Government | Tuesday 31 March, 2015 11:00 am |

Etihad Cargo, the freight division of United Arab Emirates (UAE) carrier Etihad Airways, has unveiled TempCheck, its new cargo solution created to ensure the integrity of all temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical and healthcare products as they are transported around the world.

All temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products, including blood plasma, tablets, medicines and anaesthetics, must be kept within different temperature ranges in compliance with industry and regulatory guidelines, to ensure the products retain their integrity and are protected from degradation due to exposure to heat and cold during the transportation process.

Supervised by trained and experienced service teams and ground handling staff, TempCheck incorporates the latest equipment, processes and operating procedures that keep all pharmaceutical products within a temperature controlled environment at every stage of the journey, from the cool room facility to the ramp, and from the aircraft to the customer.

David Kerr, Etihad Airways Vice President Cargo, said: “Over the last two years we have seen tremendous growth in the amount of pharmaceutical products we have successfully transported over our hub in Abu Dhabi as we continue to expand our passenger and cargo networks.”

To meet this increasing demand, Etihad Cargo has also upgraded its temperature controlled storage facilities in Abu Dhabi, and has refurbished its existing cool rooms to meet pharmaceutical-safe specifications. Extensive new purpose-built facilities are also being established and are scheduled to come online in 2015, prior to the summer period.

Mr Kerr added, “We have been working closely with our pharmaceutical customers in developing this specialised solution, which has been designed to ensure that their temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products are protected at every stage of the journey, and reach their final destination in perfect condition.”
The new Etihad Cargo TempCheck solution provides:
- A range of temperature controlled (active) Unit Load Device (ULD) containers that are available for lease, for keeping products in cool, chilled or frozen states during transportation,
- Pre-cooled thermo blanket protection (passive), for wrapping around temperature-sensitive cargo whilst being moved between the aircraft and the cool room facility,
- Prioritised ground handling and loading, ensuring that all cargo is transferred between the cool facility and aircraft within 40 minutes maximum,
- Temperature controlled cargo hold within the aircraft,
- Extensive cool room facilities at its hub in Abu Dhabi to provide customers with variable temperature storage options.

Etihad Cargo offers a combination of bellyhold capacity and maindeck freighter services to 111 destinations internationally, operated by a fleet of 111 passenger and freighter aircraft.


About Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways began operations in 2003, and in 2014 carried 14.8 million passengers. From its Abu Dhabi base, Etihad Airways flies to 111 existing or announced passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. The airline has a fleet of 111 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and more than 200 aircraft on firm order, including 69 Boeing 787s, 25 Boeing 777-X, 62 Airbus A350s and nine Airbus A380s.

Etihad Airways holds equity investments in airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Aer Lingus, Alitalia, Jet Airways and Virgin Australia, and is in the process of formalising an equity investment in Swiss-based Etihad Regional, operated by Darwin Airline. Etihad Airways, along with airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Etihad Regional, Jet Airways and NIKI, also participate in Etihad Airways Partners, a new brand that brings together like-minded airlines to offer customers more choice through improved networks and schedules and enhanced frequent flyer benefits. For more information, please visit: www.etihad.com