Emirates and Dubai Humanitarian launch airbridge to Sri Lanka to transport urgent relief aid

Emirates and Dubai Humanitarian have established an airbridge to Sri Lanka, transporting urgent relief aid to support those affected by the devastating Cyclone Ditwah. For the next two weeks, Emirates will offer over 100 tonnes of cargo space free of charge across its daily passenger flights to Sri Lanka, enabling Dubai Humanitarian and its associates to transport emergency supplies across affected areas, via Colombo.

The first shipments departed Dubai International Airport on Tuesday 9 December on the three non-stop Emirates flights connecting Dubai and Colombo, consisting of fortified biscuits from the World Food Programme (WFP), followed by consignments of food items and relief aid from the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, and tarpaulins and other supplies from The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). On-ground, the shipments will be sent to a disaster management unit set up by the government to be distributed to provide much-needed relief to the hundreds of thousands of people affected and displaced by the severe flooding.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group said: “Emirates is deeply connected and committed to Sri Lanka, and so, in coordination with Dubai Humanitarian, we are mobilising our infrastructure and operations to extend essential support to the communities impacted by Cyclone Ditwah. Emirates will be dedicating bellyhold cargo capacity for crisis relief aid on our daily flights to Sri Lanka, providing a regular and reliable flow of vital commodities. Dubai Humanitarian is the largest humanitarian hub in the world, and we will work closely with them to facilitate the movement of urgent supplies.”

HE Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Chairman of Dubai Humanitarian, said: “We sincerely thank Emirates for their continued support to Dubai Humanitarian and for enabling the activation of this critical airbridge in response to the floods in Sri Lanka. This collaboration reflects the strength of our long-standing partnership and the spirit of collective action that defines Dubai as a global hub for humanitarian action. As the world’s largest humanitarian hub, bringing together over 80 humanitarian organisations and companies, we rely on close cooperation with committed partners to ensure that essential relief items are delivered swiftly, efficiently, and sustainably. This continued support demonstrates how strategic collaboration between Dubai Humanitarian, its members, and partners can strengthen international emergency response and reinforce the resilience of affected communities.”

As the largest humanitarian hub in the world, Dubai Humanitarian streamlines relief missions and, through their longstanding partnership with Emirates, are able to mobilize swiftly and efficiently across the airline’s network. Since signing the partnership in 2020, Emirates and Dubai Humanitarian have collaborated on several relief missions, uplifting hundreds of tonnes of humanitarian aid to communities affected by natural disasters or other crises.

In response to the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria in 2023, Emirates SkyCargo dedicated space for hundreds of tonnes of relief goods, transported on its daily flight operations to Istanbul.

Providing critical support during the catastrophic flooding in Pakistan, Emirates established an airbridge and donated cargo capacity on all Emirates’ passenger flights to Pakistan, transporting critical equipment and supplies, food and other emergency relief goods directly to the five airports – Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, and Sialkot.