Humanitarian organizations shipping care by air can turn to Airlift Flyers Aviation (ALFA) for solutions. For charities on austere budgets, air mobility ought to be no obstacle. ALFA is committed to airlifting humanitarian cargo and personnel no matter how tight their funding might be. Arranging airborne benevolence is what we do. We are a nonprofit team of volunteers helping vital aid reach mission destinations abroad by air. We offer distinctive air logistics alternatives customized to NGOs and faith-based organizations utilizing the amazing goodwill and tremendous capabilities in aviation. We’re ready to put wings on your mission so you can get back to focus on doing what you do best.
FAQs by missioners, non-profit organizations, charities, emergency relief teams and NGOs
Q: What does ALFA do?
A: ALFA is an advocate for charitable air mobility, aviation philanthropy and the alliance of both. We strive to minimize the burden of air transportation by arranging free or subsidized flights to benefit humanitarian organizations delivering relief aid, humanitarian assistance and development programs where it’s needed the most. ALFA is an airbridge linking compassionate aviators with charities actively helping them come together to amazing feats of compassion.
Q: How does the program work?
A: It works in one of two ways. As soon as a flight request is filed, ALFA gets to work on finding matching flight donors. Conversely, when donors file a flight offer, ALFA gets to work in searching for charities whose travel or cargo shipment objectives match the donor’s parameters. Flight donors may offer seats or surplus space for cargo on select flights with little advance notice. Free air travel in general aviation aircraft does not involve bookings, reservations, boarding passes, gate numbers, etc. Subsidized air cargo shipments may involve export documentation such as Airwaybills issued by a carrier or their agent.
Q: What does ALFA mean by “free” and “subsidized” with regards to humanitarian air transportation?
A: The words “free”, “no charge” “complimentary” and “donated flight” synonymously represent a wide selection of potential philanthropic contributions made possible by Donors (benevolent persons and or companies) with social conscience who fly and/or own or operate aircraft and offer air transportation completely free of charge as a valuable service to fulfill purely humanitarian objectives. They underwrite the entire costs of the trip. The word “subsidized” means air transportation of humanitarian cargo offered by or negotiated with commercial air cargo carriers at deep-discount rates or significantly reduced airfreight below market rates. Either way, ALFA facilitates air transportation by coordinating flights at absolutely no cost (free) or at minimal cost (subsidized) to benefit charitable organizations conducting humanitarian missions.
Q: Are reservations or tickets required to travel in an ALFA-arranged flight?
A: There are no tickets issued or required but a valid passport and driver’s license or other photo ID will be checked to confirm positive identification. Prospective travelers must demonstrate evidence of humanitarian need and verifiable proof of endorsement by a charitable organization. Unlike routine airline travel, there is no ticketing, reserved seating, boarding passes, gate numbers, flight attendants, etc.
Q: How does ALFA handle flight requests?
A: Flight requests are prequalified and compared to matching flight offers but not all requests are equal. We look for eligible levels of urgency or humanitarian-impact value. Thus, ALFA’s primary duty is vetting missions, credentialing passengers and qualifying cargo. The screening process entails prioritizing the flight request based on two factors: its merit and the relative availability of flight offers. Our secondary duties include facilitating and simplifying flight paperwork requirements; coordinating and managing missions; educating and preparing flight beneficiaries to know what to expect and what is expected of them; managing ground logistics with accurate details and updates; answering any questions, responding swiftly and effectively to any needs or problems that may occur; ensuring positive and successful outcomes.
Q: How does a nonprofit humanitarian group go about requesting a flight?
A: To start please submit your request by email. Declare a COMPELLING NEED STATEMENT that justifies free or subsidized air transportation. Affirm the magnitude of the mission and the humanitarian impact expected to occur as a result. State your organization’s mission focus, the objectives, precise mission strategies, overseas partners, alternate flight dates, and passenger and / or cargo transportation request information in detail. For passengers please provide the estimated itinerary (approximate departure day and return day) for the number of travelers. ALFA’s coordinators routinely ask: How flexible is the travelers itinerary? How “ready” will the travelers be to adapt to changes?
