Korean Air and Asiana Airlines Form Dedicated Team for COVID-19 Vaccine Transportation (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] Korean Air has begun preparations to safely transport COVID-19 vaccines worldwide following their development.

Korean Air announced on the 7th that it recently formed a dedicated task force (TF) within its cargo division to prepare all necessary measures for vaccine transportation in anticipation of the surge in air cargo demand following the development of COVID-19 vaccines.

Approximately 10 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines are needed globally, and due to the necessity of maintaining vaccine quality and urgency, air transport is required. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently predicted that about 8,000 Boeing 747 cargo aircraft would be needed for worldwide vaccine transportation.

The TF, composed of Korean Air cargo sales and special cargo transport experts, is preparing for all aspects of vaccine transportation, including ▲confirming storage temperatures according to vaccine types and analyzing and securing necessary equipment and facilities for transport ▲inspecting required facilities at vaccine departure, arrival, and transit points and expanding dedicated spaces ▲revising safety and security procedures and strengthening monitoring for abnormal situations ▲and employee training.

Vaccines must be transported and stored at temperatures between 2°C and 8°C. Some types require maintaining temperatures below -70°C, which demands the airline’s expertise and know-how in vaccine transportation. Korean Air stated, "As of last year, pharmaceuticals and fresh food accounted for 10% of our total annual cargo volume, reflecting our extensive transport experience and expertise."

Korean Air currently operates refrigerated and frozen facilities covering 1,292㎡ at its cargo terminal in Incheon Airport, capable of accommodating approximately 100 tons of temperature-controlled cargo. To ensure smooth vaccine transportation, Korean Air plans to secure an additional 1,872㎡ fresh cargo storage facility at Incheon Airport’s Terminal 2 next year.

Asiana Airlines has also formed a TF to prepare for COVID-19 vaccine transportation and is currently assessing the status of special vaccine storage warehouses at its overseas branches. Asiana Airlines operates an 850㎡ temperature-controlled frozen warehouse at Incheon Airport.

Both Korean Air and Asiana Airlines obtained the CEIV Pharma certification for pharmaceutical transport from IATA in June last year. IATA evaluates over 280 items including pharmaceutical transport procedures, storage facilities, equipment, and regulations before issuing the certification.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.