OREANDA-NEWS. Transaero Airlines flew its first Flight of Hope, a unique project in the Russian aviation sector, on November 16 and 17, 2013. The first charity flight, UN 999/888, took place on the route from Moscow (Vnukovo) to Miami and back.

Passengers on Flights of Hope will be able to lend a helping hand to children suffering from life-threatening heart, brain and spine diseases by making donations for children supervised by the Life Line Charity Fund.

The Flight of Hope project was represented by the Transaero Boeing 747-400 aircraft in a special livery. Its fuselage is painted with dozens of colorful palm-prints of famous people well-known in Russia and abroad. The project is supported by writers, artists, actors, sportsmen, businessmen and others, who left the palm-prints symbolizing helping hands to those who need them.

Olga Pleshakova, CEO Transaero Airlines, and Faina Zakharova, President of Russia's largest Charity Fund Life Line, announced the launch of this project to the public in September this year.

Olga Pleshakova said: “Transaero Airlines has been carrying out social programmes contributing to children's healthcare for many years. The Flight of Hope project invites the passengers to take part in saving the lives of children. All the funds raised will be transferred to the Life Line Charity Fund to finance high-tech surgeries for children.”

“We are delighted to carry out the Flight of Hope project in Russia. It offers each passenger on board this aircraft an opportunity to make a donation to help seriously ill children. It will draw attention of Russian citizens and all people who care to charity issues”, said Tatyana Volosozhar and Maksim Trankov, Russian figure skaters and Champions of the world and Europe.

Due to the satellite equipment installed on the aircraft providing Wi-Fi Internet access passengers can make donations through mobile banking terminals or in an sms message. During the Flight of Hope passengers will be invited to take part in an unusual charity draw that will choose a certain seat number of a passenger travelling on this flight. Transaero Airlines will donate to the Life Line Fund the full cost that passenger on this seat paid for the ticket.

The first Flight of Hope proved that Transaero's passengers are truly open-hearted and empathetic. Over 200 passengers made donations to help suffering children. 100,000 rubles were raised during the first flight. In addition to this, Transaero will transfer 50, 000 rubles - the cost of the ticket chosen at the draw.

Transaero foreign partners also took part in this Charity Project. US MRO station Midair USA outfitted the fuselage of the Boeing 747-400 aircraft with palm-prints as an act of charity as their contribution to the project.

The special Flight of Hope aircraft will be operated on the key business and premium leisure routes.