Emirates launches India humanitarian airbridge to transport COVID-19 relief items

Dubai based Emirates airlines has set up a humanitarian airbridge between Dubai and India to transport urgent medical and relief items, to support India in its fight to control the serious COVID-19 situation in the country.

Under the arrangement, Emirates 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.

In the past weeks, Emirates SkyCargo said it has been transporting medicines and medical equipment on scheduled and charter cargo flights to India with the latest airbridge initiative taken Emirates’ support for India and for the NGO community to the next level.

Speaking on the development, Emirates’ Chairman and Chief Executive, His Highness, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum 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 wide-body 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 sent as part of the Emirates India humanitarian airbridge was a consignment of over 12 tons of multi-purpose tents from the World Health Organization (WHO), destined for Delhi, and coordinated by the IHC in Dubai.

Commenting, the CEO of International Humanitarian City (IHC), Giuseppe Saba said: “The Humanitarian City was built to assist communities and families, most in need – around the world. Last year over 1,292 shipments were dispatched from the IHC in Dubai, setting the standard for humanitarian response globally.”

The freight division of Emirates 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 channeling relief efforts to India through the airbridge.

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