Airlines worldwide are gearing up for the daunting task of distributing COVID-19 vaccines as jurisdictions approve their use in the fight against the pandemic.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is already in use in the UK and a key advisory committee on Friday cleared the way for its approval in the US. a vaccine from Moderna is awaiting approval and another from AstraZeneca is expected to be available next year.
With vaccines being progressively given the green light, the question now is how to get them to the people who need them.
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Enter the aviation industry and its expertise in moving time-sensitive freight around the world.
It won’t be easy: the International Air Transport Association has estimated that just providing a single dose to 7.8 billion people would fill 8000 Boeing 747 freighters and describes it as the biggest logistical challenge ever to face the aviation industry.
The slump in international passenger traffic due to border restrictions has seen the global network shrink with a reduction in the amount of available “belly freight” carried in the cargo holds of passenger aircraft also reduced.
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At the same time, at least two of the vaccines require extremely low temperatures to remain viable.
This has meant the availability of temperature-controlled facilities and equipment as well as trained staff and robust monitoring capabilities.
Border processes have also had to be changed to fast-track aircraft carrying COVID vaccines and remove limitations that could hold up the delivery process.
Even the possibility that valuable vaccines could be tampered with or stolen has been taken into account.
Some refrigerants are classified as dangerous goods and the US Federal Aviation Administration has said it is working with manufacturers, carriers and airports to provide guidance on transporting big quantities of dry ice.
US carriers are among those which have been working on the problem for some time.
United Airlines has reportedly already flown a charter flight from Brussels to Chicago with the Pfizer vaccine.
American Airlines has been “stress-testing” its system with trial flights between Miami and South America involving pharmaceutical and cargo companies.
It was already involved in transporting components of Phase II vaccine trials and has an established network of facilities and employees specializing in temperature-critical shipments and pharmaceuticals.
It says vaccine shipments can be sent in “active containers” with built-in temperature controls that regulate and monitor shipments during transport, or “passive containers” that are cooled with cold packs or dry ice in an enclosed system designed to keep the product cold for the life of its journey.
The airline has a global network of temperature-controlled facilities, including a giant 25,000 sq. ft. facility in Philadelphia, and tracks the shipments through their journey.
And thanks to a 2019 overhaul aimed at better tracking and managing systems, it can address potential problems before they occur.
“The American Airlines team is working collaboratively with cargo, pharmaceutical and federal partners so we are ready to safely and quickly transport an approved vaccine,’’ said American Airlines Cargo president Jessica Tyler.
“Despite the significant challenges the airline industry is facing, we’re working night and day to put our greatest strengths to use during this time of need — our network, our aircraft and our incredible team.”
In Asia, Korean Air has been preparing for cryogenic transport since September and recently transported a COVID-19 vaccine ingredient to Amsterdam and a vaccine production plant in Europe at temperatures below -60C.
It used specialized medical containers that could maintain ultra-low temperatures below -70C without power for 120 hours.
“Korean Air’s task force is reviewing all aspects concerning the vaccine’s transport, and we are developing a strong system and infrastructure for its safe and swift distribution,” said Korean’s head of the cargo business division EUM Jae Dong.
“Korean Air Cargo has a proven expertise in transporting pharmaceutical items, and we were certified by IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators on Pharmaceutical Handling (CEIV Pharma) last June, a certification for the excellence in air transport of medicines.”
Singapore Airlines has had a task force working since May to ensure it is ready to transport vaccines, adding a range of tracking devices to allow producers to track shipments and view temperatures.
“We have always seen cargo as an important part of our business so it was absolutely critical that we made ourselves available to carry the vaccine, when the vaccine is ready and mass production takes place,” Singapore Airlines executive vice president commercial Lee Lik Hsin told The Australian.
“It is certainly going to generate significant volumes to supply the whole world and, in the early days at least, it’s more likely to be carried by air than by ship because of its time sensitivity and speed to market.”
One of the airlines that will need to take the vaccine furthest is Australian carrier Qantas.
Qantas said in its most recent market update that its freight arm was doing preliminary work on the logistics for transporting COVID vaccines at cold temperatures.
