Alaska Airlines this week announced it is offering military veterans from the state of Hawaii a free flight to Washington D.C, allowing them the chance to attend a special ceremony that honors their service.
The first flight will leave, appropriately enough, the second week of November to coincide with Veterans Day on November 11. Flights will continue into 2023, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
The inaugural flight is being partially sponsored by the Honor Flight Network, a nationwide organization that organizes such trips for veterans.
"Here we are, 17 years later (after the group's 2,005 founding), having flown over 250,000 veterans - that's amazing," Matthew Shuman, president of Honor Flight's board of directors, said according to the Star-Advertiser. "But we have a hole in our system that's here for the islands of Hawaii. Just because veterans live here and are proud to call Hawaii home doesn't mean that we should leave them out."
Shuman was referring to Hawaii's distance from the nation's capital, which is almost 5,000 miles and a nine-hour flight. Getting to Washington from Honolulu can be an overwhelming and expensive proposition, making the Alaska Airlines offer all the most generous.
"When we talk about serving every single veteran, making sure that not one veteran is left behind, it's more than just words," added Shuman. "We want every single veteran from Hawaii and the Pacific islands, American Samoa or any other island who served the United States in uniform. I don't care what you look like, what your orientation - you served honorably, let us honorably serve you."
Tim Thompson, Alaska Airlines director of public engagement, said it was the airline's privilege.
"Alaska Airlines will be just one of many businesses that it will take to get these veterans to D.C. We're going to need the help of volunteers, guardians, other businesses and individuals to create a vibrant hub here in Hawaii," he said.
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