World Food Programme
We are experts in serving remote and challenging regions
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Emergency Response Items
Mobile hospitals and medical equipment
Helicopters, boats and heavy machinery
Humanitarian Transportation Solutions
Our solutions and expertise support every type of humanitarian cargo, providing a total transportation solution designed to save you time and to optimize your logistics budgets. Our experience embraces all types of humanitarian airlift requirements, from the delivery of heavy machinery or helicopters for rescue operations to mobile hospitals and large volumes of water purification equipment, tents or temperature-sensitive goods such as food supplies or pharmaceuticals.
- Mobile hospitals and other medical equipment
- Instruments and medicines
- Water purification equipment
- Shelter and WASH
- Generators
- Telecom equipment
- Food and water supplies
- NFIs and general cargo
- Heavy trucks, cranes and other vehicles
- Helicopters
- Boats
- Heavy machinery and equipment
Global Cargo Supermarket for Humanitarian Needs
Volga-Dnepr Group’s strategy is founded on a ‘cargo supermarket’ concept that delivers a unique range of benefits for customers by utilizing our unique and highly-capable fleet of cargo aircraft in combination with our logistics support services and the knowledge and expertise of our global team. This enables us to create unique solutions in cargo transportation, which save our customers valuable time and money.
Our acknowledged expertise in combining air cargo charter and scheduled services to produce a customised response for your humanitarian needs is underpinned by the operating capabilities of four international cargo airlines as well as the Group’s over 20 supporting companies and 4000+ staff. We are a global team ready and capable of responding to all your humanitarian airfreight needs.
Our services utilize a combined fleet of 44 freighter aircraft, and our fleet is still growing. This enables us to offer an unrivalled global service capability, ready to support your humanitarian airlift requirements to airports in both the developed and developing world. From our Boeing 737F with its 20 tonnes payload capacity to the iconic Antonov 124-100 ramp transport aircraft, Volga-Dnepr Group is able to use its in-house logistics expertise to meet all your humanitarian aid delivery needs for every type of air cargo to even the most remote parts of the world.
Our fleet
an-124-100
x12
Cargo compartment dimensions 36.5x6.4x4.4m
The AN-124-100 “Ruslan” is the world’s largest series-produced ramp aircraft
Volga-Dnepr is the biggest international AN-124-100 operator in the world
Boeing 747
x21
In addition to the seven Boeing 747-400 cargo, the group invested in eleven next generation Boeing 747-8F, the most modern cargo aircraft of its type ever built by Boeing
IL-76TD-90VD
x5
Cargo compartment dimensions 20x3.45x3.4m
Some 30% of the humanitarian flights we operate are performed by our fleet of modernised IL-76TD-90VD cargo aircraft, all approved by ICAO for international flight operations in compliance with the latest noise and emissions standards. All five aircraft were produced between 2005 to 2012 under a special, customized Volga-Dnepr Group order.
Boeing 737
x5The group''s three Boeing 737 freighters provide regional cargo lift and are used as part of Volga-dnepr’s “cargo supermarket” service offering alongside the rest of the fleet
THE AIRLINE FOR HUMANITARIAN AIRLIFTS
Volga-Dnepr takes great pride in meeting all of its customers' requirements for international humanitarian operations
Our experts are ready to assist you 24/7
We work with leading humanitarian relief organizations
Volga-Dnepr Group cooperates with the world’s leading humanitarian organizations and takes great pride and responsibility in meeting all of its customers' requirements for international humanitarian operations.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD MISSIONS
Operation Christmas Child is an initiative promoted by an international evangelical Christian humanitarian organisation. (1.6Mb).
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WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME
Over the last 11 years, the World Food Programme (WFP) has been one of the most important customers for Volga-Dnepr in this sector. (4Mb)
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FIGHTING EBOLA
Volga-Dnepr Group has operated 15 flights and delivered 641.6 tonnes of cargo, including protective clothing for health workers, Mi-8 helicopters and mobile blood testing facilities. (5.8Mb)
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RED CROSS MISSIONS
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) mission is to ensure humanitarian protection and assistance for victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence. (1.3Mb)
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DELIVERING RELIEF AID TO MYANMAR AND CHINA
AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) helped to deliver over 160 tonnes of relief goods to the victims of the cyclone. (1.9Mb)
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PHILIPPINES: HUMANITARIAN AID TO TYPHOON VICTIMS
Volga-Dnepr Airlines rushes aid to Typhoon Haiyan victims in the Philippines (3.5Mb).
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365 days a year aid response. Request a quote or get in touch for more information.
