- IAG Cargo and its sister company British Airways, delivered 27 tonnes of medical aid to Delhi.
- Charities contributing aid for transit on the flight include the High Commission of India, Khalsa Aid International and Neasden Hindu Temple (largest Hindu temple outside of India)
IAG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group (IAG), and its sister company British Airways operates a relief flight to India transporting 27 tonnes of medical aid as the humanitarian crisis in the country worsens. The B777-200 was loaded with emergency aid to Delhi to support the Indian government as the country continues to battle rising Coronavirus cases, with dwindling oxygen supplies.
A special project team was formed to organise the flight, loaded with more than a thousand items from the High Commission of India and charities including Khalsa Aid International and the largest Hindu Temple outside India, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, in Neasden.
The load includes 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.
While IAG Cargo and British Airways have maintained a vital air link between London and India throughout the pandemic, sending aid items on scheduled flights, this air lift is a special charter, fully funded by the two companies.
John Cheetham, Chief Commercial Officer at IAG Cargo said: “We have all seen the terrible scenes in India of the deepening humanitarian crisis that has impacted the lives of many of our people and our customers. Thank you to the team at IAG Cargo, British Airways and all the charities involved in this project – without their support this special mission providing essential relief to communities in India would not have been possible.”
IAG Cargo is the single business created following the merger of British Airways World Cargo and Iberia Cargo in April 2011. Following the integration of additional airlines into the business, including Aer Lingus, Vueling and Level, IAG Cargo now covers a truly global network.
In 2020 IAG Cargo had a commercial revenue of €1,306 million. It has a combined workforce of more than 2,250 people. Its parent company, International Airlines Group, is one of the world’s largest airline groups with 533 aircraft on 31st December 2020.
