With Hurricane Helene leaving a long trail of destruction in its wake, various corporate organizations are doing whatever they can to help with relief efforts. American Airlines, too, is doing its bit and has pledged millions of miles to a nonprofit to help families in distress.
American Airlines donates 10 million miles
American Airlines
has pledged 10 million AAdvantage® miles to Airlink, a nonprofit organization that is currently helping emergency personnel reach areas of distress to help those in crisis following Hurricane Helene.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
The carrier has also collaborated with the American Red Cross to help people affected by the storm. Those willing to make contributions can do so by visiting a specially designated website at redcross.org/aa. Donors will be given AAdvantage® bonus miles in return for their contribution. Travel and Tour World quotes Ron DeFeo, American’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, as saying,
“We are proud to join forces with Airlink and the Red Cross to deliver critical aid to those affected by Hurricane Helene. At American Airlines, it is our purpose to care for people on life’s journey, and we are committed to helping communities in times of need.”
Speaking about the destruction left behind by Hurricane Helene, Trevor Riggen, president of Red Cross Humanitarian Services, said that it “was the strongest hurricane to ever hit Florida’s Big Bend region and at 420 miles wide, regions and communities are still facing its impacts across an enormous area of the country.”
He added that the Red Cross and its partners will provide shelter, food, and comfort in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
Photo: Ryken Papy | Shutterstock
Flight disruption by Hurricane Helene
Between September 27 and 30, thousands of flights were canceled as Hurricane Helene hit the southern coast of the US, traveling along Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
As reported earlier by Simple Flying,
airlines canceled 1,753 departures and 1,740 arrivals in the US
, according to data provided by Flightradar24. Most of these were canceled on September 27, with Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), Tampa International Airport (TPA), and Miami International Airport (MIA) being some of the worst affected airports.
Photo: M101Studio | Shutterstock
Naturally, this has disrupted the travel plans of thousands of passengers, who have been forced to cancel or reschedule their bookings. Airlines are also assisting travelers in this hour of need by letting them reschedule their travel plans without paying additional fees.
Using miles for charitable causes
This isn’t the first time American Airlines has traded miles for a charitable cause. In August, it was reported that the carrier teamed up with actor and activist Rosario Dawson and ran a special promotion for Stand Up To Cancer with its AAdvantage loyalty program.
Other carriers have also done something similar. For example, United Airlines raised miles for the Girl Scouts of the USA earlier this year on International Women’s Day and the Girl Scouts’ 112th birthday. Through fundraising, it wanted to give the Girl Scouts another opportunity to explore the nation.