A Lufthansa Cargo Boeing 777 freighter departed Frankfurt on 10 February at with aid destined for Antalya, mainly winter clothing, blankets, food and hygiene items. They were donated by Turkish communities in Hesse and Baden-Württemberg, as well as by local companies in and Lufthansa Cargo employees.
The Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary time:matters, which specializes in emergency logistics, and Lufthansa Cargo’s customs service provider CB customs broker, organized the operation. Lufthansa Group employees who volunteer in the FRA Community of the HelpAlliance, had been consolidating and preparing the cargo for the free flight since Wednesday evening.
The Lufthansa Cargo team at the Istanbul station will receive the relief supplies after landing and bring them to the crisis area.
Dubai-based airline Emirates meanwhile said it was setting up an airbridge with the International Humanitarian City (IHC), to transport urgent relief supplies, medical items and equipment to support on-ground aid efforts and search and rescue activities in Turkey and Syria. The first shipments were due to fly on 10 February, consisting of thermal blankets and family tents from UNHCR, followed by World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Food Programme (WFP) relief cargo of medical kits and shelter items, co-ordinated by the IHC in Dubai.
More consignments of blankets, tents, shelter kits, flash lights, water distribution ramps and trauma and emergency health kits were due to be transported on Emirates.
Emirates SkyCargo plans to dedicate cargo space for around 100 tonnes of humanitarian relief goods during February across its daily flight operations to Istanbul.