Delta Cargo to transport millions of bottles of baby formula to boost US supply
Delta will transport the equivalent of more than 3.2 million 8-ounce bottles of baby formula to the U.S. later this month in support of Operation Fly Formula. Delta will fly the Kendamil formula from London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Boston Logan Airport (BOS) and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) on flights from June 20-24.
“Delivering baby formula to those who need it most as part of Operation Fly Formula is one way we can live out a deeply ingrained core value at Delta: a commitment to serving the health and well-being of our communities,” said Rob Walpole, Vice President – Delta Cargo.
Over the course of 13 flights, Delta Cargo will transport a total of 212,000 pounds of Kendamil baby formula. The Kendamil Organic and Classic formula, made available through Operation Fly Formula, will be distributed and available for purchase at select U.S. retailers nationwide, as well as online, the White House said in a press release.
Delta and its cargo team are standing by to support additional shipments in support of Operation Fly Formula. Whether it’s transporting life-saving pharmaceuticals, personal protective equipment, organs for transplant, fresh flowers or seasonal produce, Delta Cargo provides world-class service, offering industry-leading shipping solutions and transporting on average 2.2 billion cargo ton-miles* every year.
At the direction of President Joe Biden and the White House, the U.S. government launched Operation Fly Formula to speed up the import of infant formula and start getting more formula to stores, the White House said June 1.
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Under Operation Fly Formula, the U.S. departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services are authorized to use Defense Department-contracted commercial aircraft to pick up overseas infant formula that meets U.S. health and safety standards. To date, Operation Fly Formula has brought in the equivalent of 1.5 million 8-ounce bottles of infant formula to the U.S., the White House said.
**Ton-miles is a standard metric in shipping that refers to the total number of tons transported multiplied by the total number of miles flown.