Virgin Atlantic aims to supply China with more than 43 million pieces of personal protective equipment and medical supplies to the UK.
Virgin Atlantic successfully collaborated with the Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS in April, operating nine cargo-only flights from Shanghai to London Heathrow, delivering 150 tons of medical equipment, supplies and PPE, transported in 12,000 crates, holding more than 4.2 million items individually.
Virgin Atlantic is now growing these operations to regular flights to and from China through May-July, with the airline scheduled to carry more than 1,500 tonnes of essential PPE to the https://air-miles-guide.com/countries/united-kingdom/ United Kingdom.
The British Embassy in China, working with the Department of Health and Social Care to procure medical equipment from China and supply it to NHS hospitals in the UK, and the Civil Aviation Authority, which gave special dispensation for the 26-hour round trips, facilitated these flights.
Onboard special cargo-only flights chartered by the Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS during May, June and July, Virgin Atlantic is scheduled to deliver over 43 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the UK.
After special dispensation from the CAA and assistance from the British Embassy in China, the airline was the first British airline to resume flights to China on Friday 3rd April. Since then, nine 26-hour round trips between London Heathrow and Shanghai have been run by Virgin Atlantic. In order to accommodate on average 1,400 boxes of essential equipment, the flights use both the cargo hold and passenger seats and overhead lockers.
Seven pilots and four cabin crew, who share duties and rest time, fly the planes. On average, each flight contains 16 tons of vital items required to help combat the UK's Covid-19 pandemic.
More than 150 tonnes of medical supplies and PPE, including 66 ventilators, more than two million face masks, 600,000 face shields and visors, one million disposable gloves, 38,000 eye protection items, 125,000 protective coveralls and insulation gowns, and more than 25,000 battery-operated battery-operated items have been transported since the first charter on Friday, 3rd April, supported by Virgin Unite and Virgin Group
Dominic Kennedy, Virgin Atlantic Cargo Managing Director, said:
We are so very thankful during this difficult time for all the work our healthcare workers do and we are delighted that we can play our part by bringing vital medical supplies and PPE to the UK for the NHS teams working on the front line.
Despite a decline in passenger travel, demand for cargo transport remains high, and our teams are working hard to keep global supply chains functioning and transporting critical supplies around the world. We look forward to continuing to partner with the Department of Health and the NHS, working with them on regular flights from Shanghai to London during May, June and July, bringing over 1,500 tons of supplies that are desperately needed by teams here in the UK to care for patients. "
John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow CEO, said:
"We are proud to be working closely with Virgin Atlantic during this tough period to keep the critical supply lines of the United Kingdom open. This epidemic has changed our industry significantly and we are all doing our part by prioritizing freight operations that have seen an unprecedented rise, with cargo movements only increasing by over 950 percent in the past week. This emphasis means that vital medical supplies, ready for use by our frontline NHS staff, are coming into this country.
Aviation would be critical to kickstarting the UK's economic recovery since resolving COVID-19. This is why we are calling for standardized health screening protocols that will help ensure our passengers and colleagues' safety and peace of mind as the country looks to a new norm l.
The advent of Covid-19 has led to the service of cargo-only flights by Virgin Atlantic, a first for the airline since its launch in 1984. For pilots and cabin crew, whose health and well-being remain our highest priority, special exemptions from the enforced travel restrictions ensure that cargo operations can continue, meaning that the airline can continue to help critical supply chains around the world.
The first-ever cargo-only Virgin Atlantic flight, VS698 from London Heathrow to New York JFK, took place on 22 March 2020.
The flights are conducted in collaboration with Virgin Atlantic and the Government of the United Kingdom. In order to import medical equipment from China and supply it to NHS hospitals around the UK, the British Embassy is collaborating with the Department of Health and Social Care.
Virgin Atlantic is now growing these operations to regular flights to and from China through May-July, with the airline scheduled to carry more than 1,500 tonnes of essential PPE to the https://air-miles-guide.com/countries/united-kingdom/ United Kingdom.
The British Embassy in China, working with the Department of Health and Social Care to procure medical equipment from China and supply it to NHS hospitals in the UK, and the Civil Aviation Authority, which gave special dispensation for the 26-hour round trips, facilitated these flights.
Onboard special cargo-only flights chartered by the Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS during May, June and July, Virgin Atlantic is scheduled to deliver over 43 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the UK.
After special dispensation from the CAA and assistance from the British Embassy in China, the airline was the first British airline to resume flights to China on Friday 3rd April. Since then, nine 26-hour round trips between London Heathrow and Shanghai have been run by Virgin Atlantic. In order to accommodate on average 1,400 boxes of essential equipment, the flights use both the cargo hold and passenger seats and overhead lockers.
Seven pilots and four cabin crew, who share duties and rest time, fly the planes. On average, each flight contains 16 tons of vital items required to help combat the UK's Covid-19 pandemic.
More than 150 tonnes of medical supplies and PPE, including 66 ventilators, more than two million face masks, 600,000 face shields and visors, one million disposable gloves, 38,000 eye protection items, 125,000 protective coveralls and insulation gowns, and more than 25,000 battery-operated battery-operated items have been transported since the first charter on Friday, 3rd April, supported by Virgin Unite and Virgin Group
Dominic Kennedy, Virgin Atlantic Cargo Managing Director, said:
We are so very thankful during this difficult time for all the work our healthcare workers do and we are delighted that we can play our part by bringing vital medical supplies and PPE to the UK for the NHS teams working on the front line.
Despite a decline in passenger travel, demand for cargo transport remains high, and our teams are working hard to keep global supply chains functioning and transporting critical supplies around the world. We look forward to continuing to partner with the Department of Health and the NHS, working with them on regular flights from Shanghai to London during May, June and July, bringing over 1,500 tons of supplies that are desperately needed by teams here in the UK to care for patients. "
John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow CEO, said:
"We are proud to be working closely with Virgin Atlantic during this tough period to keep the critical supply lines of the United Kingdom open. This epidemic has changed our industry significantly and we are all doing our part by prioritizing freight operations that have seen an unprecedented rise, with cargo movements only increasing by over 950 percent in the past week. This emphasis means that vital medical supplies, ready for use by our frontline NHS staff, are coming into this country.
Aviation would be critical to kickstarting the UK's economic recovery since resolving COVID-19. This is why we are calling for standardized health screening protocols that will help ensure our passengers and colleagues' safety and peace of mind as the country looks to a new norm l.
The advent of Covid-19 has led to the service of cargo-only flights by Virgin Atlantic, a first for the airline since its launch in 1984. For pilots and cabin crew, whose health and well-being remain our highest priority, special exemptions from the enforced travel restrictions ensure that cargo operations can continue, meaning that the airline can continue to help critical supply chains around the world.
The first-ever cargo-only Virgin Atlantic flight, VS698 from London Heathrow to New York JFK, took place on 22 March 2020.
The flights are conducted in collaboration with Virgin Atlantic and the Government of the United Kingdom. In order to import medical equipment from China and supply it to NHS hospitals around the UK, the British Embassy is collaborating with the Department of Health and Social Care.
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