Where emergencies are sudden, roads unusable or ground conditions dangerous, WFP Logistics turns to the skies to get food in fast.
Read WFP Aviation annual report
We rely on airlifts to get food into some of the world's most hostile and inaccessible places, or to remote areas where much of the infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, for example in the wake of the cyclone which hit Myanmar in 2008.
But WFP Aviation (the air division of WFP Logistics) doesn't just transport food cargos. It also provides air transport for humanitarian aid workers involved in assessments and food distributions. And it doesn't just serve WFP. As a result of the expertise it had gained over many years, in 2003 WFP was given the responsibility for providing safe, reliable and cost-efficient air transport for all UN agencies involved in relief operations.
Humanitarian air service
This led to the founding of the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS). Working on behalf of the humanitarian community, UNHAS operated 48,000 hours in 2008, transporting 361,000 passengers and 15,200 metric tons of cargo globally.
WFP Aviation does not own or directly operate aircraft. Instead it provides air services by chartering aircraft to meet the needs of emergency and humanitarian support for UN Agencies and other cooperating partners.
WFP Aviation operates in 16 country offices for regular operations. They are in charge of day-to-day standard and emergency operations including planning flight schedules, booking passengers and cargo and ground handling. WFP Rome headquarters provides centralized support and ensures that the air service operation is effective and cost-efficient.
Safety is the number one priority for WFP Aviation. It is focused on selecting air operators who meet the highest standards of safety. WFP Aviation has been recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs) and a large number of air carriers as a legitimate body that assists in the dissemination of the latest safety initiatives around the world.
WFP Aviation carries out helicopter airlifts to reach areas where fixed-wing aircraft cannot land. Helicopters came into play in 2008 in the emergency operations WFP organized in Haiti following the hurricanes and topical storms which hit the country. They were also used in Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis struck, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without food.
