From Alaska to the Cayman Islands, Ross Aviation's FBO network is handling high levels of humanitarian and relief flights during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these flights are carrying critical medical supplies and require expedited handling in order to ensure their much-needed cargo clears any necessary regulatory hurdles as it enters the United States, so those supplies can quickly continue on to their final destinations.

The company's FBO teams in Alaska at both their Fairbanks and Anchorage facilities, handle multiple relief flights each day from both private and charter operators, particularly from Asia. As a result, they reckon to have gained a high degree of knowledge regarding travel restrictions and quarantine procedures, as well as United States Customs and Border Patrol policy. They are now using their knowledge during this critical time to assist trip support teams in expediting their processing while making sure all necessary regulations are complied with properly.

“In addition to carrying life-saving supplies, many of the charter and private cargo flights that make our facilities their first stop in the U.S. are donating their crews and their aircraft, so we want to help them avoid any delays” says Brian Corbett, chief executive officer of Ross Aviation. To help operators ensure they understand the process and have the most recent information on rules and procedures unique to these operations, Ross has created a free online video hosted by Alaska base operations manager Laura Charon. The video can be found on the Ross Aviation website, and is updated regularly to ensure its accuracy for crews.

“Regulations and procedures are changing rapidly in this environment, and we're honoured to share our knowledge with customers so they can incorporate it into their flight planning,” continues Corbett. “And we're also pleased to offer special fuel pricing to everyone involved in crisis response efforts. We've been heartened by the outpouring of support and caring as the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic and are proud to do our part to help.”