September 2 - A generous gesture by the German Ministry of Defence in sending 94 tonnes of urgently needed relief supplies to Islamabad to help victims of the devastating floods in Pakistan has been made possible by a Volga-Dnepr Airlines' An-124-100 frei

The humanitarian aid shipment left Leipzig Airport in Germany in late August and arrived in Islamabad the next day. The cargo carried by the high and heavy maindeck carrier included 50 power generators, three water tanks and 18,000 kg of children's food.

Meanwhile the inaugural flight for Etihad Crystal Cargo's new A330-200F freighter aircraft was a special charter carrying medical and humanitarian supplies to Pakistan.

The new A330-200F was deployed to Karachi and utilised the aircraft's capacity to 59 tonnes.

Etihad worked with UK-based Chapman Freeborn Airchartering and the flight began in Billund, Denmark, and flew first to Abu Dhabi and then onto Karachi.

Shahe Ouzounian, Chapman Freeborn's chief operating officer, said: "We are very pleased to be the first charter company and customer to utilise Etihad's A330-200F. Etihad and Chapman Freeborn worked together with the client to ensure the aid supplies were delivered successfully to Pakistan, on time and within budget."