and medical equipment, announced it is stepping up to fulfill other cargo requests.

Avion Express said it is “ready to offer freight capabilities of up to 17 tonnes of cargo with Airbus A320, and up to 24 tonnes with A321 in the cargo compartment as well as in the cabin. Currently, numerous A320s and A321s, based in Central and Eastern Europe are ready for service. With an FAA approval for a subsidiary airline Avion Express Malta in place, the company can also offer cargo transportation to and from the US.”

The majority of Airbus sites in Spain have joined forces to produce 3D-printed visor frames, providing healthcare personnel with individual protection equipment in the fight against COVID-19. More than 20 3D printers are working day and night. Hundreds of visors have already been produced and dispatched to hospitals close to the Airbus facilities in Spain. Airbus leverages a patented design to manufacture the visor frames, using PLA plastics.

In addition, Airbus in Germany also joined the project. The Airbus Protospace Germany and the Airbus Composite Technology Centre in Stade, together with the 3D-printing network named “Mobility goes Additive,” are now supporting this project in Spain, also coordinating the collection and transport of visors to the Madrid region.

Hawaiian Airlines is providing complimentary Neighbor Island flights for medical professionals during the month of April to support travel associated with COVID-19 response efforts. The airline is partnering with Hawai‘i's leading healthcare providers to maintain and facilitate the delivery of critical medical services to communities statewide.

Hawaiian also announced a new flight schedule designed to provide vital Neighbor Island connectivity in April, during the state of Hawai‘i’s 14-day self-quarantine requirement for interisland passengers, except for those considered by the government to be traveling for essential work or needs.

From April 4, Hawaiian will provide a total of 16 daily roundtrip flights with Boeing 717 aircraft between Honolulu (HNL) on O‘ahu and Hilo (ITO) and Kona (KOA) on the Island of Hawai‘i, Kahului (OGG) on Maui, and Līhu‘e (LIH) on Kaua‘i. For travelers not originating in or bound for O‘ahu, the schedule was carefully created to offer three daily roundtrips via HNL to all Neighbor Islands.

VistaJet is working directly with governments and consulates around the world, helping them to repatriate citizens by providing complimentary empty leg flights. As cargo flights drastically fall as a result of the cancellation of major global commercial routes, VistaJet is also in talks with medical organizations, health experts and regulators to identify other solutions to help, including the transportation of key medical supplies. Additionally, empty leg flights are being offered complimentary for critical flights to transport medical experts to necessary locations as they help to fight the global pandemic.

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) is operating special flights to help Ukrainian citizens return home after a nationwide quarantine was implemented through April 24.

UIA has requested permission for one-time evacuation flights from Amsterdam, London, Berlin, Paris and Frankfurt.

As of March 27, UIA introduced additional flights to/from London, Brussels, Nice and New York.

Having analyzed passenger demand for getting back to Ukraine, UIA introduced additional flights from Cairo, Paris, Tbilisi and Athens, as well as a Madrid-Barcelona-Kyiv combi flight scheduled to arrive March 28.

UIA has so far helped over 17,000 Ukrainians return home, with more planned.

Alitalia’s AZ 9478 cargo flight from Shanghai landed in Rome Fiumicino airport March 26 with over 3.5 million protective face masks. The medical equipment was sent to the areas most affected by the COVID-19 emergency.

This was the first of a series of nonstop cargo flights from China, and was operated with an Alitalia’s Boeing 777-300ER. Two complete crews were on board the aircraft and, in accordance with the provisions of the Italian Civil Aviation Authority on the flight duty period, they alternated service without the need of an overnight rest in Shanghai, in order to respect restrictions put in force by Chinese authorities.

In coordination with the Crisis Unit of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alitalia continues to organize special flights in order to repatriate Italian citizens still stranded abroad.

An Alitalia Boeing 777-200ER returned 300 Italian citizens from India on March 27. An Airbus A330 retrieved 250 passengers, disembarked from a cruise in Miami, returning to Rome Fiumicino Airport March 28.

