U.S. airlines, expected to play a pivotal role in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, are ramping up to do just that.
United Airlines on Friday began operating charter flights to position its fleet for when Pfizer receives its expected regulatory approval from the Food and Drug Administration, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Pfizer is the first of what is now three pharmaceutical companies to announce it has a vaccine ready that advanced through trials with a 90 percent or more efficacy rate. Pfizer’s COVID-19 drug could be ready to go in less than two weeks. Moderna also is expected to shortly ask the FDA for approval.
In addition to United, another domestic carrier is also set to serve as a courier as well. American Airlines said in a statement Friday it successfully completed a trial flight from Miami to South America testing the airline’s thermal packaging and stress test processes.
«We have established a network of team members that specialize in temperature-critical shipments, and work closely with the FAA on regulations governing shipments transported with dry ice. We have worked with the FAA to increase dry ice limits on our widebody cargo-only flights,» American said in a statement.
In a statement to The Hill, the Federal Aviation Administration said that «As a result of the historic pace of vaccine development through Operation Warp Speed and careful logistics planning, the FAA today is supporting the first mass air shipment of a vaccine”…
