IAG Cargo Provides Relief Flight to the Philippines

Following the devastating damage caused by Typhoon Haiyan, IAG Cargo, part of the IAG Group, has offered aid agencies the use of a freighter aircraft to fly emergency aid and supplies to the Philippines.

A Boeing 747 freighter with capacity for up to 120 tonnes of cargo is scheduled to fly out to the stricken country on Monday, November 18.

It will be carrying much needed aid from Oxfam, Save the Children, The Reina Sofia Foundation and UNICEF to provide relief to the worst affected regions of the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, which has devastated parts of the archipelago, leaving thousands dead and millions more affected by one of the most powerful storms ever recorded.

IAG Cargo and Iberia flew six tonnes of medicines on November 15 on behalf of The Reina Sofia Foundation from Spain to London to join the relief flight.

The Boeing 747 freighter aircraft will fly from IAG Cargo’s freighter base at Stansted Airport loaded with supplies from Oxfam, Save the Children and The Reina Sofia Foundation, to Billund in Denmark. Supplies from UNICEF will be loaded onto the aircraft; it will then collect further supplies from Sharjah in the UAE, before going on to its final destination of Manila in the Philippines.

Steve Gunning, Managing Director at IAG Cargo, commented: “Following the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan, IAG Cargo is working with our invaluable partners and charities to ensure this urgent delivery of aid is safely made to those most in need. The Boeing 747 freighter will be delivering up to 120 tonnes of crucial supplies to the Philippines as part of a truly international rescue effort for those affected.”

Jane Cocking, Humanitarian Director at Oxfam, said: “Oxfam's teams are already on the ground and delivering aid to some of the worst affected areas. But we urgently need to bring more supplies in and this IAG Cargo flight will enable us to do just that, helping us to provide emergency supplies and shelter to thousands of people who are in desperate need.”

The relief cargo will include six tonnes of medicines donated by the Reina Sofia Foundation in collaboration with Normon Laboratories with materials including antibiotics, analgesics and anaesthetics.

Robbie McIntyre, Humanitarian Officer at Save the Children said: “This flight provides us with an invaluable opportunity to get vital water, sanitation and hygiene supplies to those in the most desperate need. We are sending equipment that will be able to provide over 310,000 litres of safe drinking water as well as equipment to support sanitary toilet facilities. During disasters such as this it’s always a challenge to get equipment of this type into the areas of most need, so we are hugely grateful to IAG Cargo for giving us space on this flight.”

In addition, two of IAG Cargo’s trucking partners have joined the Philippines relief effort. Jan de Rijk and Saints Transport have provided free road services for both UNICEF and Oxfam respectively, in order to ensure the efficient delivery of aid.