American Airlines and Stand Up To Cancer Team Up with Hyatt, Universal Orlando Resort to Give Families Affected by Cancer with Weekend to Remember

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today marks the inaugural flight of the American Airlines official Stand Up To Cancer Airbus 321 that features 22,627 names of cancer survivors, patients and those we have lost to cancer. Names were submitted by the public throughout the month of July, all of whom donated $25 or more to have their loved one’s name added to the plane, resulting in more than $825,000 for cancer research.

Names include Patrick Swayze, a pilot himself, who was added to the plane by his wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi Swayze. Among the names is also Tug McGraw, added by his son Tim McGraw, who lent his talent to promote the fundraising campaign in this year’s public service announcement.

To mark the inaugural flight of the freshly painted aircraft, American will whisk away a group of cancer survivors and caregivers from Los Angeles Airport (LAX) to Orlando International Airport (MCO). Upon arrival at LAX, guests will be welcomed by the Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders and mascot Rampage, and, while in flight, will be treated to entertainment by Big Machine recording artist and comedian .

The volunteer flight crew for the inaugural flight all have a connection to cancer. One of the pilots will be American Airlines First Officer Brandon Bailey, who appeared in the Stand Up To Cancer PSA alongside Tim McGraw. Bailey Stands Up for his mother, Machelle, who faced cancer while Brandon was deployed to Afghanistan.

In Orlando, Hyatt will treat participants to weekend festivities by providing guestrooms and hotel experiences for the weekend at Hyatt Regency Orlando. Universal Orlando Resort will host guests to a day at the park and special VIP treatment.

This is the latest phase of American’s multiyear campaign with Stand Up To Cancer. The collaboration has raised more than $8 million for Stand Up To Cancer to help fund collaborative cancer research.

“It’s our company’s mission to care for people on life’s journey,” said Janelle Anderson, Vice President of Marketing at American. “When your family is facing cancer, it can be impossible to get away to focus on recharging and renewing your spirit. This weekend, American Airlines, Hyatt and Universal Orlando Resort joined forces to support Stand Up To Cancer and families affected by cancer to give them a much-needed weekend away.”

“Through this special collaboration, we’ve had the opportunity to deliver on Hyatt’s purpose to care for people so they can be their best,” said Steven Dominguez, Vice President of Global Brands at Hyatt. “We are excited to warmly welcome these VIP guests to Hyatt Regency Orlando and offer a stress-free stay that focuses on their comfort and well-being. This weekend is about celebrating and honoring families affected by cancer, and, alongside our friends at American Airlines and Stand Up To Cancer, we look forward to helping guests recharge and reconnect with one another.”  

American’s official Stand Up To Cancer plane was unveiled to American Airlines team members at the company’s Base Maintenance facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma, yesterday. Over three days, Tech Ops – Tulsa team members carefully added 22,627 names to the aircraft exterior and invited local team members who donated to the campaign to see the reveal and locate the names of their loved ones.

Once complete, the plane was ferried from Tulsa to LA for the inaugural flight. After the weekend concludes, the American Airlines’ official Stand Up To Cancer aircraft will re-enter American’s fleet.

“We are so honored by the tremendous number of people who participated in this innovative campaign to honor their loved ones and stand up to cancer,” said Rusty Robertson, co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer. “American Airlines continues to be an incredible supporter of Stand Up To Cancer, and we’re delighted that some of these amazing families will have the special opportunity to take this inaugural flight. Their incredible courage and indomitable spirit lift and inspire all of us.” Robertson added, “The critical dollars raised by this incredible campaign will help expand our mission to accelerate the pace of cutting-edge research and innovative cancer treatments to save lives now.”

Beginning today, donors who participated in this year’s campaign can visit a microsite to see the location of their submitted names on the plane.

