American Airlines, American Eagle Employees Raise More Than $200,000 for American Red Cross Haiti Relief

Published on Wednesday, 28 July 2010 13:10 Written by TradersHuddle Staff

Contributions Continue Airlines' Support of Earthquake-Stricken Nation

FORT WORTH, Texas, July 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Airlines and American Eagle employees have raised more than $200,000 for American Red Cross humanitarian aid to Haiti. The funds were raised through a variety of activities that began soon after the devastating earthquake struck Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010.

The contribution will help the Red Cross continue its relief work in Haiti, which includes distributing clean drinking water, treating people at hospitals and mobile clinics, providing vaccinations, and constructing shelter for displaced earthquake survivors.

"Haiti is more than a destination to the American and American Eagle family. We have proudly served Haiti since 1981, and more than 100 of our employees are based in Port-au-Prince," said Peter Dolara, American's Senior Vice President – Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. "This donation to the American Red Cross is another reminder of the spirit of volunteerism and giving that extends among our thousands of employees worldwide."

The day after the earthquake, American and American Eagle employees immediately set in motion efforts to aid victims by providing assistance and raising funds. Donations were received from employees around the globe, including the U.S., Europe, Latin America and Canada.

"We are grateful to each and every employee at American Airlines and American Eagle who have given so generously to help those whose lives have been forever changed by the earthquake," said David Meltzer, American Red Cross Senior Vice President of International Services.  "Without continued support from companies like American, American Eagle and their employees, the Red Cross would not be able to sustain the level of support that it provides to communities in need."

American Eagle was the first commercial airline to bring humanitarian supplies to Haiti following the earthquake. In all, American and American Eagle flew 30 relief missions and transported more than 400,000 pounds of aid, including water, medical supplies, food and shoes. The airlines also evacuated more than 700 people.

Just nine days after the earthquake, more than 350 American and American Eagle employee volunteers staffed phones at American's Southern Reservations Office during the star-studded "Hope for Haiti" telethon, answering a total of 15,000 calls.

In addition, a group of American Airlines employee volunteers, "Champions for Children," collected donations from customers who generously gave more than $200,000 to help Haitian children through UNICEF's Change for Good program.

American Airlines and American Eagle Airlines work with numerous non-profit organizations, including Medical Wings International, Airline Ambassadors International and Project C.U.R.E., to support Haiti disaster relief.

About American Airlines

American Airlines, American Eagle and AmericanConnection® serve 250 cities in 40 countries with, on average, more than 3,400 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American's award-winning Web site, AA.com®, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld® Alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members serve nearly 700 destinations in more than 130 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com, We know why you fly and AAdvantage are registered trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. (NYSE: AMR)

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SOURCE American Airlines