United Nations Humanitarian Air Service

Last updated
United Nations Humanitarian Air Service
2021 UNNHAS worldwide operation.png
A map showing active UNHAS Operations of 2021
IATA ICAO Callsign
-UNOUNITED NATIONS
Founded2003 (2003) [1]
Fleet size75
Destinations310
Parent company (World Food Programme)
United Nations
Website www.wfp.org/unhas OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), created in 2003 at the request of the United Nations High Level Committee on Management, managed by the World Food Programme (WFP), provides common air services, including light cargo transport for the wider humanitarian community to and from areas of crisis and intervention. In most countries requiring humanitarian assistance, surface travel is impeded by challenging security situations, long distances and poor road conditions. Furthermore, most of the destinations the humanitarian community needs to reach are not served by adequate commercial air operators. When no other means of reaching isolated communities are available, aid workers can rely on UNHAS to provide access. [2]

Contents

To fulfill its mission, UNHAS uses a fleet of 75 aircraft and helicopters chartered from commercial air operators that are compliant with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARP) and the United Nations Aviation Standards for Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Air Transport Operations (UNAVSTADS). [3]

Chartered aircraft are fully dedicated to UNHAS operations. Therefore, contracted air carriers are assured of revenue in terms of guaranteed aircraft utilization for the duration of the contract. This, along with UNHAS' efficient management of schedules, ensures that partner air carriers avoid taking undue risks to achieve financial gains. For example, in the event of a flight cancellation due to poor weather conditions, the air carrier would not be financially penalized.

Boeing 737-500 operated by UTair, 2012 United Nations (UTair) Boeing 737-500-1.jpg
Boeing 737-500 operated by UTair, 2012

UNHAS operations

In 2021 UNHAS provided passenger and light cargo services in 23 countries [3]

Fleet

A De Havilland Canada Dash 8-300 operated by Voyageur Airways, 2013 De Havilland Canada DHC-8-314 Voyageur Airways C-FEXZ, LUX Luxembourg (Findel), Luxembourg PP1368551176.jpg
A De Havilland Canada Dash 8-300 operated by Voyageur Airways, 2013

To fulfil its mission, UNHAS uses a fleet of 75 aircraft, of which 59 are fixed-wing aircraft and 16 are rotary-wing aircraft. [3]

AircraftArea of OperationVariantNotes
Fixed-wing Aircraft
Airbus A320-211 Flag of Yemen.svg  Yemen A320-200
Beechcraft 1900 Flag of the Taliban.svg  Afghanistan, Flag of Chad.svg  Chad, Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  DRC, Flag of Equatorial Guinea.svg  Equatorial Guinea, Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea, Flag of Mali.svg  Mali, Flag of Mauritania.svg  Mauritania, Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia, Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 1900D
Bombardier CRJ Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  DRC, Flag of Syria.svg  Syria CRJ100/200
Cessna 208 Caravan Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon, Flag of the Central African Republic.svg  CAR, Flag of Chad.svg  Chad, Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  DRC, Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia, Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar, Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia, Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan
De Havilland Canada 6 Flag of Haiti.svg  Haiti
De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Flag of the Taliban.svg  Afghanistan, Flag of the Central African Republic.svg  CAR, Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  DRC,Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia, Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya, Flag of Niger.svg  Niger, Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia, Flag of South Sudan.svg  South Sudan, Flag of Yemen.svg  Yemen 100/200/400
Dornier 228 Flag of the Central African Republic.svg  CAR, Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  DRC, Flag of Mali.svg  Mali, Flag of South Sudan.svg  South Sudan
Dornier 328 Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria
Embraer 145 Flag of the Taliban.svg  Afghanistan, Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon, Flag of Chad.svg  Chad, Flag of Libya.svg  Libya, Flag of Niger.svg  Niger, Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan, Flag of Yemen.svg  Yemen ERJ135/ERJ145
Fokker 50 Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia
Ilyushin IL-76 Flag of South Sudan.svg  South Sudan
Let L-410 Flag of the Central African Republic.svg  CAR, Flag of Mozambique.svg  Mozambique, Flag of South Sudan.svg  South Sudan
Rotary-wing Aircraft
Airbus EC225 Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria Used in Northeast Nigeria for security and medical transport [3]
Bell 412 Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria
Mi-8 Flag of the Taliban.svg  Afghanistan, Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso, Flag of the Central African Republic.svg  CAR, Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  DRC, Flag of Haiti.svg  Haiti, Flag of South Sudan.svg  South Sudan,Flag of Yemen.svg  Yemen MI-8T
MI-8MTV/AMT

