FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- American
Airlines will honor service members and veterans of the U.S. Armed
Forces this Veterans Day, continuing
the work it does every day by committing support to them and their
families through a variety of initiatives that work to make a
difference in their lives.
"As a veteran of the U.S. Army, I thank all of our veterans for
their service to our country," said David
Seymour, American's senior vice president – Technical
Operations and executive sponsor of American's Veteran Military
Employee Business Resource Group. "One way we're restoring American
as the greatest airline is the world is by engaging our employees,
and support of our veterans' initiatives is clearly important to
them. We're honored to stand with the more than 100,000 men and
women of American Airlines to honor our veterans."
More than 6,000 of American's employees currently serve or are
veterans. The airline's Veteran Military Employee Business Resource
Group (VMEBRG) is the first official company-sponsored group of its
kind in the U.S. airline industry. The VMEBRG members are active in
the communities where they live and work – providing support for
Honor Flights, sending packages to deployed troops, making regular
visits to VA Nursing homes, volunteering for American's initiatives
that support the troops and assisting with planeside honors for
fallen servicemen and women, among other activities.
On this Veteran's Day, American invites customers to join it in
a salute to members of the U.S. Armed Forces past and present by
sharing a picture of their favorite service member or sharing why
Veterans Day is important to them on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag "#SaluteToTroops."
In addition, customers can receive 15 AAdvantage miles for each
dollar donated through Miles in Support for All Who Serve, a
program that partners with United Service Organization (USO) to
support the morale, welfare, social and entertainment needs of
troops and their families.
American employees' participation is the foundation for
initiatives that support the troops including:
- Salute to the Troops: This Veterans Day weekend, American partnered again
with MGM Resorts International and the USO to host 70 wounded
warriors and their guests from Walter Reed National Military
Medical Center and other locations for the fifth annual "Salute to
the Troops." The service men and women traveled aboard a chartered
American aircraft to Las Vegas,
where they were treated to entertainment, sightseeing and other
activities.
- Seats for Soldiers: On Dec.
7, American and the Dallas Mavericks will celebrate their
tenth annual Seats for Soldiers event. Wounded soldiers from Brooke
Army Medical Center in San Antonio
will be flown to Dallas/Fort Worth
on a chartered aircraft provided by American's Fuel Smart program
to enjoy dinner at Abacus, front-row seats at a Mavericks game at
American Airlines Center and recognition for their service. The
game seats are donated by Mavericks season ticketholders, and
American's flight crews donate their time for the trip.
- Snowball Express: American is the official airline of
Snowball Express, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to
provide hope and new memories for the children of fallen military
heroes, and annually hosts a trip for children and spouses of
fallen military. The 2014 event, scheduled for Dec. 11-15, will bring more than 1,800 family
members to North Texas for an
all-expense-paid series of activities. American will provide nine
charter flights as well as airfare for additional families. The
American Airlines Kids in NeedSM program, Air Compassion
for Veterans organization and The Fisher House Foundation also
provide airfare for families. Customers interested in sponsoring a
family's trip can learn more at
http://snowballexpress.org/support/.
- Sky Ball: Supported by
more than 1,000 American employee volunteers, Sky Ball XII was held
Oct. 25, 2014, at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and
raised nearly $2 million for military
families. Presented since 2003 by American and the Airpower
Foundation, the annual event assists North Texas military families and national
organizations and is the largest fundraiser for Snowball
Express.
- Air Compassion for Veterans: Through the employee-led
Fuel Smart program, $3.5 million in
travel has been donated Air Compassion for Veterans (ACV), a
non-profit organization which helps active and retired U.S.
military veterans and immediate family travel for medical,
counseling and rehabilitation needs. Fuel Smart's efforts safely
reduce fuel consumption by implementing viable suggestions from
employees throughout the airline.
In addition to these initiatives, American offers travel
amenities for active-duty service members including priority
boarding, preferred seating and upgrades if available, waived
baggage fees, complimentary Admirals Club admission for qualifying
members, priority baggage delivery in the claim area, and
reduced-rate shipping via AA Cargo.
"We have a long history of supporting our military and their
families, both in their communities and when they travel," said
Capt. Jim Palmersheim, American's
senior manager – Veterans Affairs and a United States Army veteran.
"All of us at American are privileged to serve these brave men and
women, whether they're traveling to their next mission, on leave to
spend well-earned time with friends and family or enjoying their
freedom after serving their country."
For more information about the ways American Airlines supports
military, veterans and their families, please visit
aa.com/joinus.
About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group
(NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US
Airways. Together with wholly owned and third-party regional
carriers operating as American Eagle and US Airways Express, the
airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to 339
destinations in 54 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort
Worth, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. The American Airlines
AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles programs allow members to
earn miles for travel, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays
and everyday purchases. Members of both programs can redeem miles
for tickets as well as upgrades to First Class and Business Class.
In addition, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for vacation
packages, car rentals, hotel stays and retail products. American is
a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and
members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily
flights to 150 countries. Connect with American on Twitter
@AmericanAir and Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines and follow US
Airways on Twitter @USAirways.
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SOURCE American Airlines