Our experts are ready to assist you 24/7
MEET OUR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE TEAM
Our airline group sales team has a varied and diverse background in the freight, logistics and air charter industries and is well placed to understand the complexities and factors that the sector faces in responding to natural or man-made crises.
PAULI IMMONEN
Deputy Director, Humanitarian & Emergency Response
Based in Geneva, Switzerland, Pauli joined Volga-Dnepr group in 2021 with over 20 years’ experience in the not-for-profit aviation sector. His international career has seen him manage aviation in complex emergencies and take care of aid and relief in both conflict / war situations and in natural disasters. Pauli has humanitarian aviation experience in Africa, Asia, America and Oceania and has worked with the United Nations (WHO / WFP), the Red Cross (ICRC and IFRC) and aviation INGOs (MAF and ASF).
Contact Pauli: 
+41 77 416 0018 
pauli.immonen@volga-dnepr.com
Geneva, Switzerland
RACHEL LANG
Humanitarian Programs Development Manager
Rachel joined Volga Dnepr UAC in 2016. She is experienced in complicated logistics moves via all modes of transit. She currently handles AID/Humanitarian development for the Americas region with a focus on charter operations via the company's fleet of AN124, IL76 and B747 aircraft.
Contact Rachel: +1 281 602 7420 Rachel.Lang@volga-dnepr.us
ILYA GAVRILIN
Regional Sales Manager, APAC
Ilya started his career at Volga-Dnepr Group in 2011 in Ulyanovsk. In 2015 Ilya joined Volga-Dnepr APAC team in Hong Kong where he was directly involved in several humanitarian airlift projects including AN-124, IL-76 and Boeing-747 multimodal transportation to Vanuatu, Nepal, and during Ebola crisis in Africa.
Contact Ilya: +852 3691 8641 ilya.gavrilin@volga-dnepr.com
LLOYD DSOUZA
Development Executive
Lloyd's career in the Aid sector started in 2006. A specialist in providing logistical support for Humanitarian Missions/UN programs within the MENA and South Africa regions, Lloyd currently manages Aid/Relief development in East Africa and recently was deployed 'on ground' in Mozambique in support of our flights in aftermath of Cyclone 'Idai' efforts.
Contact Lloyd: +44 203 8745 818 Lloyd.Dsouza@volga-dnepr.com
The team provided substantial assistance on all stages of transportation, and we felt very comfortable cooperating with them.
Representative of UN Logistics OfficeUN Mission for Ebola Emergency ResponseQuestions and Answers
- Volga Dnepr has its own in-house logistics team who can organize ground transportation to the airport of departure and, on arrival, to the cargo’s final destination. As well as road transportation, we can also provide special equipment for loading/unloading, airport logistics and take care of customs formalities at both ends. If you require a total transportation solution, we can manage this for you.
- Volga-Dnepr group appreciates the unique operating nuances of the humanitarian sector. We do look to offer market-leading conditions (financial and commercial) for contracting of special air freight moves under humanitarian mandates.
- Yes, during an emergency response situation we appreciate that without coordination, organizations may unconsciously respond to the same needs, duplicate efforts, and compete unnecessarily for limited transportation to provide a fast and effective humanitarian response. We welcome consolidation and can assist with advice and guidance throughout the project.
- Our load planning and operations experts will ensure your cargo is loaded and unloaded safely and expeditiously. They will also help to ensure you optimise the cargo-carrying capabilities of our aircraft using the experience they have gained from 27 years of global air freight operations. Our unique An-124-100 and IL-76TD-90VD freighters are ramp-loading aircraft, which helps to reduce the time required for loading and offloading. They also incorporate onboard cranes and winching systems that mean our aircraft are self-sufficient when operating to parts of the world with little airport or equipment infrastructures. This enables us to operate to airports as close as possible to the cargo’s final destination, saving critical time and cost for humanitarian customers. We also offer a large range of patented loading systems for more complex cargoes. If other, specialist equipment is required, our network of global offices will ensure this is available to eliminate any delays in your cargo reaching its destination.
- Our IL-767TD-90VD and An-124-100 freighters can accommodate cargo attendants for relief flights, subject to receiving the required prior approvals.
- Yes, our ramp loading IL-76TD-90VD and An-124-100 cargo aircraft are specifically designed to operate to the most remote regions and airports of the world. The ability of both aircraft to serve such locations is further enhanced by their onboard cranes, winches and loading/offloading systems, which can eliminate or significantly reduce the need for handling equipment at the airport itself. This allows us to operate to airports with limited infrastructures. Since 1990, we have successfully completed flights to over 1,200 airports in more than 190 countries.
