United's "Operation North Pole/Fantasy" Flights
Dec 14, 2008, 8:41 pm
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,475
this is touching indeed.
Dec 14, 2008, 8:50 pm
#47
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
Sounds like a lot of work for everyone, including the limitations to the decoration etc.
How was it orchestrated? Was the 'flight' actually boarded or was there a party held inside the plane and at the gate?
Dec 14, 2008, 9:02 pm
#48
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bellingham/Gainesville
Programs: UA-G MM, Priority Club Platinum, Avis First, Hertz 5*, Red Lion
Posts: 2,808
If i were a kid again, I would be very upset if we didnt actually fly like they said.. it was a FLIGHT so FLY !!! 
Big Kudo's to UA and staff for caring and bringing some excitement to those that can use it! ^^
Dec 14, 2008, 9:18 pm
#49
In memoriam
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Danville, CA
Programs: AA EXP - UA *G MM - HH Diamond - Hertz PC
Posts: 3,242
Follow the link, in the OP, its a good read and has on-board pictures.
Dec 14, 2008, 9:32 pm
#50
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: NTTB
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 4,649
Wirelessly posted (Palm680/RC1 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/Palm-D053; Blazer/4.5) 16;320x320)
Yes, in the sterile area past the old AA gates and by that pizza joint.
OT, my flight was leaving from D8 around 12:30pm and I watched some phenomenal GA balance standbys and NRSAs on a weight restricted 777 to NRT at D9.. Apparently the pilot reduced capacity to 190 passengers very late in the game.
Originally Posted by weero
So it was in the sterile area?
OT, my flight was leaving from D8 around 12:30pm and I watched some phenomenal GA balance standbys and NRSAs on a weight restricted 777 to NRT at D9.. Apparently the pilot reduced capacity to 190 passengers very late in the game.
Last edited by FightingIlliniUAL; Dec 14, 2008 at 9:36 pm Reason: removed OT portion
Dec 14, 2008, 9:42 pm
#51
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: San Jose, CA, USA
Posts: 546
That's a very touching story indeed. Major ^^^ to United and to the staff who so kindly and so generously gave up their free time for such a worthy cause.
Stories like this really put things into perspective.
Great job, everyone, and best wishes to the children and families who enjoyed the trip to the North Pole.
Stories like this really put things into perspective.
Great job, everyone, and best wishes to the children and families who enjoyed the trip to the North Pole.
Dec 14, 2008, 9:43 pm
#52
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
Programs: UA "Lifetime" Gold, AS MVPG100K, OW Emerald, HH Lifetime Diamond, IC Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 9,490
"It just tugs at your heart," said Christine Smith, the head flight attendant, wearing bell earrings and a pair of furry antlers. Smith has volunteered on Fantasy Flights for 18 years.
She'd undoubtedly say she gets more out of it than she puts into it - I say ^^ to her and to everybody else involved.
She'd undoubtedly say she gets more out of it than she puts into it - I say ^^ to her and to everybody else involved.
Dec 14, 2008, 10:24 pm
#53
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: IAD,MOW
Programs: PMUA
Posts: 247
Good Job UAL!^^
Dec 14, 2008, 11:16 pm
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: ORD, HKG
Programs: UA*G, AA Emerald, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt globalist
Posts: 10,279
Did it ever occur to you that there might have been reasons other than "cheap" for not getting airborne? The decorated cabin, maybe? Or that they had a planeload full of kids who aren't in the best of health and may not tolerate a flight so well?
You do know that chemotherapy can induce nausea and vomiting, right? Do you think it's a good idea to put a four-year old kid who had chemo the night before on a real flight? Scrambling for a barf bag may not be the best way to forget about a disease.
Dec 14, 2008, 11:23 pm
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 23,999
Kudos to UA for this!^ What a great thing to do!