About Stand Up To Cancer

Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. SU2C, a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was established in 2008 by media and entertainment leaders who utilize these communities’ resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, to increase awareness about cancer prevention, and to highlight progress being made in the fight against the disease. As of June 2019, more than 1,600 scientists representing more than 180 institutions are involved in SU2C-funded research projects.

Under the direction of our Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Nobel laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., SU2C operates rigorous competitive review processes to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee grants administration, and ensure collaboration across research programs.

Current members of the SU2C Council of Founders and Advisors (CFA) include Katie Couric, Sherry Lansing, Kathleen Lobb, Lisa Paulsen, Rusty Robertson, Sue Schwartz, Pamela Oas Williams, and Ellen Ziffren. The late Laura Ziskin and the late Noreen Fraser are also co-founders. Sung Poblete, Ph.D., R.N., serves as SU2C’s president and CEO. For more information, visit .

About American Airlines Group

American Airlines offers customers 6,800 daily flights to more than 365 destinations in 61 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. With a shared purpose of caring for people on life’s journey, American’s 130,000 global team members serve more than 200 million customers annually. Since 2013, American has invested more than $28 billion in its product and people and now flies the youngest fleet among U.S. network carriers, equipped with industry-leading high-speed Wi-Fi, lie-flat seats, and more inflight entertainment and access to power. American also has enhanced food and beverage options in the air and on the ground in its world-class Admirals Club and Flagship lounges. American was recently named a Five Star Global Airline by the Airline Passenger Experience Association and Airline of the Year by Air Transport World. American is a founding member of oneworld^®, whose members serve 1,100 destinations in 180 countries and territories. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL and the company’s stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what’s happening at American by visiting  and connect with American on Twitter  and at .

About Hyatt Regency

The Hyatt Regency brand prides itself on making travel free from stress and filled with success. More than 190 conveniently located Hyatt Regency urban and resort locations in more than 30 countries around the world serve as the go-to gathering space for every occasion – from efficient personalized, high-touch business meetings to energizing family vacations. The brand offers stress-free environments for seamless gatherings and empathetic service that anticipates guests’ needs. Designed for productivity and peace of mind, Hyatt Regency hotels and resorts offer a full range of services and amenities, including the space to work, engage or relax; notable culinary experiences; technology-enabled ways to collaborate; and expert meeting and event planners who can take care of every detail. For more information, please visit . Follow @HyattRegency on , and , and tag photos with #HyattRegency.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 19 premier brands. As of June 30, 2019, the Company's portfolio included more than 875 properties in over 60 countries across six continents. The Company's purpose to care for people so they can be their best informs its business decisions and growth strategy and is intended to attract and retain top colleagues, build relationships with guests and create value for shareholders. The Company's subsidiaries develop, own, operate, manage, franchise, license or provide services to hotels, resorts, branded residences, vacation ownership properties, and fitness and spa locations, including under the Park Hyatt^®, Miraval^®, Grand Hyatt^®, Alila^®, Andaz^®, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt^®, Destination^®, Hyatt Regency^®, Hyatt^®, Hyatt Ziva™, Hyatt Zilara™, Thompson Hotels^®, Hyatt Centric^®, Hyatt House^®, Hyatt Place^®, Joie de Vivre^®, tommie™, Hyatt Residence Club^® and Exhale^® brand names, and operates the World of Hyatt® loyalty program that provides distinct benefits and exclusive experiences to its valued members. For more information, please visit .

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

About Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Orlando Resort is a unique vacation destination that is part of the NBCUniversal Comcast family. For more than 25 years, Universal Orlando has been creating epic vacations for the entire family – incredible experiences that place guests in the heart of powerful stories and adventures. 

Universal Orlando’s three theme parks, Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay, are home to some of the world’s most exciting and innovative theme park experiences – including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley. Universal Orlando’s hotels are destinations unto themselves and include Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, the Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Universal’s Aventura Hotel and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites. Its entertainment complex, Universal CityWalk, offers immersive dining and entertainment for every member of the family.

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