Since March 2020, Air France - KLM has made every effort to maintain the global air transport network and at the same time to maintain international supply chains. The group continued to ensure the intra- and intercontinental movement of goods and people.
The company is currently preparing the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine worldwide, through its European hubs, Amsterdam - Schiphol and Paris - Charles de Gaulle.
Over 6000 CARGO flights in the last 6 months
As the movement of people was severely disrupted by the decisions of the authorities of the states affected by the COVID 19 pandemic, the activity of Air France - KLM focused on CARGO flights, delivery of goods, medical equipment and medicines, where needed. In recent months, about 6.000 cargo-only flights have been operated. Currently, services are operated to over 100 long-distance courier destinations.
The company's experience as a pharmaceutical carrier has ensured health facilities, as well as private citizens, that they will have access to medicines, medical equipment, personal protective equipment (PPE) and other critical products.
Together with Air Cargo Netherlands (ACN), Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris (already two important pharmaceutical nodes), two working groups have been set up to fully prepare both airport communities for the vaccine transport operation. .
Air transport allows a controlled temperature of up to -80 ° C to be ensured
About 15 billion vaccines are expected to be distributed worldwide. Many of these will have to be transported at very low temperatures.
For example, the Pfizer vaccine should be kept frozen (at -70 ° C). Other vaccines should be distributed at a constant temperature between +2 and + 8 ° C. The Air France KLM Cargo Group has developed, together with its partners, logistics solutions to ensure the quality of vaccines throughout the distribution chain and is ready for it.
"The prospect of a COVID-19 vaccine coming is very good news. At the same time, it brings a new challenge; a fast and safe transport of billions of vaccines worldwide. We are prepared for this and that thanks to colleagues and partners who have worked hard on this together. KLM previously contributed to air transportation for a flow of approximately 90 million protective masks, protective clothing and respiratory equipment. We will now bring the vaccine safely and quickly to the Netherlands and the rest of the world. I am proud that our Cargo colleagues will accomplish this complex and responsible task. ” said Pieter Elbers, CEO of KLM.
Unprecedented mobilization at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to reduce transit time for pharmaceuticals
With over 3.500 square meters of warehouses dedicated to the storage of heat-sensitive products, Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport offers state-of-the-art facilities that guarantee optimal storage. Air France KLM constantly communicates with manufacturing companies and airport authorities to minimize the transit time of vaccines at the airport, mainly in streamlining customs clearance procedures and reducing the overall transit time for vaccines between road trucks and aircraft.
An Air France KLM Cargo aircraft can carry more than one million doses in flight, and a long-distance passenger aircraft can carry over 400.000 doses in the hold.