Operation Smile Australia, a charity providing life-changing cleft and craniofacial surgeries in underdeveloped countries, faced significant logistical challenges when coordinating international travel for its medical teams. With missions in remote locations across the globe, the organisation needed a travel solution that could handle complex demands. By partnering with Flight Centre Business Travel(FCBT), Operation Smile Australia streamlined their operations, reducing costs and ensuring their healthcare teams could focus on their life-saving work.

Operation Smile is a global organisation with a vital mission: to provide life-changing cleft and craniofacial surgeries to low-income communities worldwide. With only 7% of children with unrepaired cleft conditions surviving to age 20, the impact of their work cannot be overstated. Founded in 1999 by Dr Richard Lewandowski and his wife Sue, Operation Smile Australia has performed essential surgeries in countries such as India, The Philippines, and Vietnam. Beyond surgeries, they collaborate with local health organisations, providing medical education and training aimed at fostering self-sustainability.

“We would need three to four people to do what FCBT does for us, so that’s a massive time and cost saving.”

— Dr Richard Lewandowski, Founder, and Sue Lewandowski, Founder, Operation Smile Australia

By partnering with Flight Centre Business Travel (FCBT), Operation Smile found a solution that combines personalised travel management with cost-effectiveness and duty of care. FCBT’s hands-on approach ensures that every member of the team arrives refreshed and ready to perform, no matter how remote or challenging the destination.

This partnership has saved Operation Smile Australia up to $100,000 in wages annually, allowing healthcare professionals to focus on the mission without the additional burden of managing travel logistics. FCBT handles every detail, from flights and hotels to land transport, making sure that the team's travel runs smoothly. 

Operation Smile Australia sees FCBT as more than just a travel partner. “Operation Smile is like a family, and FCBT has become an integral part of that family,” says Dr Richard Lewandowski. Whether sending small teams for cleft surgeries or large teams for craniofacial operations, the logistical challenges are immense. With FCBT managing travel, the charity has been able to streamline the process, ensuring that their teams arrive safely and efficiently.

“Our missions require careful planning to balance cost-effectiveness with the duty of care to our travellers,” explains Sue Lewandowski. “We rely on FCBT to work with us through every detail of our travel needs. The personal touch they bring to travel management has made all the difference.”