Vaccine flights: DGCA says dry ice, frozen CO2, be carried as per aircraft specification only

NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed aircraft operators to abide by maximum quantity of dry ice that can be carried onboard aircraft as packing material for ensuring Covid vaccines are flown in sub zero temperatures across India. These vaccines need to be carried in temperature ranging from minus 8 to minus 80 degrees Celsius, making refrigerant material imperative while transporting them across the country.
Dry ice, the most commonly used and affordable refrigerant, is solid carbon dioxide (CO2) which transforms into gaseous form at temperatures higher than minus 78 degrees Celsius under normal pressure. At reduced pressures like when flying, this sublimation rate accelerates.
With this in mind, the DGCA has issued a set of directives to ensure that required oxygen level is maintained in aircraft while carrying vaccines in both freighter aircraft as well as cargo bellyhold of passenger planes. Accordingly, every operator will need to abide by the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) directives for dry ice carriage as per different specifications of different aircraft while carrying vaccines.