newstodate.aero
May 02, 2013 (newstodate): As one of few providers still offering air cargo services to war-ridden Syria, Chapman Freeborn is in the market with relief flights to Damascus.
During the past five weeks, Chapman Freeborn has operated a weekly AN-12 freighter aircraft from Ostend, alternatively Liege, to Damascus International Airport, carrying humanitarian aid and medical shipments exclusively.
So far only the access to Syria has been through maritime transportation into Turkey or Lebanon from where shipments have then been trucked into Syria via dangerous and insecure roads.
-Behind our Syrian flights are relief organizations, forwarders as well as pharmaceutical companies that need transportation of urgent and time-sensitive shipments, says Kim Borgaard, Chapman Freeborn Regional Sales Manager Nordic.
-On a test basis, we are now in the process of setting up a similar flight from Billund Airport to Damascus, with the first flight slated for May 12, 2013. If the market responds positively to this, plans are to operate the service on a weekly basis.
-The AN-12 operated by a Ukrainian airline has the capacity of lifting up to 18 tonnes of cargo, but due to the very demanding conditions around these flights we have set a limit at 12 tonnes per flight, allowing the aircraft to depart again from Damascus at the shortest possible delay and without requiring fueling for the return trip, says Mr Borgaard.
During the past five weeks, Chapman Freeborn has operated a weekly AN-12 freighter aircraft from Ostend, alternatively Liege, to Damascus International Airport, carrying humanitarian aid and medical shipments exclusively.
So far only the access to Syria has been through maritime transportation into Turkey or Lebanon from where shipments have then been trucked into Syria via dangerous and insecure roads.
-Behind our Syrian flights are relief organizations, forwarders as well as pharmaceutical companies that need transportation of urgent and time-sensitive shipments, says Kim Borgaard, Chapman Freeborn Regional Sales Manager Nordic.
-On a test basis, we are now in the process of setting up a similar flight from Billund Airport to Damascus, with the first flight slated for May 12, 2013. If the market responds positively to this, plans are to operate the service on a weekly basis.
-The AN-12 operated by a Ukrainian airline has the capacity of lifting up to 18 tonnes of cargo, but due to the very demanding conditions around these flights we have set a limit at 12 tonnes per flight, allowing the aircraft to depart again from Damascus at the shortest possible delay and without requiring fueling for the return trip, says Mr Borgaard.