American Airlines is now flying a very special Airbus A321. This aircraft will commemorate one of the most difficult journeys in human life: cancer. American Airlines' Stand Up to Cancer plane is now ready to fly and will soon make its way across the country. This comes after American collected donations of $25 or more to paint the name of a cancer survivor, patient, or a deceased loved one on the Stand Up to Cancer plane.
The Stand Up to Cancer plane
American Airlines released the details of this aircraft in a press release. Friday, September 20th marked the first flight for the Airbus A321 as it flew a group of caregivers and cancer survivors from Los Angeles International Airport to Orlando. This was no ordinary flight. Indeed, onboard, the passengers were treated to inflight entertainment from artist Noah Schnacky and comedian Marina Franklin.
That is not all for the passengers. Moreover, Americans' crew working this flight all had connections to cancer. The First Officer, Brandon Bailey, was a part of American's public service announcement featuring Tim McGraw.
Janelle Anderson, the Vice President of Marketing at American had the following statement on this initiative:
It’s our company’s mission to care for people on life’s journey. When your family is facing cancer, it can be impossible to get away to focus on recharging and renewing your spirit. This weekend, American Airlines, Hyatt and Universal Orlando Resort joined forces to support Stand Up To Cancer and families affected by cancer to give them a much-needed weekend away.
How much has American Airlines' Stand Up to Cancer initiative raised?
Although the aircraft bears a humbling yet stunning livery, the ultimate goal of this endeavor was to raise money for cancer-fighting initiatives. American was able to raise $825,000 through this endeavor for cancer research.
In total, 22,627 names are on the exterior of this aircraft. Amongst all the names on the plane, there are a few notable celebrities. The names of Patrick Swayze and Tug McGraw, father of country singer Tim McGraw, adorn this aircraft among thousands of other names of everyday fighters and believers.
Where will this plane fly?
An American Airlines spokesperson confirmed to Simple Flying that the aircraft will be cycled around American's route network. That is, the aircraft is not intended to serve a particular route and will instead carry the sacrifices and strength of thousands of people across the country for many passengers to marvel at. If you want to track the aircraft, the registration of the plane is N162AA. Over the next few days, this aircraft will visit airports like Dallas, Orlando, Austin, and New York- LaGuardia.
If you are traveling in the next few weeks, look out for this very special plane. If you do see this aircraft, share your experiences and images with us through social media at the bottom of this page!
Is your name or that of a loved one on this aircraft? Let us know what this plane means to you in the comments!