Performance

In 2021, UNHAS transported 325,112 passengers alongside 5,862 mt of humanitarian cargo and food to 496 destinations (including ad hoc) in 23 countries. Additionally, 3,015 evacuations were carried out during this year, including security relocations, medical evacuations (including those of COVID-19). [3]

Funding

WFP/UNHAS is funded by contributions from donors and money realized from a partial cost recovery scheme through which passengers pay ticket fees for the air service.

The UNHAS donors in 2021 were: Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, the European Union, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, Qatar, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, UNICEF, the United States, the United Nations itself and Private Donors. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Food Programme</span> Food-assistance branch of the UN

The World Food Programme (WFP) is an international organization within the United Nations that provides food assistance worldwide. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and the leading provider of school meals. Founded in 1961, WFP is headquartered in Rome and has offices in 80 countries. As of 2021, it supported over 128 million people across more than 120 countries and territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saudia</span> Flag carrier of Saudi Arabia; based in Jeddah

Saudia, formerly known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, is the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, based in Jeddah. The airline's main hub is at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, with it planning to pull out of Riyadh as a major hub by 2030.

Atlas Air, Inc. is a major American cargo airline, passenger charter airline, and aircraft lessor based in Purchase, New York. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings. Atlas Air is the world's largest operator of the Boeing 747 aircraft, with a total fleet of 54 of this specific fleet type. In 2021, the airline had 4,056 employees and operated to more than 300 global destinations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethiopian Airlines</span> Flag carrier of Ethiopia

Ethiopian Airlines, formerly Ethiopian Air Lines (EAL), is the flag carrier of Ethiopia, and is wholly owned by the country's government. EAL was founded on 21 December 1945 and commenced operations on 8 April 1946, expanding to international flights in 1951. The firm became a share company in 1965 and changed its name from Ethiopian Air Lines to Ethiopian Airlines.

Capitol Air was a United States supplemental air carrier and, after 1978, a scheduled passenger air carrier based which was operational from 1946 to its bankruptcy filing on November 23, 1984. It was founded as Capitol Airways in 1946, and then renamed Capitol International Airways in 1967. In 1981, the airline changed its name to Capitol Air and was operating scheduled domestic and international passenger flights that year.

Hong Kong Airlines Limited (HKA), operating as Hong Kong Airlines, is an airline based in Hong Kong, with its headquarters in the Tung Chung district and its main hub at Hong Kong International Airport. It was established in 2006 as a member of the HNA Group and flies to 25 destinations across Asia Pacific. The company slogan was changed from Fresh + very Hong Kong to Where Hong Kong Begins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astral Aviation</span> Kenyan cargo airline

Astral Aviation is a cargo airline based in Nairobi, Kenya. It was established in November 2000 and started operations in January 2001. It operates scheduled and non-scheduled/ad-hoc cargo charters, as well as humanitarian-aid flights, to regional destinations in Africa, Asia and to Liège in Belgium as its only European destination, as of 2023. Its main base is Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi. It has one subsidiary operating in India since October 2022, Pradhaan Air Express, which leased an Airbus A320P2F cargo aircraft, thus making it the world's first airline to have such an aircraft in its fleet.