Q: When complimentary air transportation is not available for round-trip scheduled travel or exact on time humanitarian cargo, can ALFA arrange charter flights?
Yes, ALFA has pre-established third-party commercial or charter flights for both time-critical and non-urgent haul scenarios uniquely priced and tailored to the exceptional needs of humanitarian organizations. Commercial and charter operators may rate a subsidized flight “at cost” in deference to extraordinary humanitarian significance of the flight. The company may use the flight to enhance its corporate image and are in fact encouraged to do so.
Q: Does ALFA operate its own airplanes to conduct free flights?
A: Currently flights are conducted by independent private aircraft owners, operators and pilots devoting their time, skills and assets to assist nonprofit-registered US humanitarian passengers, groups or cargo journeying overseas on humanitarian missions. Free flights are usually offered in general aviation aircraft sponsored by kindhearted aviators giving the gift of wings to help charitable groups fulfill humanitarian objectives.
Q: Does ALFA arrange flights for air cargo with (one or more) passengers on board?
A: Yes, all of the above. Depending on the aircraft capability ALFA may arrange group travel and accompanying cargo or separately arranged air transportation of humanitarian cargo.
Q: What is ALFA’s role in response to natural catastrophes like hurricanes and earthquakes?
A: ALFA synchronizes and expedites air transportation in emergency situations and is particularly active whenever calamity strikes. Airlift capabilities are pre-planned before the urgency arises, standing ready to launch special flight missions in conjunction with strategic partners and deploy vital supplies on short notice to aid vulnerable populations on the edge of survival. ALFA has tactical operations ready to airlift first responders and their specialized equipment in the aftermath of a natural disaster to mitigate the effects of the devastation upon impoverished communities ill-prepared to confront overwhelming tragedies. The four stages of emergency response are as follows:
1. Prepare for emergencies inasmuch as the forecast allows.
2. Save lives and protect livelihoods in emergencies
3. Prevent starvation, dehydration, exposure to the elements and disease outbreaks after emergencies
4. Restore and rebuild habitats to mitigate the impact of emergencies
Q: What are some important qualifications for travelers using ALFA’s free services?
A: First and foremost the travel request must be substantiated by persuasive reasons. Passengers must be US or Canadian citizens and volunteers, not paid staffers, actively volunteering for or on behalf of non-profit organizations, traveling to render relief aid or humanitarian assistance. This provision explicitly excludes anyone traveling for ineligible purposes such as, for example, recreation, commerce, tourism, journalism, sports or political activism. Passengers under 18 years of age must accompanied by parents or guardian. Travelers will be required to sign a Hold-Harmless Waiver Release form and provide copies of current valid passports.
Q: How many pieces of carry-on luggage are allowed?
A: Limitations on the quantity of carry-on luggage on board donated flights vary considerably from flight to flight. Restrictions on per-piece weight and dimensions vary widely as well. Check with your flight coordinator. Carry-on weigh and quantity is allotted by the flight donor and is limited by the number of priority cargo or passengers. Fewer passenger = more cargo weight and vice versa. The exact availability of cargo capacity in any given free flight is difficult to predict and typically determined the day of the flight when all combined load factors such as fuel and passengers come together. By comparison, subsidized flights offer ample planning lead time and greater volume / weight potential for humanitarian cargo, but not passengers.
Q: How do exporters prepare parcels for shipment to overseas destinations?
A: For unaccompanied cargo please provide necessary information to appear in the shipping documents, namely:
1 Shipper’s name, address and phone/fax numbers and email.
2 Consignee’s name, address and phone/fax numbers and email.
3 Description of the goods, country of origin or manufacture (Made In ….?) and dollar value of goods being shipped.
4 Copies of manufacturer’s or supplier’s invoice (recommended to facilitate import permitting through customs)
5 Quantity, weight and box marks of goods being shipped.
The information you provide will be the basis of the shipping documents such as Commercial Invoice and Packing List exactly as provided. Four originals sets of shipping documents are suggested. We recommend you issue the shipping documents yourself or designate a freight forwarder to do so on your behalf. If you accept the donated services of a Miami freight forwarder, they’d be glad to generate the shipping documents – also at no charge.
