Etihad operates 106 UAE humanitarian aid charters to combat Covid-19 globally

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways said on Wednesday that it has operated 106 UAE humanitarian aid charters to 54 destinations worldwide.

This initiative, in cooperation with the the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, was to help supply medical and food aid to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is a moment of pride for the Etihad family to stand alongside the government of the United Arab Emirates to support humanitarian medical missions in response to the global coronavirus pandemic,” said Ahmed Al Qubaisi, senior vice president – government, international and communications, Etihad Aviation Group.

“It is an honour to have played our part in this achievement and a testimony to the wise values of tolerance and giving taught to us by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan,” added Al Qubaisi.

Earlier this week, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation said that the UAE has assisted over 1 million medical workers globally by helping supply more than 1,000 metric tons of personal protective equipment (PPE), medical and food aid in response to the Covid-19 crisis.

Read: UAE has supplied over 1,000 metric tons of Covid-19 aid worldwide

“Etihad Airways has operated more than half of the UAE’s humanitarian flights, and we would like to thank all entities that have supported and facilitated this special project,” noted Al Qubaisi.

In a press statement, the airline added that it continues to transfer aid from the UAE, and is working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to obtain relevant aviation permits in coordination with relevant authorities across the world.

The airline has confirmed that it would expand its commercial passenger operations to over 40 destinations starting mid-July.

From July 16, the airline will begin flying to additional destinations including Bengaluru, Kozhikode, Male, Mumbai, Kochi, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Istanbul, Manchester, Düsseldorf, Munich, Belgrade, Amman and Cairo.

Read also: Etihad confirms additional flights to eight countries, including India, Egypt and Germany, starting July 16

Etihad has also partnered with Austrian-based healthcare technology company Medicus AI to launch a Covid-19 risk-assessment tool that would help its passengers evaluate the possibility of having contracted the Covid-19 infection, by responding to a self-administered assessment, based on World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Read more: UAE’s Etihad Airways to launch Covid-19 risk assessment tool