Regular and special air service to enable personnel and humanitarian cargo from the humanitarian agencies in Afghanistan to have reliable air access to beneficiaries in all regions within Afghanistan. All the humanitarian organizations operating in Afghanistan have a plan to reach 15.7 million people annually with life-saving assistance at a cost of US$1.3 billion.  The United Nations Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS) is a critical enabler of this effort allowing users to support over 5 million beneficiaries.  UNHAS is a common service for the humanitarian community, managed by the World Food Programme.  UNHAS offers reliable, cost-efficient and effective passenger and light cargo transport for the wider humanitarian community to reach vulnerable people in 19 provinces in Afghanistan. UNHAS will also provide security and medical relocation of humanitarian personnel, including COVID-19 capacity, within Afghanistan. 

UNHAS was established in Afghanistan in 2002. With 67 skilled staff and maintaining critical presence in nine locations around Afghanistan. UNHAS operates three fixed-wing and one rotary aircraft from Kabul to reach various destinations in the country. UNHAS also maintain imperative links between different field stations to avoid flights via Kabul. UNHAS serves major cities directly and stops at remotes locations between them to expand the access of its humanitarian partners. Humanitarian needs remain high in the country and due to on-going conflict, and insecurity, the service is crucial for relief workers to access remote areas for humanitarian intervention. UNHAS currently has 200 registered user organizations from the humanitarian community out of which 160 are active users. UNHAS serves 21 regular destinations in Afghanistan, and able to offer special flights in case of humanitarian priorities, emergencies, natural disaster, and/or security or medical evacuation within and out of Afghanistan.

As a demand-driven, user-oriented common service, UNHAS quickly adapts to meet the air transport needs of the humanitarian community. The flight service is implemented with guidance and close collaboration with the UNHAS Steering Committee (UNHAS board consisting of donors, UN agencies, and NGO representative and chaired by the UN HC), and the User Group (consists of all registered users appointed representatives). These bodies have representative from both female and male professional representing their organizations. 

In addition, UNHAS interacts and reviews feedback from the Humanitarian Access Group (HAG), UNDSS, WFP, and the Afghan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). UNHAS coordinates with other non-commercial aviation services, and UNAMA Aviation, PACTEC, MSF and ICRC to meet the needs of the humanitarian community. UNHAS works in close collaboration with these and other stakeholders to identify gaps and coordinate the Inter-Agency transport in the country. These forums determine the requirements for air transport needs, align to the greater humanitarian community, and follow up actions feedback is provided in the following meetings amp included in the minutes.

To ensure female travelling with UNHAS are treated fairly, UNHAS has employed a number of female staff to support passenger processing and screening. To encourage national staff female travel, UNHAS has implemented a reduced fare $50 for female travel, while the regular fare is $150 or $300. 

For special needs passengers with disabilities, UNHAS staff will provide check-in, embarkation and disembarkation assistance to passengers with special needs per the UNHAS "procedure manual." Users have been advised that the booking request need to indicate any special needs and requests in the “remark column” in the booking request. 

For its updated risk assessment process, UNHAS interacts and shares information with a number of stakeholders, including ACAA, DSS, INSO, ICRC, MSF and other actors who may provide security intelligence for a realistic risk assessment.

UNHAS is in current talks with several donors to secure additional funding, and with the expected donations and cost recovery from passengers, UNHAS should be able to continue the air servic