Lufthansa transports relief-aid goods to Puerto Rico
An MD 11 Lufthansa Cargo Aircraft is flying 70 tons of drinking water and more than 10 tons of food provisions and apparel to Puerto Rico.
The Lufthansa Group has deployed an MD 11 Cargo Aircraft from Frankfurt Airport that will arrive to Aguadilla today, bringing supplies to the western region that was devastated by Hurricane María.
The company has its Lufthansa Technical Site in Aguadilla, where it employs 400 people “who are still suffering from the devastating effects of Hurricane María.”
The Lufthansa Cargo McDonnell Douglas MD 11 Aircraft landed at the Rafael Hernández International Airport this morning.
The Lufthansa Cargo Aircraft is loaded with 80 tons of drinking water, apparel, food provisions and hygienic supplies, thus comprising combination of the items desperately needed at the location. The Lufthansa Group is working closely with the local U.S. Authorities there to obtain the necessary coordination and support for this comprehensive relief-aid operation.
In Germany, participants of this relief effort have predominantly been: Hassia, the Metro Group, as well as LSG Skychefs with donations. Kühne&Nagel, Georgi and orgalog helped with transport services. This project was organized and implemented by HelpAlliance, the charitable aid organization of the Lufthansa Group.
“We are standing by our colleagues and the U.S. population in Puerto Rico during these trying times. It is especially in moments of crisis, that we as an enterprise all pull together and lend support to our colleagues and the local surrounding communities near our Puerto Rico location and affected by this tragedy,” said Johannes Bussmann, the president of the management board of Lufthansa Technik AG (LLC).
The Lufthansa ‘Technik’ Facility in Puerto Rico opened in February 2014 and has specialized in the service and maintenance of aircraft types, such as the Airbus A320 family. Initial orders came from some of the main U.S. carriers, and this resulted in the service site to rapidly develop in becoming one of the more important providers for aircraft overhaul for the United States.
Additionally, ‘LTPR’ introduced the first training program for the U.S. Department of Labor in the servicing, maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft. The program is being run in conjunction with the Aeronautical and Aerospace Institute of Puerto Rico, a nonprofit corporate subsidiary of the University of Puerto Rico.
Signed in June of this year, the apprenticeship program enhances the relationship between the entire Lufthansa Group, the island and the United States. It serves not only the local aviation industry, but is meant to serve as an example to other parts of the country.
“As a close partner of Puerto Rico, we are not only lending backup support for the workforce of ‘Lufthansa Technik’ and their families locally, but also for the communities in the vicinity, who have been working together with us closely and with confidence from day one,” said Bussmann.
Since the inception of the hurricane damage, the location has received assistance from customers of ‘LTPR’: Spirit Airlines and jetBlue, which have their aircraft serviced by the Technical Station. A freight space was immediately made available for minimum relief requirements.
“We must really thank our partners and friends of Spirit and jetBlue. It is comforting to know that one can depend on friends during difficult situations,” said Bussmann.
