Korean Air flew in the first shipment containing Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine to South Korea on Friday, aboard an A330 flight from Amsterdam to Seoul. Integrator UPS was in charge of organising the transport from the production plant in Belgium until loading onto the aircraft. Upon arrival in Seoul, the company's trucks lined up to receive the shipments which made their way to vaccination centres in five cities, including the National Medical Center in Seoul. “These deliveries are a … [Read more...] about Korean Air, UPS deliver first Pfizer shipment to S. Korea
Korean Air
Top airlines sign up for UNICEF’s vaccine initiative
The UNICEF Humanitarian Airfreight Initiative has been formed with the world’s leading airlines to secure the transport of Covid-19 vaccines and medical supplies around the globe. These chosen carriers have signing agreements with UNICEF to support the prioritisation of delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, essential medicines, medical devices and other critical supplies to respond to the pandemic. The airfreight initiative supports the COVAX Facility's efforts to ensure that countries have fair … [Read more...] about Top airlines sign up for UNICEF’s vaccine initiative
South Korea cools dry ice rules to boost vaccine air transport
South Korea’s transport ministry has raised the limit of dry ice a plane can carry from 3,300 to 11,000 kilogrammes which will allow more containers of vaccines that need to be stored at ultralow temperatures on each flight. Deputy minister for civil aviation Kim Sang-do told Reuters the move will triple the number of containers aircraft can carry and allow a Boeing 747 freighter to haul up to 52 containers of vaccines from the usual 15. Dry ice is typically used by airlines as a cooling … [Read more...] about South Korea cools dry ice rules to boost vaccine air transport
Korean Air Cargo sets up task force to deliver vaccine worldwide
Korean Air has launched a COVID-19 vaccine transport task force to prepare for the safe and swift transport of the vaccine once it becomes available. “Transporting vaccines is a very delicate and challenging process requiring specialised storage facilities and equipment. Vaccines generally need to be stored at low temperatures between 2°C and 8°C whereas some types require temperatures as low as -70°C,” the cargo carrier explained. Korean Air’s cargo terminal at Incheon International … [Read more...] about Korean Air Cargo sets up task force to deliver vaccine worldwide
Korean Air converts B777-300ERs for cargo transport after ministry approval
Korean Air has converted its own passenger planes for freight transport after getting approval from the transport ministry. Two of its Boeing 777-300ERs are now operational for carrying all cargo, with the first one flying to Columbus, Ohio on 8 September, and the other set to fly the same route on 10 September. With cabin seats removed, a Boeing 777-300ER passenger-to-freighter modification can load an extra 10.8 tonnes to its existing 22-tonne belly capacity. Korean Air said the … [Read more...] about Korean Air converts B777-300ERs for cargo transport after ministry approval
Asia’s airlines get creative to make space for cargo
Bloomberg Intelligence predicts belly capacity from passenger air fleets won’t return to pre-pandemic levels before 2022. Bloomberg says under normal circumstances, about 60 percent of global air cargo is flown in the belly hold of passenger flights. But with jets parked in deserts waiting out the pandemic, cargo volumes are down this year, whilst air freight costs have soared, with rates on the Hong Kong-North America route up 70 percent from early January. According to Qantas, the May … [Read more...] about Asia’s airlines get creative to make space for cargo
