Finnair's and UNICEF's traditional Change for Good Christmas campaign has a new objective starting this year. Funds are being collected for Vietnamese children affected by HIV-AIDS.

The campaign will begin on Finnair flights on November 27, 2006 and continue until January 7, 2007.  Finnair wants to make a difference in the areas where it has activities itself. Finnair operates leisure flights in the winter to Vietnam. Instead of sending cards and gifts, Finnair is contributing equivalent sums to Change for Good again this Christmas.

In 2005 there were approximately 263,000 HIV positive people in Vietnam of whom a tenth were under 19. In seven years the number of pregnant women with the infection has increased tenfold. HIV and AIDS are estimated to affect the lives of almost 300,000 children.

"The Change for Good campaign is being organised for the 11th time this year. Although we create the means for the collection, we rely on the support of our customers in practice. Finnair wants to thank its customers for their long-term support in improving the lot of the children of the world. In AIDS work a small sum goes a long way: a vaccine that prevents a mother from passing HIV-AIDS to a child during birth costs only four euros," said Cia Branders from Finnair.

Customers can contribute to the fund by filling the collection envelopes placed in seat pockets with unwanted coins or notes on most international Finnair flights with the exception of some shorter routes. Sealed envelopes should be returned to members of the cabin crew.