Volga-Dnepr Airlines, the leader in outsize and super-heavy air freight transportations, has operated three charter flights to India from China, Ireland and Germany carrying out an aid & relief mission to help the nation in its battle against severe COVID-19 resurgence.

Over 200 tonnes of vital medical equipment containing oxygen storing containers, concentrators and cryogenic containers were delivered onboard An-124-100 and Il-76TD-90VD to various parts of India, which is experiencing a shortage in oxygen equipment amid the emerging number of new COVID-19 cases. Upon arrival at the airports, the vital medical supplies were transported to the final destinations to be tested and checked for further use.

Ekaterina Andreeva, Commercial Director of Volga-Dnepr Airlines, highlights: ‘With the situation in India worsening we have started getting charter requests for transportation of ISO tanks. Together with a team of experts from various departments and powered by competence in dangerous goods transportations we were able to advise our customers on loading, packaging, and conditions of tanks. Working in tandem with our long-standing and reliable customers, Chapman Freeborn, Maersk Special Project Logistic team and Air Charter Service India Pvt Ltd, we organized charter flights within the shortest timeframes in line with biosafety requirements and completed another humanitarian mission’.

The airline which operates the fleet of ramp freighters is capable of transporting up to 12 x 20feet ISO tanks aboard An-124-100/150 and 3 x 20feet ISO tanks aboard Il076TD-90VD, with both planes being self-sufficient in terms of loading and offloading procedures. For over 30 years of operations, the company has completed numerous charter flights to India, thus being familiar with charter processing in different airports across the country.

Yulia Celetaria, Global Healthcare Director for Volga-Dnepr Group, comments: ‘We hope that our efforts and additional medical supplies will help India in meeting the oxygen crisis. Together with our Global Healthcare team and local managers, we are able to cater to the needs of our customers and supply the world when it needs us the most'.