NEW DELHI: British Airways has flown a specially chartered aircraft loaded with emergency aid to Delhi to support India’s battle against COVID-19.
The aircraft carried more than a thousand items from the High Commission of India and charities including Khalsa Aid International and the largest Hindu temple outside of India, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, in Neasden, London, according to an official release. The load includes hundreds of urgent life-saving oxygen cylinders and shipments of oxygen concentrators, respirators and blood oxygen saturation monitors. British Airways is also donating care packages for families in need.
Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chief Executive and CEO, 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. We continue to stand with our friends in India as the country endures one of the worst crises it has ever known.”
British Airways works in partnership with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which is organising the UK’s humanitarian response, the release said. The airline’s people have also raised several thousand pounds for the DEC’s appeal through internal online donations.
