American Airlines Cargo partnership delivers humanitarian aid to Haiti

An American Airlines Cargo aircraft is loaded with supplies bound for Haiti
Photo Credit: American Airlines
Len Varley - Assistant Editor 4 Min Read
4 Min Read

LONDON – American Airlines Cargo is taking part in a global effort to transport life-saving medical and sanitation supplies to Haiti as the nation struggles to control a deadly cholera outbreak.

In partnership with Airlink, a non-profit humanitarian organization dedicated to bringing critical aid to communities in crisis, American is carrying more than 55 tons of medical supplies from Europe to Miami, where they will be staged for distribution to Haiti.

American Airlines partnership


“We’re proud to partner with Airlink to make a positive impact on the world,” said Greg Schwendinger, President of American Airlines Cargo.

“At American, our mission is to care for people on life’s journey, and we are honored to play a role in transporting critical goods to the people and places they are needed most.”

Photo Credit: American Airlines

Cholera, which spreads mainly through contaminated food and water, has sickened thousands of people in Haiti since the outbreak began in October 2022.

The illness has worsened a humanitarian crisis caused by civil unrest that makes accessing supplies difficult for health care workers in the Caribbean country.

American will serve as a vital link in moving personal protective equipment (PPE), clean water filters, nebulizers, blood tubes and other sterile items to help fight the crisis.

American first partnered with Airlink in March 2022 to ship humanitarian aid to those impacted by the conflict in Ukraine. Since then, it has carried nearly 90 tons of life-saving cargo to the region.

Through this partnership, American helped transport cargo and relief personnel for 47 different non-profit organizations, supporting humanitarian efforts in 21 different countries.

Last year, American and its customers donated 85 million AAdvantage® miles to Airlink though American’s Miles for Social Good program. So far, the miles have provided travel for 351 relief workers to support social programs around the world.

Haiti situation


According to the latest UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) January 2023 report, some of the key issues facing Haiti are present include the spread of cholera, particularly in the provinces, with a 57 percent increase in the number of suspected cases recorded in a single month.

Gang-related insecurity remains high in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area (ZMPAP). The presence of police stations and increased patrols in many of these areas have not been enough to curb the capacity of gangs in the capital’s neighbourhoods.

During 2022, OHCHR recorded 2,084 murders and 1,552 injuries as a result of armed gang violence, as well as 1,114 cases of kidnapping, a record for the country.

On the economic front, the Central Bank Governor of Haiti declared that the country was in an economic depression after several years of negative growth with inflation reaching 47.2 percent in October 2022. 


Airlink is a non-profit organization providing free and heavily subsidized flights and air transport for pre-screened non-profits to deliver disaster responders and supplies in the wake of humanitarian crises worldwide.

Its network includes more than 150 aid organizations and 47 commercial and charter airlines.

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