Houston, We Had a Web Problem
As so many of you know, we had a fatal problem with the Flyers Rights Education Fund links in yesterday's mailing. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and regret that the internet gremlins picked yesterdays message to attack us.
The links are now working! Please, all of you who so graciously tried to donate to Flyers Rights Education Fund yesterday, try the link above or any of those in the message below!
Those of you who use your bank's Bill Pay feature can also send one time, or, better yet, recurring donations to us. You'll have automatic documentation for your tax write-off, and every dollar will go to FlyersRights because we won't have to pay the PayPal administrative fee. Here's the info:
FlyersRights Education Fund
159 Silverado Springs Drive
Napa, Ca 94558
(707) 337-0328
We will, of course, also send you a thank you letter.
Again, we sincerely apologize for the error and thank you all for your support!
Every now and again, we ask you for financial help because unusual financial situations have arisen. Your generosity has been very helpful in keeping us afloat. The fact is, though, that Kate and her family have carried us through crisis after crisis when your help was simply not enough. That has actually been the case more often than not, and they have poured tens of thousands of dollars into FlyersRights.
The problem, loyal FlyersRights supporters, is that Kate and Tim will not be able to do that anymore. They have sacrificed so deeply for our airline passenger rights that they are now facing loss of their home. They have chosen to go public with this tragedy because they are now immersed in the indescribable nightmare facing so many hardworking Americans.
The banks won't even talk to people in trouble until those people have defaulted on their loans, shattered hard-earned credit ratings, and placed themselves in absolutely desperate circumstances. Kate and Tim have done that, and still Bank of America is subjecting them to the same bureaucratic runaround millions of Americans have had to deal with over the last few years.
Take a few minutes to read the AOL story:
http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/09/08/mortgage-mod-hell-trapped-between-lenders-collectors/
Make no mistake. This problem is not diverting Kate from her focus and passion of the last four years. The injustice of the loan system in no way diminishes her commitment to our cause.
A while back, San Francisco Chronicle writer George Raine published "One Woman's Fight or Flight Response," an article that explains exactly why FlyersRights exists and vividly illustrates the determination and tenacity Kate has brought to this fight, and shares insights that help you understand her devotion to the cause of airline passenger rights
.
http://www.aolnews.com/2009/12/22/once-stranded-passenger-fighting-for-fliers-rights/
We need your help, and we need it now. The usual quarterly "perfect storm" of expenses will hit shortly, but more than that, we need to remove all financial burden from Kate and Tim's lives. Kate is the founder, driving force, and inspiration for FlyersRights, and we owe her everything we can give.
In this time of crisis, we have a new donation vehicle. The Flyers Rights Education Fund is our 501(c)3 arm, providing the education and passenger support activities that are such a big part of what we do for our 33,000 members. By donating to the Flyers Rights Education Fund, you not only assure those services' continuation, but you receive a write-off for your next tax return! The more you donate, the more you can write off.
You can also send checks to either FlyersRights.org or Flyers Rights Education Fund at
159 Silverado Springs Drive
Napa, CA 94558
In 2007, Kate and a group of FlyersRights volunteers brought the issue of airline passenger rights into the national spotlight with an event they called the Strand-In. On the National Mall in Washington, DC, they constructed an aircraft cabin and invited the press and members of Congress to experience a tarmac stranding.
Remember, Kate has been your very public voice for over four years. Here's a sampler of her appearances:
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| Kate Hanni Media Sampler |
Keep Kate in the public eye with contributions to FlyersRights or the Flyers Rights Education Fund.
Here's another great appearance, this time on Geraldo's show:
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| Kate Hanni - Geraldo.wmv |
Help Kate make appearances on national news shows with contributions toFlyersRights or the Flyers Rights Education Fund.
She stands with our Congressional champions, such as Rep. Mike Thompson, to advance our cause. In this video, she publicizes the research and reporting we do to produce our annual Airline Report Card:
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| Kate_Hanni_flyers_rights_report_card_2011-02-15v2.mov |
Assure that Kate is walking the halls of Congress for us with contributions toFlyersRights or the Flyers Rights Education Fund.
Beyond her hundreds of TV appearances, Kate talks to countless radio and print media reporters every week, with a body of interviews now numbering over 4,000. Here's a sampler of recent interviews:
Canada.com
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/31/BUIFR9TN22.DTL
USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/story/2011-09-19/Airlines-see-revenue-increase-from-fees/50469608/1
Huffington Post Blog Spot
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kate-hanni/the-big-flaw-in-airport-s_b_968916.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kate-hanni/spirit-airlines-hits-new-_b_961280.html
SmartMoney.com
How to Get More Respect on an Airline
Friends, Kate has been there for us, and now we need to be there for her. Your generous donations, either to FlyersRights.org (non-tax-deductible) or to theFlyers Rights Education Fund (tax-deductible), will lift this financial burden from Kate and her family and help us return the dedication she has shown to us over the last four years.
Please, do what you can, and do it now. Monthly subscriptions are a great help to us, because they provide predictable income, but your one-time donation will be a wonderful contribution to this effort.
Finally, to the hundreds of you who responded to our urgent call to action on the DOT's ancillary baggage fee Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, THANK YOU. We are, by far, the largest responding group on this issue, and the DOT will hear us.
