LATAM partners with the UN to transport Ukrainian refugees
LATAM Airlines Group is making free passenger and cargo flights available to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as the current crisis in Ukraine led the airline to the UN.
The announcement came on Friday when LATAM announced it had signed an agreement with the UNHCR to aid refugees around the world.
The arrangement means that the transfer of cargo will come at no cost and the contribution of tickets for refugees to destinations within the LATAM network.
As of today, we make our #Solidarity Plane available to the UN Agency for Refugees (@ACNURamericas), transporting passengers and humanitarian aid at no cost and supporting the people who had to leave their homes looking for peace and safety. pic.twitter.com/ENSrg0g9Sl
— LATAM Airlines (@LATAMAirlines) April 1, 2022
The airline flies across the Americas mainly, however, it also operates long-haul services to Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
LATAM operates the largest commercial fleet in Latin America.
The CEO of LATAM Airlines Group, Robert Alvo, was proud to be able to service those in Ukraine.
“The terrible situation in Ukraine and the consequences of conflict on millions of people led us to approach UNHCR, and today we are proud to be able to make transportation of refugees, donations, and humanitarian aid available to them and their families in all the destinations of our network,” Alvo said.
The initiative is part of LATAM’s ‘Solidarity Plane’ program, which provides free transportation to cover the needs of those in South America.
José Samaniego, Regional Director of UNHCR for the Americas, said the new partnership will help the UN reunite displaced families and help transport aid materials for those who fled their homes in Ukraine and other parts of the world, according to Simple Flying.
Although Ukraine is not the only humanitarian crisis in the world that LATAM is helping with.
In the Latin American region alone, more than 18 million displaced people are in need of aid.
LATAM recently signed alliances in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru to provide aid to civil society organisations.
“We cannot forget places like Afghanistan, Syria, Ethiopia, Venezuela, Myanmar, and many others that continue to need the support of UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations,” said Filippo Grandi from UNHCR.
The UNHCR’s Global Trends report said that 1 per cent of humanity was forced to flee their homes in 2020.
Other airlines are also helping out with the situation in Ukraine.
The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport sent a flight to Poland with 32 tons of medical supplies for redistribution to Ukrainian hospitals last week and in South America, Azul Linhas Aereas launched virtual flights last month to raise funds for Ukraine refugees.
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