Emirates today announced that it has established a humanitarian airbridge between Dubai and India in order to transport Urgent Medical COVID-19 relief items as India continues to fight its worst wave of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.
Emirates announced that it will offer cargo capacity free of charge on an ‘as available’ basis on all of its flights to nine cities in India, ‘to help international NGOs deliver relief supplies rapidly to where it is needed’. Emirates will offer these flights to Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kolkata.
Emirates SkyCargo, in the past weeks, has already been transporting medicines and medical equipment on scheduled and charter cargo flights to India. The Dubai-based airline notes that this latest airbridge initiative takes its support for India and for the NGO community to the ‘next level’.
His Highness Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates, said:
India and Emirates are deeply connected, since our first flights to India in 1985. We stand with the Indian people and will do all we can to help India get back on its feet. Emirates has a lot of experience in humanitarian relief efforts, and with 95 weekly flights to 9 destinations in India, we will be offering regular and reliable widebody capacity for relief materials. The International Humanitarian City in Dubai is the largest crisis relief hub in the world and we will work closely with them to facilitate the movement of urgent medical supplies.
The first shipment that was sent as part of this humanitarian airbridge is a consignment of over 12 tons of multi-purpose tents from the World Health Organization (WHO), destined for Delhi, and coordinated by the International Humanitarian City (IHC) in Dubai.
Giuseppe Saba, IHC, said:
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid built the International Humanitarian City (IHC), so Dubai, in coordination with humanitarian agencies, would be able to assist communities and families, most in need – around the world. The creation of the humanitarian airbridge between Dubai and India, facilitated by Emirates SkyCargo, Dubai’s International Humanitarian City and UN agencies, to transport urgent medical and relief items, is another example of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s vision for the IHC, being brought to life. Last year over 1,292 shipments were dispatched from the IHC in Dubai, setting the standard for humanitarian response globally. We appreciate the great efforts by IHC’s partner Emirates SkyCargo establishing this humanitarian airbridge between Dubai and India in this time of need.
Emirates says that its freight division has a close partnership with IHC, developed over several years of delivering relief materials to communities across the world impacted by natural disasters and other crises. IHC will support Emirates SkyCargo in channelling relief efforts to India through the airbridge.
This announcement comes after Qatar Airways operated 3 flights to India carrying Urgent Medical Aid to India. Recently, British Airways also operated a COVID-19 relief flight to India.
Meanwhile, Emirates has announced the resumption of services to Mexico City via Barcelona, New York via Milan and Newark via Athens
Featured image by Emirates
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