OREANDA-NEWS. Airbus Corporate Foundation, Emirates Airline, and Action Against Hunger (ACF) announced a partnership today to utilize future A380 Emirates deliveries over the next few years to transport humanitarian support to the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD). Details of the collaboration were shared to commemorate World Children's Day.

On 29th October the first goodwill flight landed with 31 tonnes of cargo to support ACF fight hunger and will be distributed where needed most. The shipment travelled more than 4,800 kilometers from Hamburg, Germany to be stored in the United Nation Humanitarian Response facility in Dubai. The food bars will be used to feed children five and under, suffering from malnutrition.

This is the first long-term agreement the Airbus Corporate Foundation has made with a customer airline for goodwill flights. The Airbus Corporate Foundation has been working with ACF since 2009.

Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline said: “The relationship between Emirates and Airbus began more than 26 years ago and today widens to help people around the world. We are proud to work with the Airbus Corporate Foundation and ACF to facilitate the movement of humanitarian cargo to the regions and people who need it the most. Through this partnership, the maiden flights of up to four Emirates' A380s a year will also be goodwill flights arriving in Dubai with relief goods for the UNHRD.”

Jean-Baptiste Lamarche, Logistics Director ACF, stated: “This partnership is very valuable to ACF. As one of our privileged partners, the Airbus Foundation helps us to intervene rapidly and efficiently during emergency situations, like after the natural disasters in Haiti in 2010, and recently in the Philippines. This logistical support allows us fulfill our mission, which consists in saving lives and helping the most vulnerable.”

Fabrice Bregier, Airbus President and CEO, said: “It is the right time for this partnership as there are still 101 A380 to be delivered to Emirates in the next years. This schedule gives the opportunity to continuously transport relief goods to the UNHRD in Dubai. We also wish to thank our partner Kuehne + Nagel, who will also be providing logistics capabilities in the future and without whom the partnership would not have been possible”.

In recent years, Airbus has built up a global network of airlines and relief organisations to support international humanitarian causes. Delivery flights of new aircraft have been used on numerous occasions to transport goods to destinations in need all over the world.

The Airbus Corporate Foundation was created in December 2008 to facilitate charitable activities worldwide within an international network of employees and partners. The organisation focuses its support on three themes: humanitarian and community support, youth development and the environment. Since its launch in December 2008, the Airbus Corporate Foundation has facilitated some 35 relief or goodwill flights to numerous destinations all over the globe.