COVID-19 crisis: AAI airports facilitate rapid, safe delivery of vaccines, oxygen, essentials across country
May 06, 2021
New Delhi [India], May 6 : The Airports Authority of India on Thursday informed that AAI Airports facilitate the rapid and safe delivery of vaccines, oxygen and essentials across the country as the country is battling with the second wave of coronavirus.
The Airports Authority of India in collaboration with its subsidiary AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Limited (AAICLAS) is playing a key role in facilitating the rapid and safe delivery of large volumes of doses of vaccines, oxygen containers and other medical equipment needed for the hospitals and towards the vaccination campaigns across the country.
"AAI Airports Cargo terminals have become an important hub for the storage, processing and transportation of vaccines and other essentials", informed an official statement.
Approximately 95 million dosages of vaccines have been handled till now while taking utmost precautions through AAI Airports. Along with AAICLAS, Standard Operating Procedures were made in consultation with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) for safe delivery of vaccines through airports across the country.
"Jointly working with airlines, various state administrations and other stakeholders AAI Airports are ensuring that there is no time wasted in the unloading of these vaccine consignments and they are handed over to State Health Department in the shortest possible time to maintain the cold chain. The average delivery time is between 3 to 20 minutes and all arrangements are in place for immediate clearance on priority and delivery to the respective department," the release said.
The AAI said the vaccines consignment weighing approximately 281,000 Kgs has been transported across 40 airports through more than 400 flights by seven domestic airlines.
An Operations Control Centre (OCC) has been set up at the AAICLAS CHQ in Delhi where the movement control of the vaccines is coordinated.
The shipments of Oxygen cylinders transported by IAF are also being facilitated by AAI Airports, ensuring smooth and quick delivery to the consignee with efficient terminal operations.
Oximeters and Oxygen concentrators were dispatched to different locations across the country through AAI's Kolkata and Chennai Airport. ANI)
