Pfizer books United charter flights to position its COVID-19 vaccine
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
One of the most interesting things about the travel industry is that it’s not just about bringing people from here to there and creating a transportation network that allows us to visit places that are very different from where we live. At its very core, the travel sector — and its aviation industry, in particular — also plays a large role in distributing goods around the globe. The airlines are masters of logistics so it’s no wonder that the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that pharmaceutical company Pfizer has tapped United to help position the COVID-19 vaccine it developed in concert with BioNTech around the world.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved Pfizer’s vaccine, the company is already tackling the immense challenge of distribution in a bid to be at the ready when approval is imminent.
For its part on Friday, United Airlines began flying charter flights between Brussels International Airport and Chicago O’Hare to move doses of the vaccine so it’s where it has to be when Pfizer is given the OK to begin vaccinating people.
While Pfizer hasn’t released details about its plan, the WSJ obtained a Nov. 24 letter from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with information on vaccine distribution.
One of the interesting points included is United’s request to carry more dry ice on its flights than is normally allowed. According to the reporting done by the Wall Street Journal, the FAA approved the airline to carry five times the normal amount of dry ice per flight. The 15,000 pounds of dry ice will be packed in Pfizer-developed boxes — about the size of a suitcase — that will keep the vaccine doses cold.
United won’t be the only airline or transportation company involved in vaccine distribution (be it from Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson). The Wall Street Journal article also talked about American Airlines’ trial flights from Miami to South America, which is part of a test of the efficacy of its vaccine thermal packaging and procedures.
As we head into December, we’ll likely hear more about how the airlines and companies like FedEx and UPS will assist with vaccine distribution. On Dec. 10, the FDA will meet to discuss Pfizer’s request to authorize the emergency use of its vaccine in the United States. Moderna is expected to make a similar request to the federal agency in early December as well. Depending on the outcome of those meetings, approval to roll out one or more vaccines could happen as early as mid-December.
Featured image by Ryan Patterson for The Points Guy
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
WELCOME OFFER: 80,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,650
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening.
- Earn 2X points on dining including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel. Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.