How Air Transport Disruptions Impact Life Sciences Companies

Air transport is a critical lifeline for the life sciences and health care industries, ensuring the timely delivery of essential products like medicines and lab samples worldwide. Whether transporting temperature-sensitive biologics or coordinating international clinical trials, life sciences companies rely heavily on the efficiency of air logistics.

However, when air transport is disrupted — whether by weather, geopolitical tensions, or logistical issues — the ripple effects can be significant.¹ These disruptions can impact patient care and research timelines. Understanding how air transport disruptions impact life sciences companies and finding strategies to mitigate them is essential for maintaining global health.

The Importance of Air Transport for Life Sciences Companies

Air transport plays a crucial role in the life sciences industry, enabling the fast and reliable movement of products like medicines, vaccines, and lab samples across the globe. In this field, time is critical, especially when dealing with perishable goods or urgently needed research supplies. Without air transport, many life sciences companies would face challenges maintaining the speed and efficiency required to meet global health needs.

For life sciences companies, air transport ensures that highly sensitive materials are transported under specific conditions, such as controlled temperatures or protected environments. Biological samples, for instance, must be kept at stable temperatures to preserve their viability. A disruption in air transport can cause delays that lead to spoilage or degradation, jeopardizing research, and production timelines.²

Air transport also facilitates global collaboration in the life sciences industry. With research institutions, pharmaceutical companies and health care providers spread across different companies, air transport allows these entities to share resources, expertise, and breakthroughs in a timely manner. This level of connectivity speeds up drug development, clinical trials, and the dissemination of lifesaving treatments.

Effects of Air Transport Disruptions on Life Sciences Companies

Air transport disruptions can have severe consequences for life sciences companies, particularly in their ability to maintain effective supply chains. Some of the major effects include:

Delays in Delivering Critical Medical Supplies

When flights are delayed or canceled, critical shipments like vaccines, medications, specimens, and research materials may not reach their destinations on time. These delays can lead to missed treatment windows for patients or disruptions in clinical trials, where timing is essential for data accuracy and patient safety.

Disruptions can also affect the delivery of groundbreaking technological innovations, such as self-driving wheelchairs. These advanced wheelchairs, which can navigate obstacles and safely transport users, are crucial for improving mobility and independence for individuals with disabilities. When air transport is disrupted, the timely delivery of such high-tech solutions can be delayed, potentially preventing patients from accessing life-enhancing technologies. These inconveniences impact the immediate availability of these devices and delay the benefits they bring users who rely on them for mobility.³

Risks to Temperature-Sensitive Products

Temperature-sensitive products, such as biologics and cell-based therapies, are especially vulnerable to transport disruptions. Many of these materials require controlled environments to remain effective, and extended transit times can lead to temperature excursions. This causes costly losses of valuable products and regulatory violations, as strict standards govern the handling and storage of life sciences goods.²

Disruption to Product Schedules

Disruptions in air transport can also strain production schedules. Many firms operate with just-in-time supply chains to reduce storage costs and increase efficiency, relying heavily on frequent air shipments to replenish stocks. A single delay can throw off the entire production cycle, leading to bottlenecks that slow down the development of critical therapies or medical devices. For companies providing lifesaving treatments even a brief disruption can have far-reaching effects.

Impact on Global Research Collaboration

Furthermore, international collaboration is the foundation of the life sciences industry, with researchers, pharmaceutical companies and health care providers often spread across multiple countries. Air transport disruptions limit their ability to share samples, data, and innovations. This can delay the development of new drugs, vaccines, or medical technologies, slowing the overall progress of global health care advancements.

Financial and Regulatory Consequences

Delayed or lost shipments of high-value products, such as pharmaceuticals or biologics, can result in costly losses, especially when temperature-sensitive items are involved.⁴ Companies may also face penalties for failing to comply with strict regulatory standards related to the storage and transport of medical goods.

If products are spoiled or damaged due to improper handling during extended delays, they may need to be destroyed, further increasing costs. Additionally, missing deadlines for clinical trials or patient treatments can damage an organization's reputation and lead to long-term financial setbacks. The combination of lost revenue and potential regulatory fines underscores the importance of protecting against transport disruptions.

Strategies to Mitigate the Impact of Air Transport Disruptions

Life sciences companies must adopt proactive strategies to strengthen supply chain resilience to reduce the risks and challenges posed by air transport disruptions. These disruptions can happen unexpectedly and have far-reaching consequences.

“Building resilient supply chains requires a proactive approach to risk management and contingency planning. Organizations must identify potential vulnerabilities and develop strategies to mitigate disruptions. This includes diversifying suppliers, increasing inventory buffers, and investing in digital technologies that enhance visibility and agility. By prioritizing resilience, organizations can ensure the continuity of health care delivery even in the face of unexpected challenges.” says Frank Van Gelder, secretary general of Pharma.Aero [SOURCE: https://www.aviationbusinessnews.com/in-depth/trends-and-innovations-redefining-healthcare-and-life-sciences-supply-chains/]⁵

Here are key strategies that can help mitigate the impact of air transport disruptions.

Building Redundant Supply Chains

Building redundant supply chains is a crucial strategy for life sciences companies to minimize the risks associated with air transport disruptions. By diversifying their logistics networks, companies can ensure they’re not overly reliant on a single carrier. This means establishing partnerships with multiple airlines, as well as integrating other transportation options, such as ground or sea freight, when possible.⁵

Having a variety of logistics partners allows companies to switch between routes or providers quickly in the event of disruptions, maintaining the flow of essential products like medicines, research materials, and clinical supplies.

