Dhaka: British Airways, the latest carrier to join India’s fight against the second wave of coronavirus, on May 5 sent one of its Boeing 777-200 aircraft flying 27 tonnes of medical aid from London Heathrow to Delhi.

Like many others, British Airways is not charging for this humanitarian flight.

Commenting on the flight, Sean Doyle, CEO, British Airways, said, “The British Airways family has been deeply affected by the terrible scenes in India of the deepening humanitarian crisis that has impacted the lives of many of our people. We are fortunate to be in a position to help transport aid and I am so proud of the volunteers from across the airline and IAG Cargo who have stepped up to make this happen.”

India is currently facing the worst Covid-19 crisis seen by a country since the start of the pandemic. On April 30, the country reported over 400,000 new cases of the virus in one day, making it the first country to do so.

The whole aviation industry has come together to support the country as it deals with this humanitarian crisis, with the German Government’s VIP A350 even lending a hand with five tons of aid at the weekend.

Interestingly, BA has not opted to use one of its makeshift freighters with no passenger seats for the flight.

The Boeing 777-200 was loaded with 1,349 items of aid, weighing around 27 tonnes. The items include life-saving equipment such as oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, respirators, and blood oxygen level monitors. Care packages for families in need were also carried. These have been donated directly by British Airways.

According to the airline, the remainder of the aid has been sourced from multiple parties, including the High Commission of India and charities such as Khalsa Aid.

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