German airline Lufthansa is transporting food to the UK amid fears of a shortage of supplies, with restrictions underway on the border between France and the UK during an outbreak of the new strain of COVID-19.
The airline sent a Boeing B777 Freighter to England’s Doncaster Sheffield airport on Wednesday with 80 tonnes (88.1 tonnes) of fruit and vegetables on board, the airline confirmed to Fox News on Wednesday. The food went directly to UK supermarkets Texco, Sainsbury, Coop and Aldi after landing, the airline said.
German airline Lufthansa transported 80 tonnes of food. (Courtesy of Lufthansa).
“We normally carry 50% of our cargo on the belly of Lufthansa Group passenger planes (Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Eurowings, Brussels Airlines). The other 50% we transport with our freighters. Since many passenger flights were canceled in 2020 because of de In the corona pandemic, air freight capacity is very limited, “a Lufthansa spokesman said by email.
THE TRAVEL PROHIBITION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS MORE THAN 1,500 TRUCKS LIMITED TO FRANCE WHILE GOVERNMENTS WORK TO REOPEN THE BORDER
France and the United Kingdom struck a deal late on Tuesday that would lift the blockade and allow French citizens, residents and truck drivers to cross the English Channel. France and several other European countries ended operations with the United Kingdom after the new strain of COVID-19 was found in England. Any crossing must have a negative COVID-19 test in the past 72 hours.
Still, UK retailers asked on Tuesday that there would be a shortage of fresh produce by the end of the week without shipments.
“Lufthansa Cargo is currently examining whether an additional special cargo flight may be offered in the next few days, we are also looking into whether a normal flight would be possible. This could be with a freighter, but we are also examining whether we could use passenger aircraft for flights cargo only, “said the spokesman.