Six New Baby Formula Flights Set to Land in U.S. This Week to Help Alleviate Shortage

Giovana Gelhoren
·3 min read
baby formula shortage
baby formula shortage

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced six new Fly Formula Operations to aid the baby formula shortage.

In a statement posted Monday, the HHS revealed that the new Operations will import approximately 8 million, 8-ounce bottle equivalents of infant formula to the United States during the week of July 11.

According to the statement, Operation Fly Formula flights will have completed 48 flights and imported more than 55 million, 8-ounce bottle equivalents of infant formula by July 17.

The first scheduled flights will travel from Switzerland and Germany to Newark Liberty International Airport on July 11, carrying Nestle Alfamino/Alfamino Jr. infant formula and Nutricia/Dannone Neocate Jr. infant formula.

On July 12 and 14, further flights will arrive from Singapore to Chicago O'Hare International Airport, carrying Enfamil infant formula powder. On July 13, a flight from the United Kingdom to Newark Liberty International Airport will be loaded with Nutricia/Danone Neocate infant formula.

Lastly, on July 17, a flight will arrive from the United Kingdom to John F. Kennedy International Airport, carrying Kendamil Classic and Organic infant formula.

These six new operations are in addition to three flights that took place on July 10 from Australia, Switzerland and Germany, which delivered 3.5 million, 8-ounce bottle equivalents of infant formula.

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A US military aircraft carrying 132 pallets of Nestle Health Science Alfamino Infant and Alfamino Junior formula arrives to Indianapolis International Airport in Indianapolis, Indiana, US, on Sunday, May 22, 2022. The first air shipment of baby formula, originating from Zurich, Switzerland, was delivered under the Operation Fly Formula emergency program authorized by President Biden to address a national shortage that has parents struggling to meet the needs of their newborns.

Kaiti Sullivan/Bloomberg via Getty

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Per the statement, Operation Fly Formula is a joint effort from the HHS with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the General Services Administration (GSA).

It first began in May, with its initial shipment arriving in Indiana from the Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The location was chosen as it's home to a Nestlé distribution hub, per CBS News.

"Folks, I'm excited to tell you that the first flight from Operation Fly Formula is loaded up with more than 70,000 lbs. of infant formula and about to land in Indiana," President Joe Biden, 79, said in a tweet at the time.

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"Our team is working around the clock to get safe formula to everyone who needs it," the president added.

After the aircraft's arrival, the baby formula was loaded into FedEx trucks. Nestlé then performed a standard quality control check to enable the formula to be distributed, CBS News added, citing an administration official who was on-site at the drop-off.

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Shelves normally meant for baby formula sit nearly empty at a store in downtown Washington, DC, on May 22, 2022. - A US military plane bringing several tons of much-needed baby formula from Germany landed on May 22, 2022, at an airport in Indiana as authorities scramble to address a critical shortage.
Shelves normally meant for baby formula sit nearly empty at a store in downtown Washington, DC, on May 22, 2022. - A US military plane bringing several tons of much-needed baby formula from Germany landed on May 22, 2022, at an airport in Indiana as authorities scramble to address a critical shortage.

SAMUEL CORUM/AFP via Getty Nearly empty formula shelf

"We at FedEx are honored to be called on to use our network in support of this important mission with the U.S. Government," Richard W. Smith, President and CEO-elect of FedEx Express, said in a statement. "The lack of access to formula is impacting babies and families across the country, and we are proud to support the distribution of these critical items to deliver hope to those in need."

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In May, Biden announced that he was "invoking" the Defense Production Act in an effort to improve formula production in the U.S.

While stocks of some formulas started to run short last year amid the pandemic, the issue has escalated due to challenges with the supply chain, product recalls by some American manufacturers and rising inflation.