The UK’s National Carrier, British Airways has flown COVID-19 Medical Aid to India, worth up to 18 tonnes, as part of a series of relief flights to help stabilise the spread of the Virus. As recently as Saturday 22 May, India recorded 4,194 deaths related to COVID-19. This comes amid concerns that the disease is spreading rapidly in rural parts of the country where depleted resources could potentially lead to an uncontrollable outbreak of COVID-19 cases.
The British Airways BA257 (Cargo Only) flight took off from London Heathrow on Saturday 22 May and arrived at Delhi International Airport. Amongst the supplies flown over were Oxygen Cylinders, Personal Protective Equipment and Critical Care Equipment. A significant portion of these supplies came from leading UK charities, such as Oxfam. Furthermore, British Airway’s key partner, British Petroleum, provided additional support.
British Airways Reaffirms Their Support To India
British Airways Chairman and CEO, Sean Doyle, has noted that India is a key business region for the Airline, and consequently, assistance must be given to India in their fight against COVID-19. He said, “Earlier this week, we welcomed customers back onboard as international travel starts to open up, but we are mindful that the fight against COVID-19 is not over yet. Our business has a deep connection with India, and it is only right that we continue [the] support by joining our travel and charity partners to transport much-needed medical equipment to India.”
It is also important to note that IAG Cargo (a partner of British Airways) has assisted in ensuring that flight routes between UK and India remain open in order to continually send supplies of medical aid on any scheduled flight between the countries.
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