LATAM Cargo Group on March 25 announced it has made significant modifications to its itinerary to offer more capacity with its fleet of 11 Boeing 767-300 freighters to meet client needs in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Freighter capacity between Santiago (Chile) and Miami (US) has increased fivefold in order to support salmon exporters. In addition, capacity between Europe and South America has increased 20%, which added up to a total of six weekly frequencies that will allow the transportation of automotive spare parts, general cargo and medicines to South America, as well as transportation of perishable products to Europe. In addition, frequencies between North America and South America were increased by almost 15%, totaling 26 frequencies each week.

Furthermore, the company will begin operating the Santiago-Los Angeles freighter route in order to offer additional capacity for salmon transportation and to ensure coverage in the US west coast. The return trip will be Los Angeles-Mexico City-Lima-Santiago. This route will benefit the transportation of technology products, spare parts and health-oriented products.

“This new itinerary, designed and implemented at an unprecedented pace, will allow us to take advantage of our freighter fleet in order to partially meet the shortfall in belly capacity. We are working to provide our clients with more and better choices and serve as support for the region’s economy,” LATAM Cargo CEO Andrés Bianchi said.

SunExpress, a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, carried out 180 special flights departing from Izmir and Antalya, and approximately 30,000 citizens of the banned countries have reached their homes between March 13 and 22.

SunExpress deputy CEO Ahmet Çalışkan said, “Our domestic flights continue smoothly from Antalya to eight cities of Anatolia and from Izmir to 12 cities. We believe that we will get through these difficult times all together. As the backbone of Turkish tourism transportation and as an airline building an air bridge between Turkey and Europe, we will continue to increase our contribution to Turkish tourism.”

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has announced plans to deploy passenger Boeing 787-10s on cargo flights, to ensure the supply of fresh-produce imports into the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Each aircraft has capacity for 12 lower-deck pallets and four containers, carrying up to 45 tons of payload.

“By utilizing the Boeing 787 in addition to its freighter fleet, Etihad Cargo will ensure the continuity of vital imports into the UAE including fruits, vegetables, meat, medical supplies, mail and ecommerce,” Etihad said.

Qatar Airways is expanding operations to Australia to help get people home. From March 29, Qatar will add an extra 48,000 seats to the market to help stranded passengers return home. The airline will operate the following flights:

• Daily service to Brisbane (Boeing 777-300ER)
• Double daily service to Perth (Airbus A380 and Boeing 777-300ER)
• Double daily service to Melbourne (Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 777-300ER)
• Triple daily service to Sydney (Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 777-300ER)

Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker said: “We know there are many people who want to be with their families and loved ones during this difficult time. We are thankful to the Australian government, airports and staff for their support in helping us to add additional flights to get people home, and in particular, to bring flights to Brisbane.”

Central and Eastern Europe LCC Wizz Air delivered 11 tons of medical equipment, including protective gear and coronavirus test kits, from Shanghai to Budapest on Monday, following a request from the Hungarian government.

The Wizz Air flight travelled 9000km in total and took over 50 hours to complete, including refueling stops in Kazakhstan and Russia. The mission was carried out on an Airbus A321neo, which boosts 15% improved fuel efficiency compared to previous models, enabling longer journeys and reduced emissions with the same amount of fuel.

The Hungarian government plans further flights in partnership with Wizz Air to deliver medical equipment to Hungary to help treat patients and slow down the spread of coronavirus.

Ethiopian Airlines has delivered medical supplies donated by Jack Ma, the founder of China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba, to 39 African countries within five days. Ethiopian transported Jack Ma’s support including testing kits, masks and protective suits.

Launched by Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed and Alibaba Foundation, the relief initiative is part of the actions taken toward implementing Africa’s continental strategy for preventing the spread of COVID-19.

The delivery has so far exceeded the halfway mark with more distribution plans to be continued in the coming days.