Bangkok--Apr 25--Thanaburin Asia Pacific
The generosity of Qantas Airways passengers has led to a record amount being raised for the UNICEP Change for Food programme during 2004. The programme, which collects foreign currency from travellers flying on Qantas raised over A$1.5 million (46.5 million baht) during the year.
The growth of the programme has seen the annual amounts raised continuing to increase each year. Qantas today collects more in one month than was raised in the programme’s first year in 1001.
Qantas was the first airline in the world to adopt the UNICEP Change for Good programme and at the end of 2004 Qantas passengers have raised a cumulative total of over A$11 million (341 million baht).
Money raised through the UNICEP Change for Good programme is used to provide nutrition, proper sanitation, education and protection for the world’s neediest children. One advantage of the programme is that even a small donation can make a real difference, for example save a life through one simple dose of vaccine — often costing less than A$1.
How does Change For Good Work?
During an inflight video presentation, Qantas customers are asked to donate spare foreign currency using the Change for Good envelopes, which are distributed in audio headset packs on all Qantas flights both internationally and domestically.
Long haul flight attendants collect the donations on international flights while customers on short haul sectors are encouraged to deposit donations in UNICEF Change for Good collection bins located inside all Qantas domestic terminals.
All donations are transported to Sydney where a team of dedicated volunteers, who all former Qantas staff or members of their families count the donations daily.
Notes are banked while coins are sorted into 168 separated currency types. Currencies include the obscure like Albanian leks, Azerbaijani mantas and Bangladeshi takas to the most popular currencies including New Zealand and Australian dollars followed by British pounds, US dollars and the Euro.
Every three months or so 1,000 kgs of coin-filled cartons are sent to the United Kingdom, USA and New Zealand for conversion and banking. The coins are carried for free by Qantas Freight.
Currently, Qantas Airways has 14 flights weekly departing Bangkok to London (7) and Sydney (7) with transferring flights to other cities within Australia.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Kasemsri Kaewthammachai / Yuwadi Chombun
Qantas Public Affairs office
Tel: 02 231 6158-9 Mobile: 01 611 4696
Fax: 02 231 6230
Email: [email protected]
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