In a few weeks, I’ll be joining a bunch of frequent flyer junkies on the ultimate avgeek field trip, the Star MegaDo. I’m excited to see many familiar [and new] faces soon!
While traveling on these frequent flyer trips always seem based around fun (well, let’s be honest- they’re really fun!), the foundation is and has always been charity and giving back.
Right after the finale of the MegaDo, there’s rewarding opportunity to not only be part of an awesome aircraft unveiling and inaugural flight, but a chance to have a truly hands-on and rewarding humanitarian experience of a lifetime. I’ve enjoyed my fair share of fun inaugural flights before, but this one is in a league of its own on so many levels.
The the hard-working organizers of the MegaDo will conclude the fun of the MegaDo in a very special way by joining Norwegian Air to help deliver 144 tons of humanitarian aid to a refugee camp in Djibouti.
This special opportunity grants you a hands-on experience with the delivery on the ground and all of the moving parts leading up to it.
Here are the official details:
MegaDo and Norwegian have teamed up to offer you the opportunity to travel on board Norwegian’s inaugural Boeing 787 UNICEF humanitarian flight.
This year, Norwegian is celebrating its 10th anniversary of partnering with UNICEF. The airline has one Boeing 737 in Europe with a UNICEF livery that has carried out three humanitarian aid flights in the last few years (to the Central African Republic, Jordan for the largest Syrian refugee camp, and earlier this year to Mali). Next month, Norwegian will take delivery of its first Dreamliner with a UNICEF livery. The airline will celebrate the event by carrying the next humanitarian aid flight on a Boeing 787 aircraft.
The destination is Djibouti, where UNICEF has several refugee camps, including one of the largest in the world for Yemeni refugees. It is also the closest safe point to transport aid to Yemen, with 144 tons of humanitarian aid cargo set to be shipped from Djibouti across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen.
As with all previous UNICEF humanitarian flights, Norwegian’s Founder and CEO Bjørn Kjos will join the flight, help offload the life-saving cargo, and visit the refugee camp. Whilst the brand-new aircraft will come from Boeing’s Seattle factory, the journey will start in Copenhagen, where we will visit UNICEF’s supply division that holds the cargo we will load onto the aircraft and bring to Djibouti. Upon arrival, we will help offload the supply and bring it to the refugee camp.
All proceeds will be donated to Norwegian’s partner UNICEF.
Schedule:
September 25th
- 09:00 – 11:00: Visit UNICEF’s Supply Division in Copenhagen.
- 09:00 – 12:00: Load 144 tons of emergency aid at CPH airport.
- 12:00 – 13:00: Celebrate the unveiling of Norwegian’s UNICEF Dreamliner and the aircraft’s inaugural flight.
- 13:00: Fly 144 tons of emergency aid from CPH to JIB.
- 21:00: Arrival JIB and offloading of cargo.
September 26th
- 08:00 – 12:00: Visit refugee camp outside of JIB (to be confirmed)
- 13:00: Fly to OSL.
There are 10 seats up for auction, and there’s a week left to try to grab a seat and support a good cause. Bids start at $1,000 per person (or you can skip the auction & secure a guaranteed seat for $5,000). Remember that 100% of the proceeds from this charity auction will go to UNICEF, the organization that Norwegian has supported for more than a decade.
Bottom Line
While I am immensely grateful for all of the places my family and I have been able to travel to over the years with the aid of miles and points, there are some trips that are truly unique and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, especially when they leave an impact on your heart and the lives of others.
I’ve taken many humanitarian and volunteer trips over the course of youth and my college years, and those experiences have made a lasting impact on my perspective of the world.
The true essence of travel, in my opinion, is being able to connect and help better the lives of others around the world – both near and far. My heart goes out to all of the families affected by Hurricane Harvey, and I hope we can all think of a way to help, even if its a small contribution of some sort.
I hope to see a few readers support a great cause and create an impact of a lifetime by traveling on board Norwegian’s inaugural Boeing 787 UNICEF humanitarian flight.
Leave a Reply