The Istanbul hub of Turkish Airlines has gained the International Air Transport Association’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) certificate for the airline itself and its cargo operations.
Turkish Airlines says CEIV crowns its “success in all processes of the air transportation of healthcare products during the cargo operations it carries out under the Turkish Cargo brand”.
The carrier says the amount of pharma and similar products are growing every year and it is not only trying to increase its market share, but is also aware of the importance of human health, considers the producers’ concerns, and adopts this approach in all processes of shipments.
Cargo handled includes pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biotechnological products, diagnostic samples, precision healthcare devices, organs, tissues and others.
At Istanbul Ataturk, Turkish Cargo has a 3,000 square metre special storage areas covering four different temperature ranges (from -20 °C to +25 °C) in an indoor area of 43,000 square metre area, across a total area of 71,000 square metres.
The healthcare products are stored in a dedicated 1,030 square metre space and all storing and handling processes are carried out as specified in the relevant regulations. Temperatures are monitored with the telemetry system, and all cargo movements are tracked with COMIS, Turkish Cargo’s IT software in real time.
The carrier says for special cargo operations, a dedicated team ensures smooth continuation of the process. The temperature and time-critical consignments are the last cargoes prepared for loading and the first ones loaded into the aircraft in order to minimise their exposure to outer environment.
With its thermal blanket and active container services, Turkish Cargo says it aims to minimise the risk to highly sensitive healthcare products.
Turkish Cargo explains it is also planning to commission the ‘Thermal Dolly’ service and using it for the temperature and time-critical consignments soon.
