The distribution of COVID vaccines and PPE is not an entirely altruistic endeavor for airlines. In the midst of the worst crisis in industry history, commercial carriers have short- and long-term economic interests in aiding the distribution efforts. In the short-term, airlines get a much-needed cargo revenue boost, something more important than ever since passenger revenue has fallen so drastically.

“These efforts [passenger carriers flying cargo, ed.] serve the dual purposes of partially alleviating the gap between demand and capacity that has been caused by the grounding of a large percentage of the passenger fleet and allowing the passenger carriers to use their aircraft to create at least some revenue,” Steve Alterman, president of Cargo Airline Association, told Logistics Management.

According to the IATA, cargo volumes fell by 12 percent in 2020 but the agency expects the cargo sector to recover to pre-crisis levels by the end of 2021.

Critical global mission

In the long-term, airlines know that an industry rebound is highly dependent on the speed of vaccinations. In today’s connected world, that also means ensuring that vaccines reach lower-income countries.

Reports have suggested that, without international support, it may be as late as 2023 before low-income countries can carry out widespread vaccinations thus extending the global risk of infectious spread. In response to this global challenge, over a dozen major aviation companies partnered with UNICEF in mid-February to prioritize the delivery of vaccines and PPE to the World Health Organization’s COVAX programme that aims to ensure global equitable access to the vaccines.

“The participation of the airline industry is vital to support equal access to vaccines worldwide,” UNICEF said in a statement. “The initiative will also act as a global logistics preparedness mechanism for other humanitarian and health crises over the longer term.”

The Satair takeaway

The coronavirus pandemic was fuelled in large part by the interconnected nature of today's world and air travel that allows people to easily and quickly cross national borders. But the same networks that sped the spread of the virus are now helping bring about the end of it.

The global logistical networks that are distributing COVID vaccines are just as important as the scientific breakthroughs that gave us the vaccines in the first place. At the heart of that transport infrastructure is aviation. From passenger airlines to cargo carriers, the entire aviation industry is helping to quickly, safely and efficiently move vaccines from pharmaceutical companies and into the hands of doctors and nurses around the world.

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How airlines are aiding in COVID-19 vaccine distribution