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Supporting relief efforts following Hurricane Melissa

Hurricane Melissa_VAA
Virgin Atlantic has coordinated six relief flights to help repatriate people stranded in Jamaica
Ben Murphy
by Ben Murphy
7 November 2025
The impact of Hurricane Melissa across Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba has been devastating. The category 5 hurricane is the strongest storm to strike Jamaica in modern history, with sustained winds peaking at 185mph destroying homes, flooding communities, and displacing thousands.

Virgin has many long-standing connections across Jamaica and the Caribbean, from Virgin Atlantic flying into Montego Bay and Virgin Voyages sailing in the region, to the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship, which was based in Kingston. In response to the hurricane, Virgin Unite has been working closely with partners and Virgin companies to provide immediate and longer-term support.

Virgin Atlantic has coordinated six relief flights to help repatriate people stranded in Jamaica and is working with UK Aid and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office to deliver more than 24,000kgs of much needed humanitarian aid including hygiene and shelter kits. It is also supporting its disaster relief partner, Save the Children, through in-flight donations.

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GEM teams were some of the first to deliver bulk supplies into Black River alongside ODPEM following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa.

Virgin Unite and Virgin Voyages are supporting their longstanding partner Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) with a direct donation, collections on board through November and support in their Miami fulfilment centre. GEM was one of the first disaster relief organisations on the ground in Jamaica and is already delivering essential aid to the communities most affected by the hurricane. If you’d like to support them, you can donate here.

In addition, Virgin Red members can use Virgin Points to donate to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), which will go towards the Emergency Appeal fund and be used to support the hurricane response. Every 1,000 Virgin Points donated by members will be converted into a cash donation of £10 and then matched by Virgin Red until 17 November.