Baku-based Silk Way West Airlines has been awarded its good distribution practice (GDP) certification after successfully completing an in-depth audit by Global Cold Chain Consultants, a trusted external party with a strong track record in the pharmaceutical industry.

GDP is a standard based on principles adopted by the European Union and recommended by the World Health Organization. In line with these requirements, medicines must be obtained from a licensed supply chain and stored, transported and handled under suitable conditions.

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The airline says this is a critical step in strengthening and expanding its offering to the pharmaceutical sector, for which the company has upgraded its internal procedures and trained staff in line with the certification.

Silk Way West also conducted a thermal mapping of its fleet and the temperature-controlled storage facilities at its main hub in Baku, Azerbaijan to ensure the integrity of its processes.

Based at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, the airline operates around 350 flights each month across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, with annual cargo turnover exceeding 420,000 tonnes.

In April, it signed an agreement with Boeing to add five 777 freighters to its fleet, which includes 12 dedicated B747-8F and B747-400F freighter aircraft.