Air Partner’s cargo division has operated three 747-400 freighter flights with aid for Gaza, each carrying 85-90 tonnes.
Two of the flights took off from Liege airport in Belgium and the third flight left from Nairobi airport Kenya, all bound for Larnaca International Airport (LCA) in Cyprus. With the ongoing conflict closing borders, the aid was flown to Cyprus and then transported by sea to the floating pier constructed off the coast of Gaza.
Operating from international airports allowed for any potential issues with permit and traffic rights to be organised prior to the mission but the primary challenge was efficiently loading the cargo due to the need to palletise it, resulting in the aircraft reaching its weight capacity before its volume limit.