KUALA LUMPUR:MAB Kargo Sdn Bhd (MASkargo) recently delivered its first charter flight for the year, transporting about 20 tonnes of COVID-19 test kits from Seoul to Jakarta.

Chief executive officer Ibrahim Mohamed Salleh said utilising its Airbus 330-200 freighter, flight MH 6431 departed Incheon International Airport on Jan 4 at 5.20 pm (local time) and safely arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Jan 5 after a two-hour transit at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

"The ad hoc deployment of the charter service was due to the urgent need to ensure timely delivery of the items,” he said in statement today.

Ibrahim said it was a feat as the teams involved worked through numerous challenges during the year-end holidays in getting the much-needed goods safely according to the requirements, including the appropriate temperature and traveling time.

“Coordination of the flight was made seamless with Zagreb-based charterers, recipients in Indonesia and MASkargo teams in Kuala Lumpur and Seoul.

“With the adequate infrastructure to ensure the safe handling, transportation, and distribution of the temperature-sensitive goods, MASkargo maintained the aircraft temperature at between 15 to 25 degrees Celcius throughout the 11-hour flight.

“This mission has proven beyond doubt MASkargo's capability and solid track record of carrying time and temperature-sensitive products within its network and beyond," he said.

In addition to its freighter flights, MASkargo also operates passenger-to-cargo flights with increased frequency to meet demand, compensating passenger capacity reduction.

Besides MASkargo's three freighter aircraft, the group also utilises Malaysia Airlines Bhd's passenger aircraft -- the A330-300s, A350-900s, and A380-800.

-- BERNAMA