Or shippers can by-pass donated services by providing necessary documents, whenever applicable, using the following link: http://www.aesdirect.gov/
For unaccompanied donated cargo, please provide an envelope (or information to appear on label) for the shipping documents to be enclosed. Please address the envelope with the name of the consignee, contact person’s phone number or their agent or Customs broker to claim the goods on their behalf from Customs. Note the envelope will be handed to the pilot to be presented to the Customs official immediately upon arrival an unloading. It’s suggested to pack in smaller boxes and parcels (about one square foot approximately) to make the most of the limited space in small aircraft normally flown for humanitarian missions. It’s recommended to mark all packages with the word “humanitarian” to help identify their duty-free status during the Customs clearance process.
Q: What types of items qualify as priority cargo?
A: Only donated goods without commercial interest or profit motive qualify as regular humanitarian cargo. Of this category, priority air cargo is any emergency item such as medical supplies, infant formula, RTE meals, medications, etc. Depending on exceptional circumstances such as the aftermath of natural disaster, items such as tents, cots, mosquito nets, crutches, blankets, wheelchairs, sanitary supplies, batteries, repair parts, generators, light construction materials and tools, etc. may be considered priority air cargo. For shipment of top priority goods such as temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals or perishable vaccines please notify ALFA separately for more specific shipping instructions. ALFA is fully capable of handling perishable cargo also, offering specialty packaging materials like coolers, dry ice, gel packs and temperature monitoring recorders – all donated, at no charge.
Q: What is the ship to address for receiving shipments?
A: Depending on the load and mission, please contact ALFA for ship to directions and receiving appointments. We are capable of receiving shipments ranging from one pound up to 18 wheelers with palletized freight weighing several tons. ALFA arranges the staging of cargo at the ramp, hangar, airport facility or FBO as authorized by the flight donor, flight crew or dispatcher prior to deployment.
Q: Does ALFA schedule fixed flight departures and arrivals?
A: No, at ALFA there are no rigid itineraries for outbound or inbound flights. ALFA is not an airline and does not run scheduled flights. We arrange, mediate and coordinate flight donations. We organize air transportation between nonprofit charities and philanthropic pilots in private airplanes on terms and conditions offered by the donors.
Q: How about the returning flight?
A: Free travel service does not imply an agreement of a free return flight. A proposal for round-trip transportation is always tenuous. The return flight plan may change, expire or be postponed indefinitely or cancelled without of prior notice. If, where and when round-trip travel is offered, it is always a courtesy that is neither binding upon the donor and can and may be withdrawn at anytime.
Q: Is there a charge for the flights?
A: There is absolutely no charge whatsoever for registered nonprofit charities to take advantage of or accept donated flights. All expenses on donated flights are covered by the generosity of volunteer flight crew, aircraft owners and good-willed donors. Subsidized rate flights are a practical and economical alternative to ship humanitarian cargo whenever free flights are not available on demand.
Q: What are the main conditions for passengers accepting free flights?
A: Passengers must represent and be endorsed by a registered 501(c)(3) organization directly engaged in humanitarian activities at destination, must be 18 years of age or older, in good health to fly, have a current USA or Canadian passport and sign a Waiver Release.
Q: How long do flights last, for example, from Miami to Port-au-Prince, Haiti?
A: Depending on the type of aircraft, winds, weather, load and speed expect a two hour flight in a mid-size jet. For piston engine aircraft the flight duration is usually 3 hours to 4 hours with stops for fuel, usually at Grand Turk Island (GDT) or Providenciales (PLS).
Q: Is the mission cargo transported by ALFA-matched flights covered by insurance?
A: No, the flight donors do not carry insurance for property loss or damage covering mission cargo.
Q: Why does ALFA operate primarily from Florida airports?
A: Mainly due to geographical proximity to the Caribbean and Central America, but also because ALFA taps into and sources goodwill from the vibrant network of air carriers, corporate aviation and general aviation communities throughout Florida.
Q: Is it necessary to secure a flight confirmation before shipping to a Florida logistics center?
