If you're insanely rich and feeling charitably, here's a carrot for you. Singapore Airlines will be holding a charity auction for tickets to and from Sydney that kicks off this Monday, 27th August 2007. However, its not just any flight, its a flight that will go down in aviation history as the first commercial flight of the "this-plane-is-so-huge-getting-it-off-the-ground-is-already-a-feat-by-itself" Airbus A380.
Seats across all three classes will be auctioned on the global online marketplace, eBay. There will be plenty of seats put to auction, allowing many opportunities for travelers keen to be part of history to join the First Flight experience. For the new Singapore Airlines Suites, the A380’s First Flight will be the first ever occasion to fly on what will be a product that totally redefines luxury in the sky.
So, if you're feeling generous, read on for details on how to get on that flight!
Singapore Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Chew Choon Seng, said the
Airline wants to acknowledge the widespread interest in the entry into
commercial service of this all-new airplane, and to use the opportunity
to benefit worthwhile charities. "The first commercial A380 flight will be a moment in aviation history.
It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, on an aircraft that will
mark a new chapter in air travel. "And while we will celebrate the event, we also wish to remember the
people who are less fortunate and can be assisted by the charities to
which all the proceeds will go," Mr Chew said.
Singapore Airlines has secured support from three important partners for this charity event. One of the Airline's strategic fuel suppliers, and a key partner,
ExxonMobil Aviation, will donate the fuel for the flights.
"We are pleased to support this event as a strategic partner of
Singapore Airlines. This charity event is in line with our
long-standing effort to make a positive impact on the communities in
which we operate," said Mr Kwa Chong Seng, Chairman
and Managing Director of ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd.
eBay - the world's leading online marketplace will subsidise the fees and charges from this auction, and
PayPal, a global leader in online payment solutions, will rebate a portion of its fees and charges to help support the charities.
"eBay is uniquely positioned as a global online marketplace to provide
boundless opportunity for fund-raising and social responsibility
programs and we are delighted to support Singapore Airlines in this
very unique charity auction," said Sam McDonagh, Director for eBay
Southeast Asia.
The actual date of the flight will be fixed soon, after final
notification from Airbus about the delivery date this coming October.
The proceeds of the auction will be split evenly between the following exceptionally worthwhile organisations:
• One-third to Singapore's Community Chest
• One-third split between the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, both in Sydney
• One-third to Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders.
Singapore Airlines and eBay plan for the auction to be conducted
some weeks prior to the flight. Those interested in pre-registering for
notification on auction details - which will include the date of the
flight and the charities to benefit from proceeds - may do so by
visiting
singaporeair.com/a380.
Singapore
COMMUNITY CHEST OF SINGAPORE
Community Chest was founded in 1983 to raise funds for the nation's
many social service organisations, relieving them of the burden of
fund-raising so they can focus on their primary responsibility of
caring for and serving the needy. With the generosity of individuals,
corporations and foundations, today Community Chest funds 147 social
service programmes run by 57 charities to help over 340,000 people in
Singapore. All funds raised will go towards nurturing children to
succeed, keeping families together, dignifying the lives of the elderly
as well as empowering people with disabilities to lead independent
lives. Singapore Airlines has been a supporter of Community Chest for
over two decades.
www.communitychest.org.sg
Sydney
SYDNEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, RANDWICK
Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick is one of Australia's leading
specialist medical centres for children. They provide quality,
comprehensive and expert clinical services to the children and families
of New South Wales and beyond.
www.sch.edu.au
THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AT WESTMEAD
The Children's Hospital at Westmead is the highly respected, largest
paediatric centre in NSW, providing excellent care for children from
NSW, Australia and across the Pacific Rim. The Hospital has 3,000 staff
working in 150 departments.
www.chw.edu.au
Global Humanitarian Organisation
MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent medical-humanitarian
organisation, delivering emergency aid to people affected by armed
conflict, epidemics and natural as well as man-made disasters in over
70 countries. MSF is an international movement with branches in 18
countries. MSF teams in the field are composed of international and
national staff and each year over 3000 volunteers work alongside more
than 25,000 locally hired staff to provide urgent medical care to
vulnerable populations. In emergencies and their aftermath, MSF
provides essential healthcare, rehabilitates and runs hospitals and
clinics, performs surgery, responds to epidemics, carries out
vaccination campaigns, operates feeding centres for malnourished
children, and offers mental healthcare. When needed, MSF also
constructs wells and dispenses clean drinking water, and provides
shelter materials like blankets and plastic sheeting. MSF was founded
in 1971, with the aim of cutting through red tape to deliver
humanitarian aid fast and effectively. The organisation focuses on
delivering emergency care and also on speaking out, using volunteers'
eyewitness accounts and medical data, when witnessing massive acts of
violence against individuals and groups. MSF was awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize in 1999.
www.msf.org
