American Airlines and the Something mAAgic Foundation Team Up to Make Dreams Come True

FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- American Airlines and the Something mAAgic Foundation® are working with four wish-granting organizations to help grant children's wishes with a trip to Orlando, Fla. Thirty three courageous children and their families will participate in this year's mAAgic(SM) flight, the Something mAAgic Foundation's annual marquee event.

mAAgic flight sends children with chronic or life-threatening medical conditions and their families to Florida for a seven-day retreat at Give Kids The World Village®, with trips throughout the week to various Orlando attractions. To date, more than 375 children have participated in mAAgic flight.

Bon voyage festivities are taking place today in 33 airports throughout the American Airlines and American Eagle network as the children depart their home cities. In addition, connection and arrival celebrations are being held in Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Miami, New York and Orlando. These events, hosted by employee volunteers from American Airlines, American Eagle and American Airlines Federal Credit Union, include decorations, games and cheering for children and their families as they begin their "mAAgical" vacations.

During their stay at Give Kids The World Village, families will enjoy accommodations in their own villa and meals on site at the Gingerbread House Restaurant. The Village, complete with a wheelchair-accessible carousel, an Ice Cream Palace, a movie theatre and a boundless playground, is specially designed to delight children of all ages.

"The Something mAAgic Foundation developed this event to give these courageous children and their families a week solely devoted to having fun, rather than focusing on hospital visits and medical treatments," said Craig Kreeger, American's Senior Vice President – Customer Experience. "The dedication of our employee volunteers to this program ensures we are able to help grant wishes for kids around the world for years to come."

The Something mAAgic Foundation collaborates with A Special Wish, Casey Cares, Dream Factory® and the Make-A-Wish Foundation®, with the goal of expanding each organization's wish-granting efforts.

More than $1.6 million in cash and in-kind donations have been raised to date to fund mAAgic flight and wish enhancements for children across the world. This year's mAAgic flight is sponsoring children from the U.S., Puerto Rico, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Spain.

Air travel for children and their families is generously donated by AAdvantage® members through the American Airlines Kids in Need(SM) program. Over the years, millions of miles from the program have helped fly children and their families on mAAgic flight. More information about the Kids in Need program can be found at www.aa.com/kids.

To learn more about the Something mAAgic Foundation or to help fulfill wishes through volunteer opportunities or a financial contribution, please visit www.somethingmaagic.org.

About American Airlines

American Airlines, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection® carrier serve 250 cities in 50 countries with, on average, more than 3,600 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American's award-winning website, AA.com®, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld® Alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members serve approximately 900 destinations with more than 9,000 daily flights to 145 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com, and AAdvantage are trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. (NYSE: AMR).

About Something mAAgic Foundation

The Something mAAgic Foundation® Inc., is a nonprofit organization comprised of volunteers who are current and former employees of American Airlines, American Eagle and American Airlines Federal Credit Union (AAFCU). It supports the missions of Give Kids The World Village® and other children's organizations to create mAAgical memories for children with chronic or life-threatening medical conditions. For more information, visit www.somethingmaagic.org.

About the American Airlines Kids in Need Program

The American Airlines Kids in Need(SM) program provides worldwide support for children and their families, as well as for organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with needs for medical, educational, social services issues and/or for those that heighten public awareness of children's issues. Beneficiaries of the program include individuals as well as organizations with needs related to medical, educational and social concerns, and/or causes that heighten public awareness of children's issues. www.aa.com/kids

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation

The Make-A-Wish Foundation® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is one of the world's leading children's charities, with 62 chapters in the United States and its territories and serving children in 47 countries on five continents through 36 international affiliates. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers in the United States, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 200,000 wishes in the United States and 270,000 around the world since its inception. Visit wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

About Casey Cares

The Casey Cares Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides personalized, uplifting programs with a special touch to critically ill children and family members throughout six states. Programs include: Family Festivities, Celebration Vacations, Birthday Blasts, Kami's Jammies, Caring Connection group parties and Better Together.  For more information, visit: www.CaseyCaresFoundation.org.

About A Special Wish Foundation

A Special Wish Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to granting the wishes of children under the age of 21 who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening disorder.  Founded in 1982, A Special Wish Foundation was one of the first wish-granting organizations in the United States, and now has chapters across the U.S, and one in Moscow, Russia.  Since, 1982, wishes have been granted to thousands of quality children. A Special Wish Foundation is the only major wish-granting organization in the United States that grants wishes to qualifying infants, children, and adolescents from birth through and including the age of 20 years.

About Dream Factory

In 1980, The Dream Factory® began with one all-volunteer chapter in Hopkinsville, Ky. Since then, The Dream Factory has grown into the second-largest children's wish-granting organization in the United States, granting more than 25,000 dreams since its inception, all while maintaining a grassroots approach. The Dream Factory continues to operate all 38 of its local chapters with more 5,000 dedicated volunteers. These hard-working individuals raise funds within their own communities and then use those funds to grant the dreams of local children. Because The Dream Factory does not employ people on a local level, 84 percent of all money raised by The Dream Factory is used directly to grant the dreams of critically and chronically ill children.

About Give Kids The World Village

Give Kids The World Village® (GKTW) is a 70-acre, nonprofit resort in Central Florida that creates magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. GKTW provides accommodations at its whimsical resort, donated attractions tickets, meals and more for a weeklong, cost-free fantasy vacation. With the help of many generous individuals, corporations and partnering wish-granting organizations, Give Kids The World Village has welcomed more than 110,000 families from all 50 states and more than 70 countries. For more information about GKTW and its mission, visit givekidstheworld.org.

Current AMR Corp. releases can be accessed on the Internet.

The address is http://www.aa.com

SOURCE American Airlines