A: Not necessarily. It’s up to the shipper to decide whether to ship to Florida to connect with a future unknown flight whenever the opportunity arises whether on a donated flight or a subsidized rate flight. Cargo in storage remains ‘on-hold’ status until a future flight is established.
Q: Is there a waiting list for cargo on future flights, how long may the goods remain in storage and what is the order of departure?
A: There is often more demand for flights than donations of flights available to certain destinations. Goods waiting for flights remain in storage indefinitely and are shipped out on a first-arrive first-flight basis. Shipper may recall the shipment or arrange alternate shipping instructions at any time.
Q: Does ALFA issue airwaybills? How about other shipping documents?
A: Shipper is responsible for providing all documentation. Shipping documents may be either attached to the shipment or sent to the logistics center by courier or by fax or postal mail. It’s recommended that at least three sets of shipping documents (such as invoices, certificates, titles, packing lists, government-sealed permits) accompany the shipment to its destination as may be required by customs authorities for import clearances particularly for duty-free purposes.
Q: Why are shipping documents so absolutely important? Who is responsibility for it?
A: Shipping documents facilitate the clearance of the goods through Customs at the destination country. Good shipping documents are particularly vital to avoid unwarranted duties or penalties. It is the shipper’s responsibility to provide ALFA a complete set of shipping documents to accompany the shipment. The envelope will be entrusted to the pilot to hand over to foreign country’s customs officials upon unloading. It’s advisable to mark the envelope and the boxes “HUMANITARIAN”.
Q: Does ALFA take care of the customs clearance at the destination country?
A: Absolutely no. Pilots consider their assignment accomplished as soon as the cargo is unloaded from their aircraft at the destination country. Shippers are fully responsible for all clearance arrangements. Moreover it’s strongly recommended the goods be received by the shipper’s consignee or liaison or customs clearance agent immediately after landing to minimize losses, delays, storage charges and duties. The flight crew wishes to drop off without incidents and depart a.s.a.p., usually planning to be on the ground for no more than a couple of hours.
Q: Does ALFA accept donations of relief supplies, humanitarian aid or material goods?
A: No, ALFA only receives cargo to be airfreighted, not to be donated to ALFA. ALFA only accepts flight donations. ALFA may temporarily store, handle, receive and trans-ship humanitarian goods to, for or on behalf of the flight donors and charities to facilitate logistics. ALFA does not accept goods shipped through or stored or handled by ALFA as part of a mercantile transaction. All items, goods and supplies shipped through or stored or handled by ALFA must be donated without commercial interest. Cargo remains the property of the shipper or consignee at all times. ALFA does not issue receipts for donations.
Q: What type donated of goods are accepted as humanitarian cargo?
A: Flying airfreight is expensive. Therefore ALFA only accepts cargo with a high human-value-to-weight ratio. Due to the high cost of operating aircraft, only donated goods considered “urgent”, “perishable”, “relief”, “priority” or “emergency” deserve the airfreight category. Donated goods that do not exemplify the airfreight category may be re-routed by other conveyances. Flight donors (pilots, aircrew, aircraft owners or operators) have the final word and exclusive right to open parcels, inspect, evaluate, accept or decline transportation of any type of cargo for any reason whatsoever. Our warehouse is fully equipped to handle heavy palletized loads, consolidate, break down and stage airfreight ready for loading delivered right at the aircraft door.
Q: When does cargo get reserved on a flight? When is it guaranteed to arrive?
A: There are reservations or guaranteed shipping dates. Cargo is shipped as soon as space becomes available on flight donations to the destination requested. Insofar as flights are freely given by generous donors, they are not obliged to make calendar commitments or beholden to scheduled, guaranteed or set departure or arrival itineraries.
Q: Can the logistics center provide cold storage?
A: Yes, there is limited refrigerated storage capability set at 34º F (+2ºC) for priority goods such as pharmaceuticals and vaccines. Please pre-advise at least five working days prior to arrival the quantity and specific temperature specs of any perishable shipment to ensure cooler space is available. ALFA makes all efforts to comply with FDA’s temperature chain-of-custody regulations. ALFA’s assets include cold storage for perishable pharmaceuticals and vaccines as well as specialized packaging for temperature sensitive shipments.
