Airlink, Amerijet, Food For The Poor, and Heart to Heart Partnership Send Hygiene Kits to Haiti

Hygiene kits from Food For The Poor (FFTP) Food For The Poor (FFTP) partner Heart to Heart International were flown to Haiti through a humanitarian air bridge in partnership with Airlink in response to a worsening humanitarian crisis and a desperate need for everyday necessities. Included were eight pallets containing 3,600 hygiene kits.

The goods were flown to Port-au-Prince by Airlink through their donor Amerijet on a cargo plane from Miami International Airport. Airlink is a nonprofit that provides 200-plus vetted nongovernment organizations with free transport for responders and emergency supplies in response to disasters and humanitarian crises.

In April, FFTP received nearly 20,000 hygiene kits in drawstring bags from Lenexa, Kan.-based Heart to Heart International, a longtime partner, to support FFTP’s response to the crisis in Haiti.

Additional Airlink flights to Haiti are planned with the potential to ship additional aid from FFTP and its partners.

According to FFTP President and CEO Ed Raine, hygiene supplies such as soap, toothpaste, and shampoo are desperately needed. They can make a world of difference for many families displaced in Haiti.

“This partnership is an extraordinary moment,” Raine said. “We’re grateful to Heart to Heart International, Airlink, and Amerijet for helping us make this possible.”

Heart to Heart International has worked with the Haitian people for many years to improve health access. “The current situation in Haiti is tragic and challenging, and we firmly believe everyone deserves access to basic necessities and health care,”  said Heart to Heart International CEO Kim Carroll. “That’s why we are truly grateful to partner with Food For The Poor and Airlink to deliver critical hygiene supplies to those in need in Haiti. These basic yet essential items will help displaced families maintain their health and well-being.”

Strategic restructuring of Amerijet completed in partnership with company stakeholders

Amerijet International Airlines, a leading provider of global air cargo services, announced today that it has completed a successful financial & operational restructuring to enhance the Company's capital structure and support go-forward operations. The consensual restructuring transaction includes (i) the return of six B757 aircraft to lessors, (ii) modifications to our go-forward obligations on the B767 fleet, and (iii) a $55 million capital infusion from its existing lenders. In concert with the restructuring are a set of strategic and operational initiatives, including utilizing an all-B767 fleet with a reduced non-pilot headcount that is aligned with the right-sized fleet and current business demand.

"With this restructuring, Amerijet is now in a stronger operating and financial position to serve its customers for the long term with the quality of service they have come to expect. The current air cargo environment demands agility and disciplined operational excellence. This definitive action will protect our position as the cargo carrier of choice in our markets," said Joe Mozzali, Chief Executive Officer of Amerijet. "We are pleased that we were able to complete this restructuring with the support of our investors and lessors. Our ability to execute this transaction consensually is a strong signal of the strength of our brand, the commitment of our employees and the significant opportunities ahead for Amerijet. These strategic actions have strengthened the Company's financial foundation, ensuring its scheduled service, and contract flights will continue to operate as usual."

Amerijet has continued to serve all its existing customers with safe, and reliable service. On time performance in the December quarter end was 94.8% for our contract business while our core scheduled service segment achieved a 97.5% completion factor, a 2% year-over-year improvement. We thank the entire Amerijet team, including our pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians, and operational teams for delivering a strong peak season performance. Despite a difficult demand environment, Amerijet's December quarter 2023 airfreight volumes in its core scheduled service segment increased 8% versus 2022 and 3% versus the December quarter end for the pandemic year of 2020. The 8% growth in scheduled service volumes was achieved with 10% less flown block hours as Amerijet continues to execute its network optimization strategy. These strong service levels have propelled recent customer wins including a new contract operating four weekly frequencies between Bogotá and Miami as well a new multi-year contract transporting a global integrator's express and cargo volumes in Central America and the Caribbean.

Amerijet is represented in this matter by Sidley Austin LLP as legal counsel, FTI Consulting as financial advisor, and FTI Capital Advisors as investment banker.