Virgin Atlantic Cargo flies aid to Pakistan

Virgin Atlantic Cargo has flown more than 20 tonnes of medicines to Pakistan where it will be distributed to victims of the recent flooding and resulting humanitarian disaster.

The airline told Air Cargo News the aid was flown on a B787 passenger service to Islamabad on Tuesday November 22.

Donated by conglomerate Bestway Group, the medicines will land in Islamabad tomorrow (November 24) and will be used to help the 3.2m people who have lost their homes and livelihoods and been displaced by the flooding.

Ongoing heavy rains are continuing to complicate rescue and recovery efforts and disease has been widespread as the humanitarian disaster increases.

Virgin Atlantic dedicated special climate control vehicles for the collection and delivery of the medicines to its cargo handling facility at London Heathrow Airport.

Phil Wardlaw, managing director of Virgin Atlantic Cargo, said: “We are deeply saddened by the humanitarian disaster that has unfolded in Pakistan following the recent flooding.

“We are so grateful to have been able to partner with The Bestway Foundation and Well Pharmacy to ensure these important medicines reach those in need and will continue to use our business as a force for good in these devastating times.”

Haider Choudrey, chief financial officer of Bestway Group, added: “Our teams are on the ground in Pakistan and are seeing first-hand how desperately these medicines are needed to help combat disease that has taken hold where fresh water supplies have been destroyed and families have lost their homes along with everything they own.

“We would like to thank the team at Virgin Atlantic Cargo who has helped us make this happen and are transporting what is a sizeable cargo of medicines out to where it is needed the most.”