Q: Is it necessary to secure a confirmed booking on a free or subsidized rate flight before shipping to the logistics center?
A: It’s up to the shipper to decide whether to ship to the Miami warehouse to connect with an expected flight or to wait for a future unknown flight whenever the opportunity arises. Cargo in storage remains ‘on-hold’ status until a future flight is established.
Q: Is there a waiting list for cargo on future flights, how long may the goods remain in storage and what is the order of departure?
A: There is often more demand for flights than donations of flights available to certain destinations. Goods waiting for flights remain in storage indefinitely and are shipped out on a first-arrive first-flight basis. Shipper may recall the shipment or arrange alternate shipping instructions at any time.
Q: Does ALFA issue airwaybills and related shipping documents?
A: Only commercial carriers and forwarders are authorized to issue negotiable bills of lading. Shipper is responsible for providing all documentation or making special requests for any specific paperwork. Shipping documents may be either attached to the shipment or sent to the logistics center by courier or by fax or postal mail. It’s recommended that at least three sets of shipping documents (such as invoices, certificates, titles, packing lists, government-sealed permits) accompany the shipment to its destination as may be required by customs authorities for import clearances particularly for duty-free purposes.
Q: How and when does shipper or the overseas consignee receive notice of an air shipment?
A: ALFA will use voice, fax or email to notify shipper the status of an air shipment including the airplane’s registration number, aircraft owner /operator or crew name to be announced on or a few days before the day of the flight. Shipper is solely responsible for notifying the overseas consignee and prepares them to receive the shipment.
Q: Is it possible or likely for a shipment to get split up into two or more flights?
A: Yes, partial shipments are likely to occur. All flights have a definite payload capacity and weigh allowance. ALFA volunteers will pick up the precise weight allowed out of the next-in-line cargo waiting for a flight and deliver it by truck to the airport ramp or aircraft door. The weight allowance may necessitate a partial shipment requiring the remaining part to be flown on a separate future flight. Shippers may prevent split shipments by indicating in advance: “Partial Shipments Not Allowed” in the shipping documents.
Q: What packing guidelines are recommended for the shipments in small airplanes?
A: Free flights generally accept carton boxes no larger than about 2 Cu. Ft. or preferably about 1 Cu. Ft. on average to fit easily around narrow recesses in small airplanes. Flexible duffle bags of any size are recommended for stuffing small items. Packaging should be pre-weighed by the shipper with each weight prominently marked in pound units. Each piece (carton box, case, duffle bag, etc) should be labeled or marked identifying its contents (unless the information is already printed on the box by the manufacturer). Just as important, the shipper and consignee’s name and destination contact phone numbers must be clearly indicated.
Q: What type of donated goods are accepted for air shipment?
A: Only donated goods considered “urgent”, “perishable”, “relief”, “priority” or “emergency” deserve the airfreight category due to the considerable higher cost of air vs. ocean freight. Donated goods that do not exemplify the airfreight category may be re-routed by other conveyances. Flight donors (pilots, aircrew, aircraft owners or operators) have the final word and exclusive right to accept or decline transportation of any type of cargo for any reason whatsoever.
Q: When does cargo get reserved on a flight? When is it guaranteed to arrive?
A: Cargo is shipped as soon as space becomes available on donated flights or subsidized rate flights to the destination requested. Insofar as flights are freely given by generous donors or reduced-price by generous carriers, they are not obliged to make reservations or beholden to scheduled, guaranteed or set departure or arrival itineraries.
Q: Besides Haiti, what other destinations are most commonly requested by mission groups?
A: The most frequently requested destinations are Belize City, Belize BZE <> Georgetown, Guyana GEO <> Guatemala City, GUA <> Managua, Nicaragua, MGA <> San Pedro Sula, Honduras SAP <> San Salvador, El Salvador SAL <> Tegucigalpa, Honduras TGU.
Q: Are any particular flight plans specifically dedicated to the mission?
