American Airlines, Miles For Kids In Need Program Transporting 30 Salvadoran Children to Receive Heart Surgery

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, June 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Airlines, through its Miles For Kids In Need® program, along with Airline Ambassadors International and Gift of Life International, is transporting 30 Salvadoran children to the United States this week to receive desperately needed heart surgery.

On June 15 a group of children and their caretakers will depart San Salvador International Airport for Dallas-Fort Worth and Miami, and another group will depart June 19 for Los Angeles. This is the largest single initiative in the history of American's Miles For Kids In Need program, which is providing complimentary travel for the group. In addition, American is sending 2,000 pounds of nutritional supplements to assist families in El Salvador.

"We are honored to assist with these all-important journeys, and to help in providing nutritional aid," said Eduardo del Pozo, American's Country Manager – El Salvador. "American has served El Salvador for 20 years, and we and our employees are passionate about caring for the communities where we live and work. It means a lot to us to be able to help these families, and for these children to get the medical care they need."

Established by American in 1989, the Miles For Kids In Need program provides worldwide support for children and their families, as well as for organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with medical, educational and social service needs. Since the program's inception, American Airlines AAdvantage® frequent traveler program members have generously donated their miles to help children in need. Last year alone, members donated more than 70 million AAdvantage miles, and the Miles For Kids In Need program provided transportation for more than 600 children and a parent or guardian.

Airline Ambassadors International (AAI) is a non-profit organization that was founded by American Airlines flight attendants using their flight benefits to help children. Airline Ambassadors has worked in El Salvador since 1999, providing more than $30 million in relief assistance to the Salvadoran people.

Gift of Life is a Rotary-based program that began in 1975. Over the past 35 years, more than 11,500 children from 67 countries on 5 continents have been provided life-saving surgeries. Today, there are 66 Rotary Clubs or Districts that sponsor Gift of Life programs.

To learn more about the Miles For Kids In Need program and other community initiatives that American Airlines supports, please visit American's new website, www.AA.com/JoinUs.

About American Airlines

American Airlines, American Eagle and AmericanConnection® serve 250 cities in 40 countries with, on average, more than 3,400 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 nearly 700 destinations in more than 130 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com, We know why you fly and AAdvantage are registered trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. (NYSE: AMR)

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SOURCE American Airlines