Following the approval of several Covid-19 vaccines, Lufthansa Cargo is preparing for its role in their global distribution in the coming months.
The German group has implemented a dedicated task force prepared for a variety of transport scenarios.
“The distribution of temperature- and time-sensitive pharmaceuticals is extremely demanding.
“We were one of the first airlines to specialise in the transport of medical goods and pharmaceuticals and can therefore draw on many years of experience.
“Thanks to the recent expansion of our ground infrastructure, we can also handle larger volumes and transport them worldwide while supporting our customers to maintain the cold chain,” explained Peter Gerber, chief executive of Lufthansa Cargo.
“In 2019, we transported around 100,000 tons of pharmaceuticals.
“We are ready to make another important contribution to overcoming the pandemic by distributing the vaccines worldwide.”
While the transport of vaccines is already available with Lufthansa Cargo, the company recently announced a premium product to its customers that was specifically developed for the transport of Covid-19 vaccines.
The product, named Covid-19 Temp Premium, will be bookable from January 11th and will provide a high level of comprehensive and personalised customer service along the travel chain.
This includes seamless monitoring of vaccine shipments throughout the entire process and a 24/7 after sales customer support.
Furthermore, Covid-19 Temp Premium includes high priority capacity access, the fastest speed option in combination with temperature focus and comprehensive security standards as well as increased bookability throughout the entire Lufthansa Cargo network.
The specific packaging, transport, handling and storage requirements of the various Covid-19 vaccines, and the quantities to be transported, by which routes and over which periods of time, are partly still open.
The actual transport routes of the vaccines depend largely on the future production sites for approved vaccines and the respective recipient markets.
With its current freighter fleet of 18 aircraft, Lufthansa Cargo is able to respond flexibly to shifts in demand.
If necessary, the provision of additional belly capacity can also be examined.