Asiana Airlines Participates in 'Sending 101 Cows to Nepal' Project... "Transporting 42 Cows"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] Asiana Airlines announced on the 22nd that it transported 42 dairy cows to Nepal.

Asiana Airlines participated in the "Sending 101 Dairy Cows to Nepal" project conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the international development organization Heifer Korea, taking responsibility for the first shipment. This project aims to support Nepal's dairy industry development by providing excellent livestock resources from Korea, planning to send 101 dairy cows and Korean-style dairy cattle genetics (breeding bulls and artificial insemination semen) to Nepal.

Participants in the project, including Asiana Airlines, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Heifer Korea, held a farewell ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Asiana Airlines cargo terminal of Incheon International Airport. The 42 dairy cows departed Incheon Airport at 12:30 p.m. Korean time on Asiana Airlines' A350 cargo-only passenger aircraft and are scheduled to arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, at 5 p.m. local time.

Asiana Airlines made thorough preparations to ensure the safe transport of the dairy cows. First, they assigned the latest model, the A350 cargo-only passenger aircraft, as a special flight. A special cargo transport expert who completed the International Air Transport Association (IATA) live animal transport training course managed the entire transportation process.

Additionally, to maintain the cows' optimal health, they focused on stress management by establishing minimal movement routes, minimizing noise during loading, and optimizing the temperature and humidity of the cargo hold. They also visited the manufacturer of the dedicated cages to pre-inspect their safety and durability.

An Asiana Airlines official said, "We are proud to be entrusted with the first transport of dairy cows to Nepal for over 70 years of inter-country sharing," adding, "We concentrated all our expertise in live animal transport to deliver the dairy cows in healthy condition."

Meanwhile, Asiana Airlines has successfully transported various special cargoes, including live animals such as bears and dolphins, the Republic of Korea Air Force Black Eagles' T-50B aircraft, and COVID-19 vaccines.