The world's largest hotel franchising company Wyndham has launched a new "Extra Mile" initiative to show its support and gratitude for aviation's first responders amid the growing number of in-flight incidents.
In collaboration with TV personality and former flight attendant Lauren Lane, on 31 May 2022 - International Flight Attendant Day - Wyndham will honour attendants as they check-in at select hotels across the United States. From $10 gift cards to popular retailers, such as Starbucks and Amazon, to a free weekend stay at the Wyndham hotel of their choice. All gifts will be awarded as Wyndham Rewards points, with 1,000 gifts to distribute.
"Our Wyndham team members consistently go the extra mile, and the same is true of our travel counterparts in the sky, so many of whom are the first touchpoint on our guests' journey to us," said Jurgen Schafers, Brander Leader and Vice President of Operations, Wyndham. "With thousands of attendants staying with Wyndham, often in between routes, this is our way of saying thank you and letting them know we appreciate all they do."
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, Wyndham's Extra Mile initiative comes following a multi-year rise in air-travel-related incidents, up more than 112 percent in just the last year.
"Being a flight attendant can be a thankless job. The selflessness, calm and confidence these men and women exude are so often overlooked," said Lane. "It's why I chose to team up with Wyndham on this initiative. These are individuals who, every day, overcome challenges and adversity to deliver exceptional experiences to keep travellers safe. They deserve to be celebrated, and I'm so happy that with the help of Wyndham, we're able to do just that."
In addition to the on-property giveaways at its hotels, Wyndham is also accepting online nominations to award one extra-deserving flight attendant. This prize includes a seven-night stay at any Wyndham hotel and a one-year upgrade to Wyndham Rewards Diamond membership, offering perks such as free WiFi, early check-in, late checkout, suite upgrades, rental car upgrades and more.
Nominees will be required to submit a short essay of a minimum of 100 words to extramile@wyndham.com. The company will be accepting submissions from now through till 31 May 2022. Winners will be unveiled on or around 17 June 2022.
