As we near the one-year anniversary of the tragic wildfires on Maui, one airline is stepping up to offer residents a reprieve from their current situation. That reprieve is coming in the form of Disneyland vacations as Alaska Air offers Maui CARE flights.
After experiencing the traumas of surviving, and in some cases, losing loved ones in the devastating August 2023 Maui wildfires, survivors have had to endure significant challenges. These challenges included living situation and financial struggles, among others. But, regardless of these challenges, I’m sure surviving such a catastrophe can become mentally consuming. So, what better way to get some relief than to take a vacation?
Unfortunately, life in Hawai’i is hard, even without having to endure a major natural disaster. Understandably, many families can’t really afford to do anything fun. But that’s where Alaska Air comes in as Alaska Air offers Maui CARE flights to give Maui families a chance to take a vacation. Of course, not everyone wants to go to Disneyland, so Alaska Air is committed to offering thousands more flights beyond the Disney vacation opportunity.
Alaska Air Offers Maui CARE Flights
Despite the introduction to this post, Disney isn’t the focus as Alaska Air offers Maui CARE flights. The first flight will be Disney themed, yes, with a full aircraft being chartered to transport 180 Maui survivors to California where they’ll enjoy a Disney vacation with accommodations and two-day Hopper Passes provided by Marriott International and the Walt Disney Company. It’s worth reminding that Alaska Airlines is the airline of Disneyland and Disney World in the U.S. However, the primary focus is providing Maui families complimentary transportation for wherever they need or want to go.
After the initial Disney vacation in July, Alaska will then donate 180 roundtrip tickets per month through the end of 2025. According to program partner, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, that equates to over 3,000 free roundtrip flights through the life of the program. Further, these tickets are valid for travel to ANYWHERE Alaska flies. So if a family wants or need to get from Maui to New York, they can!
Program Parameters
Now, while I’ve already said as much, it’s worth emphasizing that as Alaska Air offers Maui CARE flights, these flights really are just for fire survivors. In fact, when you apply for ticket allocations, you will have to provide a FEMA registration number of American Red Cross case number. There are no income limits to the program, but families with children 18 and under, and those 55 or older may be prioritized over others. Those that have already received assistance flights from Alaska via the Maui Relief Flight Program don’t qualify.
Application
Those interested in applying for Alaska Air Maui CARE flights tickets can do so online at helpingmaui.org. If you don’t want to apply online, you may also do so in-person at the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement’s Kākoʻo Maui Resource Center at 153 E Kamehameha Avenue, Ste. 101, Kahului, HI 96732.
Final Thoughts
It’s ironic, isn’t it? This tremendous act of generosity is being provided by Alaska Airlines – not Hawaiian Airlines. Of course, Alaska Airlines has an ulterior motive in doing so, being that they want goodwill in the islands thanks to their pending of acquisition of Hawaiian, and want government officials’ buy-in. But that’s not the whole story. Even pre-COVID, Alaska was more active in our communities than Hawaiian. Yes, part of that has always been PR, but Alaska does do a fairly good job of supporting the communities they serve in a variety of ways.
It’s worth noting that Alaska provided an enormous amount of cargo support in the immediate aftermath of the devastating fires, and have already provided some Maui families with Disney vacations!