Dec 15, 2008, 12:21 pm
#56
Company Representative - United Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: United Public Relations
Posts: 151
Thanks to all of you for the nice comments. This was the fifth fantasy flight of the year, as United employees in PHX, LAX, DEN, and ORD held their 'flights' last week. These events are fully run by United employees (though United obviously contributes that large plane for a few hours), and they spend countless hours for many months fundraising and working with partners to make it happen. Each flight and experience is unique (in PHX for example, Arizona State sends out some student-athletes to help, while at Dulles, there are numerous mascots from all of the local sports teams, not to mention Elmo, Big Bird, and Frosty). The flight in PHX did actually fly for about 10 minutes. The IAD flight does not fly because of health issues of the children.
I could pass these notes on to our employees, but feel free to do so yourself if you pass through any of the airports mentioned above. Having been at 3 of the 5 this year, I can tell you that our employees get as much out of this as the kids.
Thanks for all of the positive comments.
I could pass these notes on to our employees, but feel free to do so yourself if you pass through any of the airports mentioned above. Having been at 3 of the 5 this year, I can tell you that our employees get as much out of this as the kids.
Thanks for all of the positive comments.
Dec 15, 2008, 12:38 pm
#57
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Ravens Country
Programs: UA-1K, Marriott-Gold, SPG-Gold, IC RA/Plat, Amtrak Select
Posts: 3,887
I am glad UA gave these kids an early Christmas gift. Some kids have never been on a plane before and it was nice to have their first plane ride one to remember. I am also glad that it showed up on the monitors.
Happy Holidays to those kids and their families.
Hopefully they get what the want for Christmas.
Happy Holidays to those kids and their families.
Hopefully they get what the want for Christmas.
Dec 15, 2008, 12:42 pm
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
Thanks to all of you for the nice comments. This was the fifth fantasy flight of the year, as United employees in PHX, LAX, DEN, and ORD held their 'flights' last week. These events are fully run by United employees (though United obviously contributes that large plane for a few hours), and they spend countless hours for many months fundraising and working with partners to make it happen. Each flight and experience is unique (in PHX for example, Arizona State sends out some student-athletes to help, while at Dulles, there are numerous mascots from all of the local sports teams, not to mention Elmo, Big Bird, and Frosty). The flight in PHX did actually fly for about 10 minutes. The IAD flight does not fly because of health issues of the children.
I could pass these notes on to our employees, but feel free to do so yourself if you pass through any of the airports mentioned above. Having been at 3 of the 5 this year, I can tell you that our employees get as much out of this as the kids.
Thanks for all of the positive comments.
I could pass these notes on to our employees, but feel free to do so yourself if you pass through any of the airports mentioned above. Having been at 3 of the 5 this year, I can tell you that our employees get as much out of this as the kids.
Thanks for all of the positive comments.
Interesting to know that some actually fly and some don't. I recall ORD/North Pole flights from previous years, and I was sure that they did involve and actual flyaround, but I could be mistaken.
Glad you have you on the board!
Dec 15, 2008, 1:00 pm
#60
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Uncertain
Programs: Korean Air, Lufthansa M&M, SPG ,United Mileage Plus
Posts: 908
Put me down for a whole bunch of thumbs ups. I can now see why that flight in IAD doesn't fly. Either way, it is a nice gesture from UA. Have a happy holidays everyone there at UA. I look forward to flying on UA586 on the 26th.
Thanks to all of you for the nice comments. This was the fifth fantasy flight of the year, as United employees in PHX, LAX, DEN, and ORD held their 'flights' last week. These events are fully run by United employees (though United obviously contributes that large plane for a few hours), and they spend countless hours for many months fundraising and working with partners to make it happen. Each flight and experience is unique (in PHX for example, Arizona State sends out some student-athletes to help, while at Dulles, there are numerous mascots from all of the local sports teams, not to mention Elmo, Big Bird, and Frosty). The flight in PHX did actually fly for about 10 minutes. The IAD flight does not fly because of health issues of the children.
I could pass these notes on to our employees, but feel free to do so yourself if you pass through any of the airports mentioned above. Having been at 3 of the 5 this year, I can tell you that our employees get as much out of this as the kids.
Thanks for all of the positive comments.
I could pass these notes on to our employees, but feel free to do so yourself if you pass through any of the airports mentioned above. Having been at 3 of the 5 this year, I can tell you that our employees get as much out of this as the kids.
Thanks for all of the positive comments.