Turkish Airlines, Turkish Cargo and its Istanbul hub have been awarded the International Air Transport Association’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators’ (CEIV) Pharma certificate.

IATA’s head of cargo, Glyn Hughes awarded the certificate at a ceremony at the Turkish Cargo stand at TIACA’s Air Cargo Forum in Paris today.

The carrier has completed the certification process and says it reinforces its commitment to meeting the high standards set by the pharmaceutical industry and legislators globally in the transportation of delicate temperature and time-critical consignments such as vaccines, biotechnological products, diagnostic samples, precision healthcare devices, organs and tissues.

”Transportation of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products is a priority for Turkish Cargo. As we continue to expand our operations in this area we remain committed to ensuring that we are operating to the highest possible quality standards.

“Achieving IATA CEIV Pharma certification means that our customers can have the confidence that their sensitive cargo will be handled – at every stage in the process – in accordance with the very best practices.” says Turkish Airlines senior VP of cargo, Şeref Kazanci.

IATA’s head of cargo, Glyn Hughes adds: “After successfully undergoing a rigorous assessment against national and international standards, we are delighted to recognize, Turkish Cargo and its Istanbul hub as CEIV Pharma Certified.

“With the airline groups’ commitment to investing in its workforce, state-of-the-art facilities, innovative products and certifications, Turkish Cargo’s customers can be confident that their life-saving and temperature sensitive products will be delivered in impeccable condition. We congratulate them on their achievement.”