Covid-19 response: Singapore Airlines operates 2nd flight to Dhaka

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has operated a second flight to Dhaka to help transport essential medical supplies and other health and humanitarian items by air to points of need around the world.

The flight, SQ446, arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10:40pm, on Sunday, from Singapore carrying over 20 tonnes of PPE, including surgical gowns, goggles and nasal oxygen cannulas.

The airlines and the Temasek Foundation are partnering with the World Food Programme (WFP) to support the global Covid-19 response around the world, read a press release. 

Since these services commenced in May, WFP has managed more than 800 humanitarian flights to 159 countries, with enough cargo to fill 188 jumbo jets expected to require WFP transport in the coming weeks.

Providing the logistics backbone for global Covid-19 efforts, WFP operates a network of hubs and passenger and cargo airlinks to ensure a steady flow of supplies and support to the frontlines of the pandemic. 

Under this agreement, SIA is making ad-hoc charter flights and freight space in its scheduled services available on a cost-recovery basis; with flight costs being covered by a contribution of up to US$6.5 million from the Temasek Foundation.

Chin Yau Seng, Senior Vice President Cargo, Singapore Airlines, said: "It is a pleasure for SIA to partner with WFP and Temasek Foundation in this meaningful programme. This will allow us to draw on our expertise as a global airfreight provider and use our international network to deliver essential supplies to the points of need and help making a positive impact on the communities that have been directly affected by Covid-19."

SIA Cargo has been transporting medical relief supplies and personal protective equipment to places where they are needed and playing its part in keeping supply lines for essential goods open at a critical time.