The airline has donated money and will encourage donations from customers and colleagues to help fund emergency food to families, support healthcare facilities to treat malnutrition and provide winter kits to help displaced families keep warm.

The appeal, launched on 15 December, will look to provide help for more than 22 million people facing starvation, more than eight million on the brink of famine and one million children under the age of five at risk of dying from malnutrition.

In a statement announcing its support to the appeal, BA said Afghanistan is “currently experiencing a time of crisis” after years of conflict, the country’s worst drought in 27 years and the widespread impact of Covid-19 causing “devastation for many communities”.

DEC charities are working on the ground in Afghanistan and looking to scale up operations to reach the most vulnerable.

BA’s first partnered with the DEC in 2013 and supported 17 humanitarian appeals – raising more than £1.5 million.

Carrie Harris, head of sustainability at BA, said: “We’re committed to doing all we can to help communities in times of crisis, and supporting the current DEC Afghanistan Crisis Appeal is part of that. 

“British Airways’ direct contribution, together with the generosity of our customers and colleagues, will help the DEC provide emergency food supplies, nutritional care for children and healthcare facilities to those who need it most.” 

Donations to the DEC Afghanistan Crisis Appeal can be made at: donation.dec.org.uk/afghanistan-crisis-appeal