Worldwide Flight Services’ (WFS) team at Milan Malpensa Airport are expediting the handling of time-sensitive materials that are destined for hospitals and medical centres in Italy. The fast tracking of medical supplies will support the fight against coronavirus in one of the worst effected areas in the world. Supplies have been processed immediately and dispatched to hospitals in Milan, Venice, Padoa and Siena.
In recent days, this included handling cargo on board China Eastern Airways charter flights from Shanghai to Milan, which carried 20 tonnes of medical equipment and supplies. This also included a team of doctors to help deal with the crisis, which has already claimed the lives of over 3,400 people in Italy.
Organised by the Chinese Government, the flights also repatriated 187 Chinese citizens from Italy to Wenzhu in southern Zhejiang Province.
“Cargo handling specialists at airports around the world are playing a vital role in helping governments and the healthcare sector deal with the urgent medical response to the outbreak of Covid-19. In Milan, we were able to ensure that by 8pm on the day medical supplies had arrived, they were delivered to Protezione Civile, Italy’s emergency agency, to be distributed to various hospitals,” Massimiliano Introini, managing director of WFS in Italy. “We are ready to support more such flights to ensure life-saving equipment reaches patients as quickly as possible. This is one of the ultimate examples of the important role the airline and cargo handling industries play at times of national and international crisis. We must ensure these vital supply lines remain open.
“I also want to knowledge the commitment of our team for ensuring this particular project was completed so efficiently and for all their hard work and support during such a difficult time for the Italian population. The health and wellbeing of our staff, alongside the safety and security of our operations, remains our highest priority and we will continue to take the necessary measures to protect all the people involved in this essential work,” he added.
