LATAM Airlines Group announced that, through its Solidarity Plane programme, it will make available to the authorities of the countries where it has domestic operations (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) the free transportation of COVID-19 vaccines in their regular domestic flights, once available.
“During this entire global health crisis, we have not spared efforts to collaborate with the communities of the countries where we serve through our Solidarity Plane program. We are excited to announce that LATAM’s domestic operations will be available to support the distribution totally for free, of vaccines according to what the authorities of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru may determine,” Roberto Alvo, LATAM Airlines Group CEO explained.
Since last August, a team of over 20 people from LATAM Cargo have been planning and advancing the possible transport scenarios, considering the country and destination, infrastructure of the airports and associated logistics in preparation for the potential transfer of the vaccines. Currently, LATAM Cargo counts on 30 receiving points for medical inputs throughout the world, which include Europe, United States and Chile, and four that are waiting to be inaugurated in China.
LATAM Cargo is the first airline of the American continent to obtain the CEIV Pharma certification, under IATA.
The free transport of COVID-19 vaccines is the latest initiative of the Solidary Plane program, which has acted as an aerial bridge between South America and the world during the pandemic. Since March 23rd, the program has carried more than 900 healthcare professionals for free, a project which the group has extended until January 31, 2021. Likewise, the program has transferred 400 people with urgent need of medical assistance and more than 700 organs and tissues within South America.