The company has confirmed a second stage comprising 7 new flights to China beginning on May 15, thus totaling 17 flights by the end of May.
May 13, 2020 – Aerolíneas Argentinas confirmed 7 new flights to Shanghai, China, with the purpose of bringing crucial medical supplies to fight the global pandemic.
The second stage of flights to China begins on May 15 and will continue with departures on May 18, 20, 22, 25, 27 and 29, operated with an A330-300 aircraft. In this new stage, the cargo capacity of the aircraft has been enlarged by removing some of the seats, which will enable the crew to load around 28 tons or 170 cubic meters of cargo.
Protection materials and biosafety elements are some of the main materials that the company is bringing to the country, as requested by the Argentine Ministry of Health and the Government of the Province of Buenos Aires. Health supplies were also brought by request of the Government of the Province of Jujuy.
For the first 10-flight stage, containing nets were manufactured in order to increase the cargo capacity by up to 84%, which is equal to 150 cubic meters. In the aggregate, 140 tons of crucial supplies will have been carried in the first 10 flights. The last flight of the first phase departs tonight.
“These flights show us the importance of having our own active national airline which is ready to serve the national interests. These flights would be impossible without the professionalism of the Aerolíneas Argentinas teams who are doing their best,” stated Pablo Ceriani, President of Aerolíneas Argentinas.
Apart from the cargo stowage at destination, it is worth highlighting that the flights that departed on May 6 and 11 carried more than 100 passengers on the outbound segment, including Chinese citizens and diplomats.