United's "Operation North Pole/Fantasy" Flights
Dec 15, 2008, 2:23 pm
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 26,928
^ to United and the employees who volunteered to take part in this event. What a nice gesture!
Dec 15, 2008, 2:31 pm
#63
Join Date: Sep 2004
Programs: delta,southwest--companion pass,hilton---diamond,marriott---gold,choice
Posts: 236
this was/is a great gesture by united air lines, and i hope that they will continue to do it, if there is a need for it. thanks united, for making some sick kids and their families happy at this time of the year.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Dec 15, 2008 at 2:35 pm Reason: unnecessary
Dec 15, 2008, 2:42 pm
#64
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: KROC
Programs: DL-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond
Posts: 20
^^ to United. I was a little bummed when I read that they didn't actually take off, but it now makes sense that many of them may have been to sick to fly. Still a great idea.
I had a friend who worked with sick kids here in the Rochester NY area and they would do something similar but actually took off from ROC and flew over Niagara Falls (ie the North Pole) and back. Canada in December probably looks a lot like the North Pole...heck Rochester does too
I think it might have been American Eagle flying it but I'm not sure.
Here is some info I just dug up on this year's flight
I had a friend who worked with sick kids here in the Rochester NY area and they would do something similar but actually took off from ROC and flew over Niagara Falls (ie the North Pole) and back. Canada in December probably looks a lot like the North Pole...heck Rochester does too
I think it might have been American Eagle flying it but I'm not sure.
Here is some info I just dug up on this year's flight
Third annual Fantasy Flight takes off Sunday, Dec. 21
The Greater Rochester International Airport Flyers Program, in conjunction with Continental Express Airlines, Norcross Helicopter, Monroe No. 1 BOCES, and American Eagle are sponsoring a Fantasy Flight to the "North Pole." Children from seven local agencies - including Golisano Children's Hospital - will meet at the airport at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, and will be flying to the "North Pole" - actually Niagara Falls, N.Y. - and back to the airport. From 10 a.m. to noon, 300 children will gather in the International Arrivals Hall for a holiday party.
The Greater Rochester International Airport Flyers Program, in conjunction with Continental Express Airlines, Norcross Helicopter, Monroe No. 1 BOCES, and American Eagle are sponsoring a Fantasy Flight to the "North Pole." Children from seven local agencies - including Golisano Children's Hospital - will meet at the airport at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, and will be flying to the "North Pole" - actually Niagara Falls, N.Y. - and back to the airport. From 10 a.m. to noon, 300 children will gather in the International Arrivals Hall for a holiday party.
Last edited by atommota; Dec 15, 2008 at 2:46 pm Reason: Found info about this years flight
Dec 15, 2008, 2:43 pm
#65
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: Marriott Plat, Southwest A-List Preferred
Posts: 265
<--- exactly what i looked like while reading the article. it sounds amazing
Dec 15, 2008, 3:37 pm
#66
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: UA GS, BA Gold, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Gold, National Exec Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,419
This is awesome ^
If I was a 5 year old, I would totally buy it. No flying necessary
If I was a 5 year old, I would totally buy it. No flying necessary
Dec 15, 2008, 3:48 pm
#67
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: These views/opinions are solely my own and not necessarily those of UAL or any other affiliates
Posts: 149
Dec 15, 2008, 4:34 pm
#68
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: ORD
Programs: HHonors Silver, UA (no status, but lots of miles!)
Posts: 465
Why couldn't they actually take off and fly around a while then "return" ?? or something else? like fly them to Rovaniemi, Finland (supposedly where Santa Resides) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rovaniemi
That'd really be going for the real experience http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus_Village
like fly them to Rovaniemi, Finland (supposedly where Santa Resides) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RovaniemiThat'd really be going for the real experience
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus_Village
Dec 15, 2008, 9:04 pm
#69
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Home and Away
Posts: 318
From the article, it sounds like they went speeding down the runway and threw the engines in reverse when they were about to take off...wow, I'm not sure I'd want to be on that "flight" unless the runway was extended by a few hundred feet or so...I find this to be a great gesture by United but I agree, it's odd that they don't actually fly around a little before "landing" in the North Pole...I'm sure some of the kiddos at the window seats were well aware of the fact that they never actually took off 
Dec 15, 2008, 10:07 pm
#70
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
Glad to hear (but not surprised) that I was NOT the only one to "suffer some vision problems" when reading that.....
Must have got something in my eyes......
Must have got something in my eyes......
Dec 6, 2009, 12:00 pm
#71
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA GS 1MM
Posts: 693
UA Fantasy Flights on 12/5/2009
I did a quick trip from SF to LA to have lunch with a friend yesterday and saw something very touching I did not know about: the United Airlines Fantasy Flights. With the help of employee volunteers and sponsors, United organizes a holiday flight for needy/sick children every year and transforms parts of airports across the country into mock "North Poles." This event was held across the country yesterday on 12/5/09.
At SFO gate 82 was used: the destination sign was changed to read North Pole. Decorations and balloons were everywhere as well as UA volunteers. They even had balloon arches at the beginnings and ends of the movings walkways which really made Terminal 7 quite festive.
At LAX, the rotunda at the end of Terminal 7 was used. Same North Pole destination sign, with lots of decorations and balloons and UA volunteers. More info from the LA Times here. And yes, UA employees and TSA agents did sing-alongs with the kids!
Additionally, here are some Google News links from various cities across the country yesterday although I am surprised by the relative lack of coverage.
I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone at United that made this possible. You have done many things that have moved me these past few months but this really touched my heart.
At SFO gate 82 was used: the destination sign was changed to read North Pole. Decorations and balloons were everywhere as well as UA volunteers. They even had balloon arches at the beginnings and ends of the movings walkways which really made Terminal 7 quite festive.
At LAX, the rotunda at the end of Terminal 7 was used. Same North Pole destination sign, with lots of decorations and balloons and UA volunteers. More info from the LA Times here. And yes, UA employees and TSA agents did sing-alongs with the kids!
Additionally, here are some Google News links from various cities across the country yesterday although I am surprised by the relative lack of coverage.
I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone at United that made this possible. You have done many things that have moved me these past few months but this really touched my heart.
Dec 6, 2009, 12:03 pm
#72
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
saw it on the local news last night and the best part was looking at the faces of the kids. way to go united employees ^
Dec 6, 2009, 12:30 pm
#73
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 4,449
United is awesome. Just awesome. Yes, it dipped for a while, but it is making a huge effort to once again become a world-class airline.
Dec 6, 2009, 12:37 pm
#74
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MBS/FNT/LAN
Programs: UA 1K, HH Gold, Mariott Gold
Posts: 9,630
Here is some info on previous Fantasy Flights:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...orth-pole.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...orth-pole.html
Dec 6, 2009, 12:55 pm
#75
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,123
We've done these for many years. Both enjoyable and heartbreaking as well when you realize a lot of those smiling kid's faces won't be around the next year. Happy that we still do these even with all the cutbacks at United. ^
AD
AD