Hi Andrew,

DJ began accepting donations on all flights yesterday and there are a number of things occuring with staff to donate both money & other items. VB staff were sent a communication from Brett yesterday that contained a range of information on what VB was doing to assist which was substancial. As you have correctly stated however it's not on the website so I don't think it's right for me to post those details in a public forum.

I must say however that it's been wonderful to see many Australian companies contribute to the Red Cross whether they be airlines or not - this is not about a competition between organisations but about supporting fellow Australians - I'm sure at JQ some of your staff have been directly impacted just as some of ours at DJ have - it's a truely horrible time for many and I think that most of us aren't as concerned about what the competition are doing to help but what we can do as individuals and our company as an organisation to support those who work with us & indeed all those impacted by both the fires in Vic & the floods in Qld.

Also DJ are having a gold coin donation at this w/ends V Australia Family day for those that attend which at this stage is around 1400 people.

Hey Guys,

Regional Express also have a 'Bush Fire Assistance' form on their website as well.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/crew-...0211-84r9.html

Rex sent a Saab SYD-ABX yesterday full of NSW RFS firies - I believe a QantasLink Q400 also made the journey. They are also matching donations dollar for dollar from staff and from whatever is collected through the program mentioned above and on the aircraft.

SACL even parked them next to each other on bays 57 and 58 I think!

VB operated an E170 MEL-ABX-SYD today for the fire service.

Every domestic flight is collecting money for the red cross and all monies raised will be matched by the companies ‘Red Jet’ charity organisation.

Does anyone know if any foreign airlines like SQ and EK are going to donate money or help fundraise? They make a hell of a lot of money from Australia, I think it's only fair that they put some back.

The telethon last night said EK were offering business class tickets (can't remember the value) through the Collingwood website and the proceeds from the tickets bought through Collingwood would go to the appeal.

Just some perspective on this folks...

Many companies and individuals (including mine and me!) donate money to many worthwhile causes or perform community based work without looking for or receiving publicity. NONE of us are in any position to judge whether a company, airline or otherwise, should be donating to the VIC bushfire appeal or any other charity. :mad:

For example, someone close to me had a telemarketer call them a few months ago asking for donations to a disability charity which shall remain nameless. They politely declined but when the caller started on the hard sell, they told the caller that they had a disabled relative and that they were a full-time carer of that relative. It shut the caller up very quickly! Another friend had a call asking for donations to the Rural Fire Service - again a polite 'no thanks' was met with a second, harder approach until my friend told them he is actually a volunteer bush fire fighter himself.

There's often much more going on than you can see or that gets reported in the media.

Quoted from a V Australia press release earlier today regarding this weekends event in Brisbane:

They were going to do the Hotdogs/donuts and soda for free I think, they made it a gold coin donation to goto the Red Cross, which is a great idea.