Free or reduced-priced flights for charities?

DemiDee

Hi all,

I'm wondering if there are any airlines, organisations or even charities that specialise in helping registered charities obtain free/reduced priced flights for missions overseas, particularly in the developing world?

If anyone here is involved with a charity that works in countries of great need, I'd be interested to learn how you go about funding essential trips to provide necessary supplies and/or to check on the progress of projects already under way or completed.

kingfisherblue

I'm a member of Girlguiding and a number of our members participate in community projects abroad every year. They raise the money themselves through bag packing, sponsored events, Body Shop parties, car boot sales, and sometimes applying to different charities for a grant. Generally, though, any grant makes up a small proportion of the money raised. The money is put into a separate account and every penny is accounted for. Some of the participants are as young as fifteen, and after spending several months raising the money, they visit countries to build toilets, schools and community facilities.

I don't know of any charity or company that offers free or cheap flights to enable someone to go abroad for charitable purposes though.

DemiDee

Really love this, Kingfisherblue! You are encouraging young people not only to care for and reach out to those less fortunate, but to be as self-sufficient as we all hope is the case for those we strive to help, too. Thank you for posting.

poipleshadow

Normally it would come out of your own pocket, airlines now-a-days seem to have tighter margins, some do still allow extra luggage allowance though