British Airways on 5th May operated a emergency cargo flight to Delhi carrying 27 tonnes of Urgent Medical Aid to support the Indian government as the country continues to battle its worst wave of COVID-19 since the pandemic began with dwindling oxygen supplies. Let’s find out about this cargo flight more.
Cargo flight carrying Urgent Medical Aid
Britain’s flag carrier commissioned a special project team to organise the flight. The aircraft, a Boeing B777-200, departed London at 5 pm (local time) on 5th May and landed in Delhi at 5:45 (local time). The aircraft carried more than a thousand items from the High Commission of India and charities including Khalsa Aid International and the largest Hindu Temple outside of India, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, in Neasden, London.
This included hundreds of urgent life-saving oxygen cylinders and shipments of oxygen concentrators, respirators and blood oxygen saturation monitors. British Airways is also donating care packages for families in need.
This cargo flight was a special charter flight, fully funded by British Airways and its parent company, IAG.
Sean Doyle, Chief Executive and CEO, British Airways, said:
The British Airways family has been deeply affected by the terrible scenes in India of the deepening humanitarian crisis that has impacted the lives of many of our people. We are fortunate to be in a position to help transport aid and I am so proud of the volunteers from across the airline and IAG Cargo who have stepped up to make this happen. We continue to stand with our friends in India as the country endures one of the worst crises it has ever known.
British Airways works in partnership with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which is organising the UK’s humanitarian response. Saleh Saeed, Chief Executive of the Disasters Emergency Committee, said:
The DEC brings together 14 leading UK aid charities to respond quickly and effectively to disasters, with the fantastic support of partners in the corporate sector, including British Airways. We are hugely grateful to British Airways for springing into action to support our emergency appeals, enabling us to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to people in India and elsewhere across the world when disaster strikes.
Captain Minesh Patel, a member of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir temple, was instrumental in helping to organise the flight and is commanding the relief service. He said:
It seemed natural to connect British Airways with the wealth of aid and relief material amassed by BAPS in the UK to enable the medical supplies to reach the organisation’s volunteers in India who can provide relief, medical and social aid to the victims in the worst affected regions.
Kamlesh Patel, a spokesperson for Neasden Temple said:
We are extremely grateful to our friends at British Airways for organising this relief flight to India. Through the fundraising efforts at Neasden Temple we will be sending essential medical supplies on this consignment, including 50 oxygen concentrators. Our deepest gratitude goes to all those who have contributed to this relief effort and we continue to pray for our friends and families in India during this challenging time.
Recently, Qatar Airways also operated 3 cargo flights to India carrying Medical Aid and equipment.
Meanwhile, British airways has announced that it will offer flights to 4 new Summer destinations namely Gdansk, Wroclaw, Riga and Cluj Napoca.
Featured image by British Airways
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