COVID-19: Emirates official provides insight into its humanitarian airbridge for India

Emirates Airlines on May 9 announced that it has set up a humanitarian airbridge between Dubai and India in order to transport the essential medical and relief items to assist India in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this ‘bridge’ the airlines would be able to offer cargo capacity free of charge on an “as available” basis on all of its flights to at least nine cities in India and for the NGO community to the next level. While talking to Republic World, Abdulla Alkhallafi, Cargo Manager, India & Nepal, Emirates said that the company decided to take the initiative to support India in its “difficult time” and “we thought what we can help with is facilitating the movement of all essential items that are needed at this point of time.”

Alkhallafi further explained that all kinds of supplies including oxygen cylinders, or concentrators, or any medicines or injections will be transported. The latest initiative for India by Emirates is in coordination with the International Humanitarian City (IHC) and the first flight carrying the World Health Organization (WHO) cargo have departed from Dubai to India. Alkhallafi explained that it all started with a consignment of 12 tons multi-purpose tent by WHO destined for Delhi which will be used for the “creation of 4,500 square metres of hospital space.” Apart from the said shipment, the Emirates Cargo Manager, India & Nepal said that many such consignments will be delivered.

What is Emirates’ contribution to the massive initiative?

Alkhallafi told Republic World, “Since the pandemic started, not only just recently, we have taken the step to keep the supply chain operational...As you know, when the pandemic started, airports were closing one after another but cargos can not stop moving of course. So just a few days after the pandemic, we decided to innovate a new kind of operation that is the cargo-only flights so that we can keep the flow of at least, essential items.”

He added, “Now specifically in India, we basically operate nine airports and we are one of the largest cargo carriers to Indian airports...This is the way where we can support, do our bit at least, to support the people in India. As you know, the connection between India and the Emirates Airline goes back to 1985 when we started our first flight. Now we’ll be offering cargo capacity free of charge ‘as available’ basis and this will be to all nine cities in India.” 

Presently, Emirates is operating approximately 95 weekly flights to India and the latest initiative will be a huge support to all the nine destinations that the airlines fly to across the nation. According to Alkhallafi, it is an ample amount of space that can be used to deliver the supplies as per the availability. 

“We cannot go 100% full every single day,” he said while adding that the authorities at the airlines try their best to keep “some space available to all NGOs willing” to move the essentials through the cargo after meeting certain criteria and protocols.  All the non-governmental organisations can reach out to Emirates by contacting the ‘Crisis Relief Desk’ which has been reactivated recently for the India Relief initiative. 

India’s reception to Emirates humanitarian airbridge

When asked about the reception that Emirates received from the Indian authorities after unveiling the humanitarian airbridge, Alkhallafi told Republic “I believe, there is a strong welcome from the authorities for the initiatives we have done.” He also said that there is a “lot of cooperation between the airlines and the authorities in India “in terms of approval.”

Alkhallafi said, “We get these flights approved before we operate and so far, we’ve seen a lot of cooperation from the Indian authorities, be it the ministry of civil aviation or DGCA. This really helps us a lot in terms of operating these flights and keeping the flow uninterrupted to India.”

When specifically asked about the nature of future shipments that would follow the huge tent by WHO, the Emirates Cargo Manager, India & Nepal revealed that there are other shipments coming in from the NGOs in Dubai for different kinds of oxygen concentrators or oxygen cylinders and medicines required amid COVID-19.

What is Dubai’s International Humanitarian City (IHC)?

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid built the International Humanitarian City (IHC) enabling coordination of humanitarian agencies with Dubai. According to Giuseppe Saba, CEO of International Humanitarian City, it would ensure the body 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,” Rashid added as per the official release on Sunday.

Image credits: @emirates/Twitter