Virgin Atlantic Cargo Introduces New Capabilities for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

On 16 November 2020, we announced new capabilities within Virgin Atlantic Cargo to prepare for the international distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. With pharmaceutical companies approaching the first vaccine approvals, we recognised the need for secure, reliable transport and careful temperature management to protect sensitive medical shipments throughout their journeys. As part of these preparations, we introduced Pharma Secure, a dedicated service for urgent, valuable and vulnerable pharmaceutical and life sciences shipments. It provided customers with round-the-clock support, automated shipment updates, proactive assistance when disruptions occurred and regular checks on cargo integrity. The service also offered priority access to aircraft capacity, expedited unloading at London Heathrow, dedicated booking support and security escorts on request. Temperature control was a central part of the new offering. Our cargo teams had access to temperature-controlled facilities and staff trained in Good Distribution Practice requirements, helping to maintain appropriate handling conditions for pharmaceutical products. These arrangements were intended to support the complex logistics of vaccine distribution as manufacturers and healthcare authorities prepared for large-scale vaccination programmes. The announcement built on the cargo operations we had expanded during the pandemic, including dedicated freight flights carrying personal protective equipment and medical supplies. By November, our cargo business was operating an average of more than 190 flights per week across established and newly introduced routes. Pharma Secure extended those capabilities to meet the additional handling and security requirements associated with vaccine distribution.