Brutal Hurricane Harvey continues to wreak havoc on Texas. Thousands of people are in desperate need of assistance and even some evacuation centers are now flooded. United Airlines is stepping up to help with seven humanitarian relief flights to Houston.
It may seem like a calculated act of corporate goodwill, but that doesn’t change the fact that United is providing genuine assistance to those most vulnerable after the storm.
This week United has already sent five humanitarian flights to Houston and will send two more by the end of the day tomorrow.
The planes have been loaded with food, water, amenities (blankets and pillows) and medical supplies valued at more than $295,000. In addition, thanks to donations from Walgreens, we were also able to transport essential items and medical supplies.
United has also used a CrowdRise fundraising campaign to raise over $1.5MN in disaster relief aid. That includes a $200,000 donation and the rest from MileagePlus members, who have been given a collective three million miles in exchange for their donations.
Wisely, United’s Government and Community Affairs team is working with the City of Houston to target aid to the Houston Convention Center, where 10,000 wait anxiously. The Red Cross had planned for a much smaller number and only provisioned 5,000 cots.
Finally, United is letting FEMA use one of it hangars at IAH for “military and law enforcement operations”.
CONCLUSION
It’s 110ºF and dry as a bone in Southern California. That makes it hard to imagine what Texans have just gone through (as the storm now bears into Louisiana). But the pictures and video have been sobering. Let’s hope that Tropical Storm Irma, a new storm forming, does not grow stronger. I applaud United for helping out in relief efforts.
More details here on what United is doing.
> Read More: United CEO Comments on Hurricane Harvey
United currently has three flights en route from ORD, SFO, and EWR at the moment.