Everyone horrified at the painful pictures of death and destruction in Haiti seems to want to do something. Technology has made it infinitely easier to part with your money – you can text to an ever-growing number of charities to automatically donate set amounts (it’s added to your cellphone bill). You can also go online, or call. Musicians, celebrities and companies are responding with efforts that are as reassuring about our often battered perceptions of community and humanity, as they are hopeful for help to be quickly extended.
But, like anything else in America, even charitable thoughts are rapidly linking up with ideas about marketing, commercialism and, dare I say it, personal gain (or, to be more generous, incentivism). For travelers, this just might mean you can get double satisfaction from the money you give, as a number of airlines and travel-related businesses are offering miles and other promotional benefits for cash sent to Haiti.
What if you want to give and not receive? Many airlines are also allowing customers to donate miles to relief organizations, or contributing cash to groups based on the number of miles donated.
Even the cash-strapped airlines themselves have pitched in.
American Airlines (which offers regular service to Port-au-Prince), flew three relief flights to the capital city on Wednesday. According to news reports, each flight carried 10,000 pounds of supplies for the airline’s 100 employees in Haiti, along with materials for local hospitals. The airline had scheduled another three for Thursday (which are presumed to have taken place after continuing problems with the airport’s tower were dealt with).
JetBlue announced that it would offer free flights to charity organizations that need to fly workers to the Dominican Republic. (This is a bit of a clarification to earlier, incorrect rumors that said the airline would fly doctors and nurses into Haiti without charge –those applying must be part of an organized group with permission to work in Haiti).
Continental, which doesn’t even normally fly to Haiti, offered assistance with relief flights. And so has British Airways. BA has a Boeing 747, with a cargo capacity of up to 50 tons, standing by to fly to the region on Saturday crewed by volunteer BA pilots and cabin crew.
Some cruise lines, too, have been quick to speak up.
Royal Caribbean, which has a large resort area in Labadee, (a northern port next to Cap Haiten) made an early offer to allow its facilities to be used by aid agencies. This may become a very valuable offer, as the port in Port-au-Prince is heavily damaged and unusable. Plus, RCCL announced it will give at least $1 million in humanitarian relief to Haiti, partnering with Food for the Poor, Pan American Development Foundation and other organizations. RCCL also stated that 100% of its net revenue from cruise ship visits to Haiti will be contributed to relief efforts. The line will also be setting up a system on board its ships to let passengers donate to Food for the Poor’s Haiti Relief Fund via a charge to their onboard account. While the company will continue to make vacation stops at Labadee, it will also bring along humanitarian supplies on those trips.
Norwegian Cruise Line is collecting donations for the Red Cross on board its ships and matching it dollar for dollar. The company is also working with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, a non-profit organisation representing 15 cruise lines, to have supplies diverted to Haiti.
Disney, which doesn’t dock in Hait, committed an initial $100,000 to the Red Cross for Haitian assistance. Carnival is planning to determine how it can help, too.
UPS and Federal Express, which had to halt commercial deliveries, announced they would work with relief agencies to help deliver supplies to the affected region. In addition, UPS said it will be giving $1 million to relief agencies to help with the crisis. Auto Europe is pledging $5.00 per reservation booked by any travel agent, nationwide, for their clients now through June 30, 2010 towards Haiti relief, and their CEO vows to personally match the pledge.
Below is a list of the offers to date. Feel free to add any offers you’ve heard about.
HOTELS**
• Hilton HHonors – For every 10,000 points donated, Hilton will send $25 to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. https://www.hiltonhhonors.com/processLanding.aspx?lp=intlfedredcross
• Marriott Rewards – For every 10,000 points donated, a $25 cash donation will be given to the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. (Some Marriott hotels in the Dominican Republic are serving as staging areas for relief efforts). https://www.marriott.com/rewards/usepoints/donatePoints.mi
• Starwood Preferred Guest – Donations may be made in the following amounts: 4,000 points=$50; 8,000 points=$100; 12,000-$150, and 16,000 points=$200. http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/account/starpoints/transfer/charity/detail.html?IndustryType=CHARITY&PartnerCode=REDCROSS
• Choice Hotels – Donate to the Red Cross by going to Choice’s main points donation page and following the directions. http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/GPDonations?sid=3Lni.eln8hggpdg.11
AIRLINES
• American Airlines – Loyalty members get a 250-mile bonus for a minimum donation of $50 through Feb. 28. http://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/haiti-earthquake.jsp?anchorLocation=Homepage_Top&reportedTitle=Disaster%20Relief%20-%20Haiti&reportedPosition=0&url=/i18n/utility/haiti-earthquake.jsp&_locale=en_US&repositoryName=MarketingMessageContentRepository&repositoryId=16125142
• Delta Air Lines – Employees and customers can donate SkyMiles to the Red Cross to aid Haiti relief efforts thru SkyWish. (Choose Red Cross, as there is no specific Haiti link at this point.) http://www.delta.com/skymiles/use_miles/donate_miles/skywish_charities/index.jsp
• United is encouraging customers to donate miles to the Red Cross through its Charity Miles program, (but it appears the donation is not specifically tagged to Haiti relief). And, United Airlines Foundation is matching cash donations by employees and customers to the American Red Cross through the International Response Fund at united.com (up to a total of $50,000).
• Spirit Airlines – 5,000 “free spirit” miles for donating to Yele Haiti, UNICEF or the American Red Cross. http://marketing.spiritair.com/haitirelief/
• Virgin America – At press time, the airline was working on setting up a Haiti fundraising appeal with Virgin Unite
**Donated points/miles are not tax deductible.
