UNHAS stands for United Nations Humanitarian Air Service. It is a United Nations airline that provides passenger and cargo transportation for the broader humanitarian community to and from crisis and intervention areas. UNHAS provides humanitarian workers and lightweight cargo with access to these areas, enabling the implementation of life-saving projects.
Managed by the World Food Programme, UNHAS is headquartered in Rome, Italy. Initially established in 2001 for humanitarian purposes, UNHAS is available to any United Nations organ. UNHAS is particularly used for transporting aid workers. According to the WFP, UNHAS is the only humanitarian air service that provides equal access to all humanitarian organizations.
UNHAS provides access to some of the world's most remote and challenging locations, often under precarious security conditions where safe land transport or viable commercial flight options are unavailable. Natural disasters and conflict often leave air transport as the only means of access.
In 2024 alone, UNHAS transported over 355,000 passengers and 4,925 metric tons of cargo, including medical supplies and equipment, to nearly 400 remote destinations. UNHAS flights operated in 21 countries on three continents and served at least 615 organizations.