The flights were popular during the pandemic when capacity was limited but the approval for Third Country Operators (TCO) will end on 31 July 2022 because of increasing cargo capacity reducing pressure on the supply chain.
After 31 July, the EASA says operators can apply for approval if it can be proved that there is an urgent need for transporting medical supplies and it can only be done in the passenger cabin.
Applications can only be done for authorised aircraft listed in the TCO Web-Interface “Basic Operator Data” section, and information about the flight data, route, and aircraft type and registration must be supplied.
Proof that the only cargo being transported is medical supplies and justification of the urgent need and unplanned nature, such as a state issued letter requesting urgent medical support, also need to be provided.
Operators will need to provide evidence of airworthiness, unless previously provided, with evidence such as Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) changes, Supplement Type Certificate (STC), Airworthiness approval issued by the State of Registry according to ICAO Annex 6, evidence from a competent authority that airworthiness aspects are taken into consideration, operator’s approved operations manual covering airworthiness aspects linked to the exemption, or a risk assessment by the operator.
Dangerous goods are still not allowed in the cabin except vaccines cooled by ice, nor is carrying both passengers and cargo in the cabin at the same time except for certified combi aircraft, and cargo must only be transported by operators holding valid cargo transport approvals.
The EASA says that once the EASA non-objection has been issued, concerned member states will be informed so inspectors can carry out checks, and flight crew need to be ready to provide proof that the cargo is just medical supplies and the flight is justified.