Airlines: Who’s Doing What for Haiti

The earthquake in Haiti that decimated the island nation’s largest city and much of the surrounding area, continues to be an extremely challenging set of disaster relief problems and human needs, rivaled only by the 2004 tsunami in lower Asia in which more than 500,000 people perished.

The official death toll as of January 28 is 170,000+ dead. Estimates for the total number of dead, which includes those not yet accounted for, exceed 250,000. Over half of Port-au-Prince’s population of 2 million people is in need of emergency shelter; almost all are currently dependent on outside aid groups and transport providers for food, water, medical care, and basic subsistence.

The airline and air freight industry has been responding in an unprecedented fashion to this unparalleled Western Hemispheric disaster. Here is a brief compendium of the efforts that are underway:

American Airlines:

•  Since the earthquake on January 12, American has flown 14 relief flights to Haiti and delivered more than 70 tons of food, bottled water, and supplies.
•  AAdvantage frequent fliers have donated almost $1 million dollars to American Red Cross; the airline is awarding bonus miles to members who donate above a minimum level of $50.
•  American is now dedicating flights to the transport of medical professionals and supplies from various points in Florida; American Eagle is conducting similar flights into and out of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
•  Returning flights from American’s missions are bringing urgent evacuees back to the U.S. mainland.

FedEx Express:

•  Since January 17, FedEx Express freighters have flown at least six missions to Haiti; FedEx’s distribution network (including trucking) have aggregated and transported almost 300 tons of relief supplies into Port-au-Prince from Miami International Airport.
•  FedEx has donated more than $1 million in cash and in-kind transportation services toward relief efforts.
•  Transportation services and direct cash donations are benefitting almost a dozen or more charities that are at work in Haiti, including American Red Cross, Direct Relief International, Water Missions International, WorldVision, and Heart to Heart, among others.

British Airways:

•  British Airways flew a 747 with over 50 tons of relief supplies into the Dominican Republic on behalf of Unicef, the United Nations children’s fund. Supplies were to be trucked overland into Haiti from the D.R.
•  British Airways is also donating $500,000 to Unicef in direct cash donations.
•  The British Airways family lost one of its own in the earthquake; the body of United Nations administrator Ann Barnes, a former BA flight attendant, was recovered from the rubble of the U.N. headquarters building last week.

United Airlines:

•  United Airlines has flown 50 tons of water, tents, and other supplies into Haiti and brought back urgent evacuees on return flights.
•  UA has pledged to match the first $50,000 of employee donations to various relief efforts, and is encouraging its frequent fliers to donate miles to American Red Cross, Operation USA, and Airline Ambassadors.

Continental Airlines:

•  Continental is waiving certain booking fees and other charges for relief workers who want to fly into the three Dominican airports (Santo Domingo, Punta Cana, and Puerto Plata) served by the airline.
•   CO is also encouraging OnePass frequent fliers to donate miles for use by relief workers to American Red Cross and AmeriCares.

Qantas:
•  Australia’s Qantas Airlines donated the use of a Boeing 707 to actor John Travolta for a private relief flight to Haiti. Travolta, a licensed 707 pilot who has flown other aid missions to Haiti, flew more than 80 doctors, nurses, and other emergency medical specialists into the country within the past week.