A: Yes, sometimes, but not necessarily. Most mission flight donations utilize empty seats or unused cargo capacity in flights planned for business purposes. A mission flight donation can be flown in conjunction with revenue or leisure flights. In fact many mission flight donations are added legs to corporate flights or flown in dead-head flights.
Q: What airports and geographic area does ALFA cover?
A: We generally arrange flights to the Caribbean and the Americas departing from and returning to Florida regional airports served by US Customs.
Q: What type of airplanes volunteer to fly missions?
A: Privately owned or corporate aircraft. At minimum, 4 seat general aviation aircraft but usually 4-6 passenger turboprops and occasionally midsize jets. Small airplanes require physical dexterity to enter and exit and have no sanitary facility. Some airplanes may have port-a-pottys that may be difficult to access for physically impaired passengers.
Q: Does ALFA offer scheduled flights?
A: No. ALFA is not an airline nor offers fixed itineraries or pre-scheduled flights of any kind. ALFA merely strives to synchronize flight requests with flight donations freely offered by generous pilots and aircraft operators without any obligation to do so. The offer of free air transportation from any origin to any destination at any time must be considered tentative, not binding on the flight donor, aircraft operator, flight crew, sponsors or supporters.
Q: How much advance notice is required for a flight request to become a flight donation?
A: As much previous notice as possible would be appreciated in order to alert volunteers crew and aircraft donors. However, ALFA’s pool of donors is limited and not every flight request can be fulfilled exactly as requested for a myriad of reasons. Flexible flight requests are more likely to successfully accomplish their mission. Adapting to potential flight donors’ program as much as possible does not ensure success but certainly helps in that direction. Plan for and accommodate the flight request to the flight donor, not vice versa. Petitioners with rigidly programmed flight requests are advised to secure alternate means of transportation on their own as a back-up.
Q: Does ALFA require a waiver of liability for its passengers?
A: Yes. All passengers must sign and date a “Hold-Harmless” liability release before boarding. Typically the Flight Coordinator will obtain this paperwork from the traveler prior to the flight and confirm its receipt to the pilot.
Q: Does ALFA arrange air ambulance medical flights?
A: No, ALFA does not coordinate air ambulance services. For information regarding domestic service please contact Mercy Medical Airlift (MMA) at 1-800-296-9217 or info@mercymedicalairlift.org offering free medical air transportation and deep-discounted airline tickets for patients.
Q: Does ALFA help coordinate international air transport of passengers with medical conditions?
A: Yes, depending on exceptional circumstances under rigorous guidelines, passengers (including adults or children under the custody of a parent or legal guardian) are eligible for free flights. All flight requests are considered and evaluated based on the humanitarian-impact merit. As with all flight donations, the conditions, provisions and limitations of all flight donations are the entire prerogative, sole discretion and ultimate decision of the flight donor and or/pilot in command. This includes the allowance to carry passenger’s medical oxygen on board provided passenger makes special precautions for unforeseen flight delays, cancellations or diversions for any reason whatsoever.
Passengers must be medically stable, impervious to motion sickness, able to enter and exit aircraft with little or no assistance, able to understand and follow orders in English, able to sit upright wearing standard seatbelts and/or shoulder harness and, depending on the aircraft, must be able to last the flight without the use of sanitary facility. Lavatory may not be accessible due to passengers’ physical impairment or when the equipment is simply not available on board.
Q: Does ALFA prioritize the allocation of flight resources?
A: Definitely yes. Though numerous flight requests may be received, some may be marginally eligible, others outright ineligible and some may be discretionary. Each flight request is evaluated by a flight review committee to determine eligibility. If the flight request is deemed practicable it is then weighed against other flight requests in terms of human impact value, urgency and long-term benefit. Flights requests with critical necessity take precedence over lower ranking flight requests.
Q: Who pays for the cost of free flights?
A: ALFA receives no financial backing from the government and thankfully depends on the generosity of flight donors, supporters and sponsors. Like most humanitarian flying endeavors, ALFA welcomes donations of jet fuel and avgas from individuals, organizations and companies to fill up empty tanks on dedicated mission flights.