| Over 12,000 donations have poured in from over 140 countries enabling airline to uplift more humanitarian cargo into Lebanon |
| DUBAI, UAE, 27 September 2020: More than a month after the Beirut blasts left behind devastated communities, Emirates continues to do its part to help turn its customers’ collective generosity from all corners of the globe into essential humanitarian cargo to support recovery efforts on the ground and help those affected rebuild their lives. Contributions are continuing to pour in from Emirates customers around the world as cash or Skywards Miles, bolstering Emirates SkyCargo’s ability to scale up resources and provide vital airlift to Lebanon. Over 12,000 donations from 140 countries have come in as cash or Skywards Miles, through the dedicated, secure and convenient Emirates Airline Foundation portal as well as through the Emirates website. Countries that accounted for a significant portion of the donations included the UK, India, Australia, Germany, United States, Italy, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan and South Africa. In addition, a number of Emirates Skywards members demonstrated their overwhelming generosity and commitment to Beirut disaster relief efforts through individual contributions of close to 250,000 Miles each. In total, over 120 million Miles have been donated so far by Emirates Skywards members. The airline will be dedicating donations to Beirut relief over the course of the next two months. The donations have provided cargo capacity for humanitarian organisations to effectively transport medical equipment and supplies, food and other emergency relief goods directly to Beirut through Emirates SkyCargo. Additionally, Emirates SkyCargo is contributing further by providing a 20% reduction on air freight transportation charges for approved shipments. Since 13 August, Emirates SkyCargo has carried 160,000 kilograms of medical supplies and food on several missions to Beirut, working with local and international NGOs that provide relief to impacted communities. More missions are in the pipeline, with another six consignments planned to fly medical necessities, non-perishable food, clothing, PPE, hygiene products and veterinary supplies to Beirut over the course of the next few weeks. As an airline, Emirates is proud to give back and make a difference in the communities it serves. Through the Emirates Airline Foundation, the airline supports over 30 humanitarian and philanthropic projects in 18 countries, including four countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Emirates has been flying to Lebanon for almost 30 years and currently serves Beirut with two daily flights. |