The air cargo industry has stepped up to transport humanitarian aid and supplies to victims of the devastating Turkey-Syria earthquake that hit on February 6.
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck close to the Turkish
city of Gaziantep near the Syrian border, causing extensive casualties and
deaths as well as damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Lufthansa and Emirates have joined the ranks of airlines flying relief aid to Turkey. The relief comes following a disastrous 7.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated Southern Turkey and Northern Syria. The region's infrastructure has been crippled as thousands of buildings and roads were demolished by the quake. Luckily, most airports suffered minimal damage, making it possible for Emirates and Lufthansa, along with many other airlines, to fly in necessary aid.
While the earthquake and its aftershocks ended several days
ago, many people remain trapped. The aid being sent by the airlines is still in
urgent demand as rescuers continue to search day and night for survivors. In
addition to rescue efforts, millions have been affected by the disaster, with
residents being left homeless, displaced, or without necessary resources such
as food, water, shelter, blankets, and medical supplies.
For these reasons, the airlines have chosen to step up and
lend a helping hand to those in need. Both airlines have sent aid to airports
in Southern Turkey this morning and plan to continue sending as much assistance
as possible to the region.
Emirates sends support
Emirates has sent its first shipments of relief supplies to
the region today. In coordination with the International Humanitarian City
(IHC), Emirates plans to send 100 tons of humanitarian aid over the next two
weeks. The airline's first shipments include family-size tents and thermal
blankets to help the homeless during the harsh winter months.
The freight will also include medical supplies and other
shelter items selected by the World Health Organization (WHO). Over the next
few days, it will begin adding water distribution ramps, flashlights, and
emergency and trauma medical kits.
The Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates, HH Sheikh
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, shared the airline's commitment to helping those
affected by the disaster, stating,
"We stand with the Turkish and Syrian people and are
working with experts like the International Humanitarian City to help provide
urgent relief to those affected and displaced by the earthquakes, as well as
support the complex recovery efforts on the ground. Emirates has extensive
experience in supporting humanitarian relief efforts, and through its three
daily flights to Istanbul will offer regular and consistent widebody capacity
for relief items and medical supplies. Emirates also supports the UAE's ongoing
humanitarian efforts to support Turkey and Syria, and Dubai's unique position
as the world's largest international aid logistics hub means that we can
efficiently reach disaster stricken areas and the most vulnerable people as
quickly as possible."
Lufthansa lends a helping hand
Lufthansa launched its first relief flight to Turkey this
morning. The service is being flown on a Lufthansa Cargo Boeing 777F filled to
the brim with relief supplies. The flight left Frankfurt Airport (FRA) this
morning and is expected to arrive at Fraport TAV Airport Antalya (AYT) this
afternoon.
The freighter is carrying winter supplies such as warm
blankets and clothing along with food and hygiene items. This first flight and
subsequent relief missions still to come are the result of a joint effort with
a volunteer organization owned by the airline known as HelpAlliance. Also
involved are the airline's subsidiary companies time:matters and CB customs.
The Chairwoman of the Executive Board and CEO of Lufthansa
Cargo, Dorothea von Boxberg, stated the following concerning the disaster
relief efforts,
"We are deeply affected by the extent of the
destruction in the Turkish-Syrian border region and want to help. The
willingness of our employees from the Lufthansa Cargo environment and the Help
Alliance to help is enormous, and plans were made immediately to organize a
relief flight as quickly as possible,"
The Managing Director of time:matters, which handles
emergency response efforts, Alexander Kohnen, shared the company's pride in its
workers and affiliates for their willingness to serve others. Kohnen also
shared how the group's experience has enabled it to help Lufthansa Cargo
respond quickly to the demand for relief support by stating,
"The terrible earthquake and the immeasurable suffering
of the people in Turkey and Syria make us all very concerned. As an emergency
logistics provider, we have already gained a lot of experience in dealing with
such events during past crises and disasters. Thus, we were able to
operationally prepare this cargo flight with urgently needed relief goods
within 72 hours with our professional teams. We were all overwhelmed by the
commitment and willingness to help shown by our colleagues and the Turkish
communities,"
The first airline on the scene
While Emirates and Lufthansa's efforts are appreciated and
prompt, the first airline to send aid was Turkey's national air carrier Turkish
Airlines. As soon as disaster struck, the airline halted many of its standard
operations to divert 80 planes to support relief efforts in the region. With
these 80 planes, the airline brought over 15,000 volunteers into the area to
help with rescue and support efforts while carrying out over 18,000 people
within the first two days following the disaster. The airline has chosen to
offer tickets at a low rate of $5.30 to help those coming to assist and those
leaving. This low rate is expected to last until at least February 13th.
The airline continues to bring as many relief supplies as
possible into the region. A spokesperson told Simple Flying the following
concerning the first few days of relief support operations,
"With 228 flights on 6-7 February 2023, we brought a
search and rescue team of 14,340 people from our country and 778 people from 20
countries to the region. We also evacuated 18,460 citizens from the earthquake
area. We delivered a total of 1,350 tons of relief materials to the region in
our 22 flights so far. In this context, we offer return flights from Adana,
Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, Elazığ, Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş and Gaziantep
destinations of our passenger planes, which carry the teams to the region, for
the use of our citizens. We request them that reservations be made before the
flight so that we can provide the proper passenger order on these one-way
flights, which we have fixed as free of charge until 13 February 2023."