Airlines are not only taking new cleaning precautions due to the pandemic, they are also donating unused in-flight meals to hospitals and food banks.
What We Know:
- American Airlines announced that they donating 25,000 food meals that would have been used on board and in louges for the community kitchens. These unused meals will go to out-of-work employees in other straining industries.
- The donation of these meals is possible through the partnership with the LEE Initiative, which is an organization dedicated to providing relief through feeding restaurant workers left unemployed by the pandemic. Ron DeFeo, senior Vice President of Global Engagement said, “The LEE Initiative is a great example of working within communities and nonprofits in a unique way to help provide what they need in an unprecedented time.”
- Delta Airlines has donated 200,000 pounds of food to hospitals, community food banks, and nonprofit organizations in cities like Chicago, Washington, Phoenix, and Dallas. Last month, Delta also gave healthcare workers flights to coronavirus hot spots free of charge.
- Through Feeding America, a nonprofit organization supporting food banks across the country, Delta has provided assistance to resource and crisis centers in states such as Georgia and Missouri. Southwest Airlines donated $400,000 worth of snacks and other in-flight supplies to 15 food banks in the Feeding America network, intending to assist the food pantries, homeless shelters, senior centers, and children’s meal programs in need of help.
- In addition to this, airlines are also starting to work with food vendors to get more food to people and places in need.
The airlines have a surplus of food due to less customers in service and a decreased usage of airport lounges due to the coronavirus pandemic.
