United Airlines flight UA973 to Chicago took off from Brussels Airport today, with the billionth COVID vaccine to be shipped through Brussels Airport on board.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, United has moved millions of vaccines through Brussels Airport and we’re proud to be a part of this milestone," said Manu Jacobs, Director of Specialty Products at United. “While the pandemic continues to affect communities around the world, it’s more important than ever that people all over the globe have access to vaccines. COVID has highlighted the need for collaboration to keep our customers and employees safe, and we’re grateful to work with Brussels Airport as we continue to combat this pandemic. The entire United team continues to prioritize moving critical shipments as part of our commitment to supporting the global supply chain.”

United Airlines currently operates daily flights between Brussels and its major U.S. hubs, including New York/Newark, Washington Dulles, and Chicago O’Hare.

Since the start of its cargo-only flight programme on 19 March 2020, United has operated over 14,400 cargo-only flights and has transported nearly 2 billion pounds of cargo overall.