Southwest Airlines® marks 10th year of its Medical Transportation Grant Program with donation of 10,000 roundtrip flights in 2017
In celebration of milestone anniversary, airline partners with Musicians On Call to bring healing power of music to patients receiving medical treatment
DALLAS, Texas, 2017-Feb-26 — /Travel PR News/ — Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that 75 nonprofit hospitals and medical organizations across the nation will benefit from the Southwest Airlines® Medical Transportation Grant Program (MTGP), with the total impact reaching 100 facilities in 2017. In celebration of the 10th anniversary the airline’s Medical Transportation Grant Program, Southwest® will donate 10,000 roundtrip flights in 2017 to benefit families who need to travel for specialized medical care. This travel is donated in an effort to reduce the financial burden of serious illness on individuals and families.
Southwest is extending a healing hand through partnership with Musicians On Call (MOC), a nonprofit organization that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities across the country. Through the airline’s partnership with MOC, musicians will have the opportunity to connect with patients through the healing power of music—truly medicine for the soul.
As part of the celebration of Southwest’s MTGP milestone anniversary, MOC will perform special concert performances for Southwest Customers to enjoy at Los Angeles (LAX), Nashville (BNA), and Atlanta (ATL) airports.
“Musicians On Call is honored to partner with Southwest Airlines as we work together to provide the healing power of music to hospital patients and unique music experiences to customers in cities across the country,” said Pete Griffin, Musicians On Call President. “Like Southwest, Musicians On Call strives to support children, adults, Veterans, and families in healthcare facilities and working together we will have a deeper impact on this shared value.”
“Southwest Airlines is known for loving People. We are a Company with Heart and we are honored to have been able to connect People with the medical treatment they need for the last 10 years,” said Linda Rutherford, Southwest Airlines Vice President and Chief Communications Officer. “This new partnership with Musicians On Call is a beautiful way to bring music to patients and put a smile on their faces.”
Since the Southwest Airlines Medical Transportation Grant Program’s inception in 2007, more than 59,000 complimentary roundtrips—valued at more than $23 million—have been distributed to organizations in 28 states. Duke University Medical Center, the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center; Miracle Flights; Shriners Hospitals for Children; and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center have been MTGP recipients since the program began 10 years ago. To date, there have been 109 total participating nonprofit hospitals and medical organizations. Visit https://www.southwest.com/medicalgrant/ to view a full list of participating Partners.
To learn more about the positive impact of the Medical Transportation Grant Program, visit www.southwest.com/medicalgrant. To learn about qualifications for travel assistance through the designated organizations, please contact the Social Work, Travel/Concierge Service, or Patient Assistance Department directly at the hospitals and medical organizations listed online, as each has unique guidelines for the administration of tickets.
ABOUT MUSICIANS ON CALL
Musicians On Call (MOC) was founded in 1999 with the mission of bringing live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities ranging from children’s hospitals to adult facilities, VA hospitals and hospices. To date, its volunteers have played for half a million people across the country. By delivering live, in-room performances to patients undergoing treatment or unable to leave their beds, they add a dose of joy to life in a healthcare facility. MOC supporters over the years include Bruce Springsteen, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Antebellum, Justin Timberlake, Ed Sheeran, Reba, Gavin DeGraw, Darius Rucker, Pharrell, Amos Lee, Nick Jonas, Rachel Platten and many more. For more information, visit www.musiciansoncall.org.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 46th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 53,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually. Southwest proudly operates a network of 101 destinations in the United States and eight additional countries with more than 3,900 departures a day during peak travel season. Subject to requisite governmental approvals, service to Grand Cayman begins June 4, 2017, the same date service is scheduled to begin from Cincinnati.
Based on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s most recent data, Southwest Airlines is the nation’s largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded. The Company operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world, the majority of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi providing gate-to-gate connectivity. That connectivity enables Customers to use their personal devices to view video on-demand movies and television shows, as well as nearly 20 channels of free, live TV compliments of our valued Partners. Southwest created Transfarency®, a philosophy which treats Customers honestly and fairly, and in which low fares actually stay low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free® to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some airlines may allow free checked bags on select routes or for qualified circumstances), and there are no change fees, though fare differences might apply. The airline proudly unveiled a bold new look: Heart. A new logo, aircraft livery, interior design featuring a new seat and Flight Attendant galley, Employee-designed uniforms, and an updated airport experience all showcase the dedication of Southwest Employees who connect Customers with what’s important in their lives.
From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as “The Southwest Effect,” a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic whenever the carrier enters new markets. With 44 consecutive years of profitability, Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier’s performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. The 2015 Southwest Airlines One Report™ can be found at SouthwestOneReport.com.
Book Southwest Airlines’ low fares online at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.
SOURCE: Southwest Airlines Co.
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