Boeing, Ethiopian Airlines partnership delivers 20k lbs on their 40th humanitarian flight

October 03, 2020: Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines launched their 40th humanitarian delivery flight when the airline’s new 787-9 Dreamliner departed Everett, Washington, carrying more than 20,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies. The shipment, including supplies for health care and family needs, will be distributed to hospitals, clinics and charities in the Addis Ababa region.

“Ethiopian Airlines has been deeply involved in transporting critical Covid-19 supplies to support communities during these difficult and challenging times,” said Kagnew F Asfaw, vice president holidays and digital sales, Ethiopian Airlines. “Building on our history of collaboration in humanitarian flights, we are partnering with Boeing to bring home health care supplies. We would like to thank the Ethiopian community and several organizations in Seattle for their generosity and support for Ethiopian communities across the world during the global pandemic.”

“We are honoured that Boeing is able to assist customers like Ethiopian Airlines as they transport critical medical supplies and support their local communities through the Humanitarian Delivery Flight programme, especially during a challenge as significant as the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Cheri Carter, vice president of Boeing Global Engagement. “We are grateful to Ethiopian Airlines for their enduring commitment to the Humanitarian Delivery Programme.”

Humanitarian supplies on the flight were provided by three charitable partners in Seattle: Resolute Health Outreach (RHO), the Ethiopian National Covid-19 Response Task Force of Seattle and Embuaa Family. They contributed supplies ranging from face masks, wipes and sterile gloves to exam tables, bassinets, medicine and more.

“Over the past 10 years, RHO has donated 200 tonnes of medical equipment to Ethiopia,” said Richard Solazzi, board chair at Resolute Health Outreach. “This would not be possible without the help and cooperation of Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing. We are grateful for their commitment to this humanitarian project.”

The Humanitarian Delivery Flight Programme was launched in 1992 as collaboration between Boeing and its customers to transport humanitarian supplies assistance around the world on newly delivered airplanes with otherwise empty cargo holds. To date, there have been over 200 humanitarian delivery flights. More than 1.6 million pounds of critical supplies have been delivered since the start of the programme.