Virgin Atlantic Supports Haiti Earthquake Relief

In January 2010, following the devastating earthquake in Haiti on 12 January, we supported international humanitarian relief efforts by transporting approximately 55 tonnes of emergency supplies to Miami, Florida. The shipment was intended to assist relief organisations working to deliver essential aid to communities affected by the disaster, which caused widespread destruction, loss of life and disruption to basic services across Haiti. Using our long-haul cargo capacity, we helped move humanitarian supplies from the United Kingdom to Miami, an important logistics centre for coordinating relief shipments to Haiti. The operation supported the wider international response by helping position urgently needed materials closer to the affected region, where damaged infrastructure and difficult operating conditions complicated the distribution of aid. The relief shipment was a practical contribution to the emergency response, using our aviation resources to support humanitarian organisations during a period of exceptional need. It also reflected the role that commercial airlines could play in transporting essential supplies when established supply chains were under pressure.