In addition to diversifying transport providers, life science companies can benefit from creating regional storage hubs in key markets. These hubs allow businesses to store a reserve of critical products closer to end-users, reducing dependency on long-haul air transport for immediate needs. With decentralized warehouses, companies can continue operations smoothly even when global supply chains are disrupted, ensuring that lifesaving treatments and other sensitive materials are still available in case of delays. This approach mitigates risks and enhances supply chain resilience.

Strengthening Cold Chain Logistics

Strengthening cold chain logistics is crucial for companies reliant on safely transporting temperature-sensitive products like vaccines, biologics, and lab samples. These materials must be kept within strict temperature ranges to maintain their efficacy, and any deviation during transport can render them unusable.²

To mitigate the risks these air disruptions pose, companies can invest in advanced packaging solutions, such as insulated containers with active cooling systems or phase-change materials that can regulate temperature for extended periods. Solar refrigerators and fridge tags can also be beneficial, reducing wastage and ensuring quality medication arrives.⁶ This technology ensures that even if shipments are delayed, the integrity of the products is maintained.

Moreover, partnering with logistics providers experienced in handling cold chain cargo is crucial for managing potential disruptions. These specialized carriers are equipped with infrastructure to monitor and maintain temperature control throughout the entire journey. Some even offer live tracking, enabling companies to closely monitor the conditions of their shipments and intervene quickly if any issues arise. By strengthening their cold chain logistics, companies can ensure that sensitive products arrive in optimal conditions, even during unexpected delays.

Diversifying Transport Modes

Diversifying transport modes is a smart strategy to reduce reliance on air travel and mitigate potential disruptions. By incorporating alternative transport options like sea and ground freight into their logistics networks, companies can maintain flexibility when air routes are delayed or unavailable.

Although air transport is often the fastest option, ground and sea shipping provide more stable alternatives for less time-sensitive products or during longer disruptions. The blend of different transport modes enables life sciences companies to shift cargo to different routes without compromising delivery timelines for critical supplies.

In addition to flexibility, diversifying transport modes can lower costs and reduce the environmental footprint. Ground and sea transport, while slower, tend to be most cost-effective for large or non-urgent shipments. Organizations can strategically allocate shipments based on the urgency and sensitivity of the cargo, sending high-priority items by air and using other methods for more resilient products.

Implementing Robust Contingency Plans

Effect contingency plans outline alternative actions companies can take in case of delays, cancellations or other logistical challenges.⁵ A well-structured emergency plan will include predefined backup carriers, routes and transport modes that can be activated quickly to avoid disruptions. It also ensures all stakeholders, from suppliers to customers, are informed of the steps they’ll need to take in the event of an issue, allowing for seamless transitions and minimal downtime.

A key aspect is frequent testing and updating the plan. Organizations should regularly simulate different disruption scenarios — such as weather events or geopolitical risks — to identify weaknesses in their current systems. By refining these plans and ensuring they remain adaptable to new risks, companies can respond more efficiently when disruptions occur.

Collaborating With Regulatory Authorities

Working with regulatory authorities is essential for life sciences companies to navigate air transport disruptions smoothly.⁴ Regulatory agencies govern the movement of medical products, especially temperature-sensitive or highly controlled ones. By establishing strong relationships with these authorities, companies can expedite approvals for alternative shipping methods when air transport is delayed.

In some cases, regulatory bodies may grant extensions on expiration dates for sensitive goods or provide temporary waivers to allow faster clearance through customs. This collaboration ensures that products like pharmaceuticals reach their destinations on time, even under challenging conditions.

Maintaining open communication with these bodies during disruptions helps life sciences organizations address any compliance issues that arise. For instance, in the event of delays, companies may need to provide updated documentation or additional assurance that their products have remained in required conditions during transit.

By proactively working with regulators, businesses can streamline these processes, reducing the risk of fines or product losses. This partnership enhances operational resilience and ensures patients and health care providers receive the vital treatments they need without unnecessary interruptions.

Strengthening Resilience in Life Sciences Logistics

Air transport disruptions seriously impact life sciences companies, from delaying critical treatments to stalling groundbreaking research. However, companies can better prepare for and navigate these challenges by implementing strategies like diversifying supply chains and collaborating with authorities. A resilient approach ensures that despite delays, lifesaving products reach patients and research efforts stay on track. As the global health landscape evolves, staying ahead of these challenges will be critical to the industry's long-term success.

Reference List

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3. Self-Driving wheelchairs WHILL bring travelers to their gate at Schiphol Airport. https://whill.inc/us/news/self-driving-wheelchairs-whill-bring-travelers-to-their-gate-at-schiphol-airport
4. Mohammed SA, Kahissay MH, Hailu AD. Pharmaceuticals wastage and pharmaceuticals waste management in public health facilities of Dessie town, North East Ethiopia. PLoS One. 2021;16(10):e0259160. Published 2021 Oct 28. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0259160
5. Aviation Business News. Trends and innovations redefining healthcare and life sciences supply chains. Aviation Business News. Published August 13, 2024. https://www.aviationbusinessnews.com/in-depth/trends-and-innovations-redefining-healthcare-and-life-sciences-supply-chains/
6. Feyisa D, Jemal A, Aferu T, Ejeta F, Endeshaw A. Evaluation of Cold Chain Management Performance for Temperature-Sensitive Pharmaceuticals at Public Health Facilities Supplied by the Jimma Pharmaceuticals Supply Agency Hub, Southwest Ethiopia: Pharmaceuticals Logistic Management Perspective Using a Multicentered, Mixed-Method Approach. Advances in Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2021;2021:1-13. doi:10.1155/2021/5167858