Onboard Courier Elma Delivers Artificial Hip Joints

Two hospitals in Europe faced the same challenge: each had several patients in urgent need of artificial hip joints. The experts were ready, but the prostheses from a US manufacturer could not be delivered before the weekend. At least not by conventional means.

The US medical technology manufacturer has had a business relationship with DB SCHENKER for many years. During the phone call, it became clear that the express deliveries by airfreight would not arrive at the hospitals on time. However, because the hip joints were compact enough to be transported in passenger planes, the contact person forwarded the case on to the OBC team. Eleven minutes later, the medical technology manufacturer had three different options in its inbox. The fastest option: the first onboard courier collects the artificial hip joints for the Dutch and British hospitals and hands over the part for the British hospital to a second courier at the departure airport. Both take the flight to Heathrow, from where the first courier flies on to the Netherlands. The medical technology manufacturer and the hospitals confirmed this option.

That was the moment when Elma’s phone rang. The 29-year-old has been working as an onboard courier for a good two years.

It was just such a case – Elma had to drive straight to the handover point to have any chance of catching the next flight.

Less than two hours later, Elma and her courier colleague were on a plane to Heathrow, UK. The departure procedure gave them both a moment to catch their breath. Shortly after reaching cruising altitude, the status was shared with the client via the onboard Wi-Fi and the next steps were organized. Then, as is always the case with orders outside the domestic market, the two of them thoroughly checked the documents for customs clearance. Minor details can lead to major delays on arrival.

Elma also kept a constant eye on the status of the connecting flight from Heathrow. If there were delays, the OBC team on the ground would normally rebook the connecting flight directly. In this case, however, it was a stroke of luck: a short delay in arrival and a short delay in the departure of the connecting flight cancelled each other out perfectly.

After successfully boarding the connecting flight, finally the message from the Dutch colleague: “The standby vehicle will be brought directly to the arrivals area. Just let me know 20 minutes in advance.”

Arriving at the hospital was a little less like the TV-series “ER” than Elma had imagined. The delivery went to the porter, who gave her the signature, and she was able to inform the client of the successful delivery. She had arrived more than half an hour before the agreed time and had made three urgent operations possible. A successful OBC delivery.

Disclaimer: Based on a real OBC commission. Names and details have been changed for the purpose of anonymization.