Air Partner successfully delivers 40 tons of aid to Haiti

Air Partner, the global aviation services group, recently carried out an urgent aid delivery to Haiti on behalf of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The much-needed supplies were delivered to support the victims of Hurricane Matthew, which battered the country in early October. The storm is the strongest to have hit Haiti in over 50 years and the UN estimates that there are around 350,000 people in need of assistance.

The IFRC called upon Air Partner to ensure that the essential aid – including hygiene kits, buckets, tarpaulins, shelter tool kits and kitchen sets for approximately 1,000 families – reached the devastated country in the most efficient and time-effective way possible.

Air Partner arranged the charter of a B767 Freighter direct from Panama, where the IFRC’s Americas Regional Logistics Warehouse is located, to Toussaint L’Ouverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince. Ensuring slots and handling were available at the congested Haiti airport was a challenge, but the team was able to leverage its network of contacts to lock these down.

Mike Hill, Air Partner’s Director of Freight, commented: “Air Partner’s Freight team has extensive experience in arranging time-critical shipments, and in circumstances such as these, we work around the clock to ensure critical supplies reach those in need as quickly as possible. Our thoughts are with all of those who have been affected by this devastating tragedy.”

Mauricio Bustamante, Head of the IFRC’s Americas Regional Logistics Unit, said: “We would like to thank Air Partner for the excellent service provided to us in the transportation of humanitarian supplies to Haiti. In the event of any natural disaster, speed is of the essence and it’s extremely important that we have experienced suppliers such as Air Partner on-hand to help us get aid on the ground as soon as possible.”