Fly economy and donate the money you saved

[titfilou]

Hello everyone,Well I'm sure you've all eared of the deadly drought in Africa killing millions of people.I thought I would suggest something:- Instead of flying business for you next short trip, book an economy ticket and donate the difference of the airfare to OXFAM Australia.It will be 1 hour or 2 of your life being a little uncomfortable to help hundreds of people surviving.Ultimately would love to take it further but I need your help and the administrator's help to advertise it. Thanks

 

[samh004]

But I already fly economy...

I'm sure this thread has the potential to become quite heated.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Well, I suppose you could drop one class, and donate the difference. If you are flying in Y, you can go budget next time. If you are already flying budget, well... good luck to you.
Ok.. JQ.. here I come...

 

[munitalP]

I read this thread and thought to myself...

hahahahaha

 

[airbridge]

Fantastic idea. Small thing to do that will help so many. Well done.

 

[Smackbum]

I read this thread and thought to myself...

hahahahaha

What's so funny?

 

[airbridge]

I read this thread and thought to myself...hahahahaha

Seriously?

 

[tuppaware]

Does qantas have a scheme to donate FF points ?

 

[ejb]

What if I fly J but donate money anyway? do I need to suffer for them to feel better or can I be happy and help?

Ideas like this try and make people feel bad about having a good life. Just because I fly J does not make me a bad person.

ejb


Sent from my iPhone so please ignore auto corrects!

 

[Will]

I read this thread and thought to myself...

hahahahaha

Come on Platinum! That's not nice.

Good idea, OP. I actually think that might be something to do for my next flight. Thankyou.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

More information please?

Instead of flying business for you next short trip..............It will be 1 hour or 2 of your life being a little uncomfortable to help hundreds of people surviving.

So any flight longer than 2 hours gets me off the hook?

 

[drron]

What if I fly J but donate money anyway? do I need to suffer for them to feel better or can I be happy and help?

Ideas like this try and make people feel bad about having a good life. Just because I fly J does not make me a bad person.

ejb


Sent from my iPhone so please ignore auto corrects!

I totally agree.Where is the evidence that aid has actually helped?
personally I still fly J but make microloans to individuals or groups in places I have been to to help the individual get ahead.Though I have also done this in africa where I have yet to travel.
I do this through Kiva.

 

[Mal]

Hello everyone,Well I'm sure you've all eared of the deadly drought in Africa killing millions of people.I thought I would suggest something:- Instead of flying business for you next short trip, book an economy ticket and donate the difference of the airfare to OXFAM Australia.It will be 1 hour or 2 of your life being a little uncomfortable to help hundreds of people surviving.Ultimately would love to take it further but I need your help and the administrator's help to advertise it. Thanks

<flame shield on>.

NO.

Why?
I generally refuse to support charities that assist people outside of Australia. (and in fact, narrow my charity choices to charities that help humans). Australian charities need funds, and organisations (often religion based with their own agendas) love taking Australian charity donations and spreading them overseas.

Wow, 34c buys a litre of water for a poor child in <insert random country here>. Congratulations. 10c of that goes to the Admins of the charity, 5c goes in bribes, 5c goes in transport costs, 9c goes for the actual cost of the water and the rest is taken up in collection expenses and other overheads.

Sounds like a great deal doesn't it. How does that litre of water help control births in countries that are overpopulated and the parents pop out too many babies? How does that stop civil wars and dictators from destroying the country from within? How does it assist with anything other than making people feel really good about themselves.

By all means, donate to a charity that makes you all warm and fuzzy, but such a noble idea like "Oh, fly Economy instead of Business and donate to charity" - no thanks.

 

[Taezar]

I do Kiva - but focus on women in SE Asia.
I do World Vision - my child is entering high school now in SE Asia.
But here at home?
I support where I work of course! Great programs for not just young people in crisis, but helping Australians who need advice, assistance, employment, education - heck we even teach people how to drive.
The easiest way to support us is to buy your Art Union Prize Home tickets.

 

[samh004]

Mal, drron and ejb sum up my views on the matter. While the idea was noble, it doesn't always actually work out so well. It's a good idea in a perfect world, but our world isn't perfect.

 

[nlagalle]

Hello everyone,Well I'm sure you've all eared of the deadly drought in Africa killing millions of people.I thought I would suggest something:- Instead of flying business for you next short trip, book an economy ticket and donate the difference of the airfare to OXFAM Australia.It will be 1 hour or 2 of your life being a little uncomfortable to help hundreds of people surviving.Ultimately would love to take it further but I need your help and the administrator's help to advertise it. Thanks

I fly Y for work anyway.. And I would never donate to Oxfam (especially them) as so much of you $1 gets wasted through overheads.

Personally like Mal I donate locally when I do. The main ones on my list are ANZAC appeals and Royal Children's hospital appeal. I believe we need the funds here first.

 

[opusman]

Why stop there? You don't need a car, sell that and donate the money. Or your plasma tv. Or your mobile phone.

It's all very admirable but the difference the average individual can make to the world's problems, even if they were to donate every cent they had, would be more or less insignificant.

 

[Coathanger]

What if I fly J but donate money anyway? do I need to suffer for them to feel better or can I be happy and help?

Ideas like this try and make people feel bad about having a good life. Just because I fly J does not make me a bad person.

ejb

+1.

I quote 'Altruism means that we should not be exclusively preoccupied with our own welfare. This does not imply that one should become a martyr!' from Twitter.

 

[munitalP]

What's so funny?

Seriously?

Come on Platinum! That's not nice.

Good idea, OP. I actually think that might be something to do for my next flight. Thankyou.

I laughed because the few J fares I fly, there's no way known I will be giving them away.

For the rest of my response, read Mal's post - he pretty much summed up my thoughts

We have many issues in our own back yard, so lets try sort them out first! ANZAC / RED SHIELD / ROYAL MELBOURNE etc... are worthy contenders for my donations - some dictator driven African nation - nup, no chance.

Flame away - I don't care. Let the rest of the world sort their own problems out for a change and as I said, lets look after our own - that must make some sense...

 

[joeymelb]

Donate money to charity so they can use the money to fly Business or First to Copenhagen for the useless climate conference?? How I love to attend UN Food Aid conference in Bangkok last year watching those fat African representatives gouging themselves in Maine lobsters... I have since come to the conclusion that charity are cons. If anyone really want to donate, just lobby Bob Brown and Gillard for mandatory Donation Tax on top of Flood Tax.