- When older versions of the IL-76 were restricted from global operations due to noise and emissions considerations, Volga-Dnepr chose to invest in a modernised version of this highly-capable cargo aircraft to meet the requirements of our international customers. Volga-Dnepr now operates five of these modern IL-76TD-90VD aircraft, which are fully compliant with UK CAA Chapter 4/Stage 4 noise requirements and have been approved by the International Civil Aviation Organization for global operations. As well as modern engines and avionics, the new IL-76TD-90VD also has an increased payload capacity of up to 50 tonnes.
- Attractive charter flight and scheduled air cargo rates are available to the Humanitarian & Development sector, and one of the major advantages of our organisation is the ability to synergise solutions between our different operating airlines in the event of complex solutions to emergency response requirements
In the News
Every Volga-Dnepr aircraft is sanitised after each COVID-19 mission
Watch how the different aircraft in our group undertake sanitisation after COVID-19 missions
From Our Frontliners to Yours. Volga-Dnepr flights with medical supplies welcomed all over the world
During the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, air cargo has never been as important as it is now. With the world’s most diverse all-cargo aircraft fleet we’ve been flying 24/7 to deliver your medical supplies globally.
Volga-Dnepr IL76-TD-90VD Delivers Mobile Hospitals and Medical Equipment to Sint Maarten
Emergency response is nothing new to the charter team at Volga-Dnepr Group, but no response has ever been as global as we see now. Whilst we have been dispatching a mammoth number of flights to major cities across the world, our aircraft also allow us to reach most remote regions. This month Volga-Dnepr delivered mobile hospitals to the small 40,000+ population of Sint Maarten in their fight against COVID-19.
TF1, France: COVID-19 - First masks from China arrive onboard Volga-Dnepr AN124-100 aircraft
The first flight of Humanitarian airlift project that should last several weeks. A Volga-Dnepr cargo plane from China landed on Monday, March 30, 2020 at the Marne airport with eight million masks onboard. This programme is scheduled for four flights a week between China and France at the rate of 300 million per month, totalling to 900 million masks that will have been delivered by the end of June.
With Coulson Unical joint venture AN124-100 rushes to Bolivia in the wake of the Amazon forrest fires
The Coulson Unical CH-47D, N47CU, was loaded onto the VD An124-100 after a long night and morning of teardown. To fit in the airplane the blades, both the forward and rear drivetrain, and the rear pylon needed to be removed. This is a huge task to accomplish in such a short time but the team came through and will get some...
Volga-Dnepr delivers three laboratory containers to DRC to bolster efforts fighting Ebola epidemic in region
These “plug & play” container laboratories, manufactured by the Grenoble-based company IMeBIO, are particularly well-adapted to complex, challenging situations on the ground and equipped with advanced technologies that comply with the most stringent international quality, biosafety and biosecurity standards....
Volga-Dnepr Airlines rushes relief supplies to help victims of Typhoon Mangkhut
Volga-Dnepr Airlines organised a delivery of aid relief cargo to Guam in less than 24 hours, providing 64 tons of food supplies and bottled water to help victims of Typhoon Mangkhut. Within eight and-a-half hours of the customer’s confirmation, Volga-Dnepr had positioned one of its An-124-100...
Leipzig/Halle Airport is ideally equipped for “humanitarian logistics”
Leipzig/Halle Airport, working with the Volga-Dnepr Group and the Akkon University of Human Sciences, organised a specialist international conference on topics related to “Humanitarian Logistics” on 21 May this year. About 60 representatives from research institutes, government, logistics companies, airports as well as airlines...
Volga-Dnepr flies humanitarian aid to Sulawesi
Volga-Dnepr Airlines has delivered 29 tonnes of aid to Indonesia to support the humanitarian mission following the earthquake and tsunami that hit Sulawesi. The flight was performed using an IL-76TD-90VD from Chalon Vatry Airport in France to Balikpapan on request of the Crisis Centre of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Following arrival in Indonesia...
Volga-Dnepr Airlines flies missions to deliver humanitarian aid to Haiti
Volga-Dnepr Airlines operated a third flight as part of a humanitarian cargo delivery program to help victims of the strong earthquake in Haiti. The flight from Paris-Vatry Airport in France followed operations to Port-au-Prince from Geneva and Örebro. Volga-Dnepr completed its first aid flight within 24 hours of the earthquake. Volga-Dnepr's IL-76TD-90VD aircraft carried 30 tons of supplies...