Orbit Express Airlines, shortly Orex Airlines, was a cargo airline based in Istanbul, Turkey. It was established in 2003, and operated scheduled and charter freight services. The airline ceased all operations in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ukrainian Cargo Airways</span> Defunct Ukrainian airline

Ukrainian Cargo Airways was an airline based in Kyiv, Ukraine. It was a state-owned company operating charter passenger and cargo services. It also overhauled, leased and sold aircraft, engines and aviation equipment. Its main bases were Kyiv Boryspil International Airport (KBP) and Zaporizhzhia International Airport (OZH).

Moskovia Airlines was an airline based in Zhukovsky, Moscow, Russia. It operated domestic and international passenger and cargo charters. Its main base was Domodedovo Airport.

Air Flamenco is a commuter airline operated by Air Charter, Inc., based in Puerto Rico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burundaiavia</span>

JSC Burundaiavia was a helicopter airline based at Boraldai airport, which is located about 5 km (3 mi) from Almaty, Kazakhstan. Burundaiavia has Air Operator Certificate No: KZ-01/001 granted by the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Kazakhstan which allows carrying passengers and goods, including dangerous goods, performing aviation works. The Airline's ICAO code is BRY.

CemAir (Pty) South Africa, servicing popular tourist destinations and important business towns, as well as leasing aircraft to other airlines across Africa. The airline's head office and engineering and maintenance facility are located in Hangar 6 OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

Heli Air Services is a charter airline based in Sofia, Bulgaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juba International Airport</span> International airport serving Juba, South Sudan

Juba International Airport is a multi-use international airport serving Juba, the capital city of South Sudan. The airport is located 5 km (3.1 mi) northeast of the city's central business district, on the western banks of the White Nile. The city and airport are located in South Sudan's Central Equatoria State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Star Air</span> Canadian charter and cargo airline

North Star Air is a Canadian charter, passenger and cargo airline headquartered in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with secondary passenger hub in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, and cargo hubs located in Pickle Lake, Red Lake, Kapuskasing and Thompson, Manitoba. The majority of destinations served are First Nations communities, with regular service to 18 airports under "Flex Flight Passenger Service", and other regional destinations under an on-demand basis. Founded in 1997 as a floatplane operator with two DHC-2 Beaver aircraft based in Pickle Lake, the airline has grown over the years and came under new ownership in 2012. In 2015 Cargo North and North Star Air merged under the North Star banner. In 2022 North Star Air opened up their brand new cargo depot based in Winnipeg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westair Aviation</span> Namibian airline

Westair Aviation Limited is a Namibian aviation service provider and airline offering scheduled passenger services under the FlyNamibia brand as well as cargo and Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (ACMI) services based at Eros Airport in Windhoek.

SkyUp Airlines LLC is a Ukrainian charter and low-cost airline headquartered in Kyiv, which began its operation in May 2018. During 2021, the airline carried 2,546,899 passengers, performed 15,962 flights, and transported 786.5 tons of cargo. It has 1172 employees.

Air Serv Limited also Air Serv Uganda Limited, is a Ugandan based aviation company, which offers air charter services to the countries of the African Great Lakes, aircraft maintenance and repairs, as well as humanitarian cargo deliveries in the region. Air Serv Limited is the for-profit subsidiary of the non-profit organisation Air Serv International.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 South West Aviation Antonov An-26 crash</span> 22 August 2020 fatal aviation accident

On 22 August 2020, a South West Aviation An-26 turboprop aircraft crashed upon taking off from Juba Airport in Juba, South Sudan, for a domestic cargo charter flight to Aweil and to Wau, South Sudan.

References

  1. "Point sur le Service aérien d'aide humanitaire des Nations Unies". World Food Programme. June 20–24, 2022. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  2. "Chapter 6: Flying Humanitarians: The UN Humanitarian Air Service - UN Air Power: Wings for Peace". unairpower.net. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) Annual Review 2021". UNHAS Annual Review. 13 May 2022.