The travel industry was quick to respond to the catastrophe in Haiti.
Several airlines, including American, Spirit and United, mobilized supply flights and leveraged their frequent flyer programs to enable members to donate miles to relief organizations to assist in getting aid workers to affected areas.
Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas was set to call at Labadee, Haiti, on Friday, stocked with relief supplies.
John Weis, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.’s associate vice president of private destinations, who oversees Labadee operations, wrote on Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein’s blog, “We are committed to continuing calls to Labadee with Independence of the Seas tomorrow [Jan.15]. There were a lot of discussions about this, but in the end, Labadee is critical to Haiti’s recovery, and hundreds of people rely on Labadee for their livelihood.”
Weis added: “We also have tremendous opportunities to use our ships as transport vessels for relief supplies and personnel to Haiti. Simply put, we cannot abandon Haiti now that they need us most.”
RCCL also plans to send the Navigator of the Seas and the Liberty of the Seas to Labadee with relief supplies this week.
“This effort is going to be a marathon, so we will be partnering with Food for the Poor” for distribution in Haiti, he wrote.
RCCL said there had been no damage to its private destination at Labadee, which is located on Haiti’s north coast, where its presence makes RCCL one of the largest foreign investors in Haiti. The cruise port has brought more than 10 million tourists who have spent close to $100 million.
Airlines suspended commercial operations at the earthquake-damaged Toussaint Louverture Airport in Port-au-Prince, and Delta reported that it could be weeks before its flights resumed.
American flew its last commercial flight from Haiti to Miami on Jan. 12, just after the earthquake struck. The plane was boarding when the tremor hit and took off after the runway was checked for damage, American said. Many passengers got off the plane, and only 49 remained onboard.
The airport’s tower suffered “major damage” and is inoperable, American reported.
But the runway was usable. By midweek, the U.S. Coast Guard was controlling flights from a cutter patrolling just outside the city.
As of midweek, the Port-au-Prince and Cape Haitien airports were open for rescue and relief flights only.
Several hundred injured Haitians and foreigners were airlifted to hospitals in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, once the runway in Port-au-Prince reopened.
In the days following the earthquake, three American Eagle aircraft carried 30,000 pounds of supplies, including water, food and other nonperishable goods.
Delta said it was waiting for word from the Red Cross about when its planes would be needed for relief flights. Continental, which does not serve Haiti, also offered its aircraft for such efforts.
In an effort to help raise money for relief efforts, American struck a limited partnership with the Red Cross, tapping its frequent flyer program. AAdvantage members can earn a one-time award of 250 bonus miles for a minimum donation of $50 or 500 bonus miles for a donation of $100 or more to the American Red Cross through Feb. 28.
American also announced Jan. 14 that to ensure all customers’ bags are accommodated on scheduled flights, it will impose a 30-day embargo on all excess, oversize and overweight baggage on flights to Santo Domingo, Santiago and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.
Some hotel chains created programs for members to donate loyalty points for Haiti relief efforts.
Choice Hotels, which announced on Jan. 6 its entry into the Haitian market later this year with two properties in Jacmel in the south, said that members of its Choice Privileges rewards program could donate to organizations such as the Red Cross.
Starwood partnered with the Red Cross to collect hotel points to help with relief efforts.
The Caribbean Tourism Organization mobilized its Disaster Relief Fund to channel monetary assistance to Haiti. Details are available at www.onecaribbean.org.
Mike Spinelli, a former ASTA president, has been involved with a Vermont organization called Pure Water for the World [www.purewaterfortheworld.org]. Its building in Petionville was damaged, and some staff were unaccounted for as of press time.
Haiti’s official website, www.haititourisme.com, was directing visitors to a listing of earthquake relief funds, but the status of Haiti’s top tourism officials -- Director General Daniel Fouchard and Tourism Minister Patrick Delatour -- remained unknown.
The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, a pool in which 16 Caribbean governments participate, was reported to be ready to pay $8 million to Haiti. Payment amounts are based on the amount of coverage paid for by each country. In Haiti’s case, the policy premium was $385,000, according to Crain Business Report.
Johanna Jainchill, Michelle Baran and Michael Fabey contributed to this report.