United's "Operation North Pole/Fantasy" Flights
Dec 12, 2009, 6:04 am
#106
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 100
the IAD one is today, D7 9AM. There's even a traffic sign for it coming in on the toll road. Drop by if you're in the terminal. Can't help smiling.
If any of my photos turn out, I'll post.
Sorry for the low quality (exacerbated by making them thumbnails). I do have a few good ones but they have kids in them & maybe there are permission issues.
Twas about two weeks before xmas, & all thru the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a louse...
flight 9762? Is that a codeshare?
for those who care abt such things, N771UA was the "sled."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...121202695.html
If any of my photos turn out, I'll post.
Sorry for the low quality (exacerbated by making them thumbnails). I do have a few good ones but they have kids in them & maybe there are permission issues.
Twas about two weeks before xmas, & all thru the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a louse...
flight 9762? Is that a codeshare?
for those who care abt such things, N771UA was the "sled."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...121202695.html
Last edited by xenonym; Dec 12, 2009 at 11:44 pm Reason: photos, link
Dec 12, 2009, 8:45 am
#107
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: MCO
Programs: UA
Posts: 109
I'm adding this to my list of reasons I fly UA.
Dec 12, 2009, 10:14 am
#108
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Toronto YYZ UA-1K 1MM,QFgold
Programs: Royal Ambassador/ SPG Platinum 75/Marriott gold
Posts: 14,283
WOW and thanks to all who helped mke this work!^
Dec 13, 2009, 4:16 am
#109
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,815
Here's a link to a story about the Denver flight which took place yesterday 12/12.
Kilzer's son Preston, 7, is battling Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer originating in white blood cells. He took the 30-minute flight with his sister Kayli, 5. The children ate Happy Meals and sang Christmas carols on the plane.
As the arriving Boeing 757 pulled into a cavernous hangar, Mr. and Mrs. Claus came down on a crane to greet the children and the volunteers accompanying them.
"It was a great day today," said Preston Kilzer while watching a magic show.
The children decorated cookies, played with therapy dogs and received presents from Santa.
But Preston was puzzled by one thing.
"I thought the flight would be at least eight hours," he said.
Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13986811#ixzz0ZZBF9dOi
As the arriving Boeing 757 pulled into a cavernous hangar, Mr. and Mrs. Claus came down on a crane to greet the children and the volunteers accompanying them.
"It was a great day today," said Preston Kilzer while watching a magic show.
The children decorated cookies, played with therapy dogs and received presents from Santa.
But Preston was puzzled by one thing.
"I thought the flight would be at least eight hours," he said.
Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13986811#ixzz0ZZBF9dOi
Dec 13, 2009, 8:54 am
#110
Join Date: May 2009
Programs: UA, AA, AS, B6
Posts: 103
A big ^^ to UA and all the employees participating! What a great tradition
Dec 13, 2009, 10:35 am
#111
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: DEC
Programs: UA: 1P; Bonvoy: Gold; IHG: Plat; HH: Silver; DL, AA: Gen. Member
Posts: 766
Wirelessly posted (AT&T Tilt: HTC_TyTN_II Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11))
I guess this is part of the reciprocate bilateral agreements between the US government and the north pole inc. santa division, which gives Santa the right to fly over US and US carriers fly over the north pole inc. headquarters?
If so, when is the open skies agreement going to be signed?
Will Santa be allowed to be a holder of a US-based airline?
The bilateral was signed a while ago. UA acquired the rights from PA back in the day.
Originally Posted by mkilmo
Nice article in the Washington Post today about United's fantasy flight from IAD to the "north pole" for kids with serious illnesses to meet Santa:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...121301940.html
They got to ride in a 777.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...121301940.html
They got to ride in a 777.
If so, when is the open skies agreement going to be signed?
Will Santa be allowed to be a holder of a US-based airline?
Dec 13, 2009, 5:30 pm
#112
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Boulder, CO
Programs: UA 2P, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 96
An uplifting story, indeed!
This gesture by the workers at United was really touching. Thanks, United employees, for volunteering your time to bring some joy to others! ^^^
Dec 13, 2009, 7:53 pm
#113
In memoriam
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Danville, CA
Programs: AA EXP - UA *G MM - HH Diamond - Hertz PC
Posts: 3,242
Dec 18, 2009, 7:52 am
#114
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1
A couple pictures
from the Dulles event. The smiles say it all.
Dec 1, 2010, 8:36 pm
#115
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EWR
Programs: UA .5M, Vistana 1-Star owner
Posts: 992
Fantasy Flights
I've written the Wikipedia article "Fantasy Flight."It's a great cause and I encourage all to participate in the great many there are every holiday season and all through the year.
I cracked up reading that. Utterly hilarious. It beats even the SMD2010's flight to PAE, dare I say it.
Thanks for the casual mention and follow-up which kicked off this whole discussion 
.
Update: Thanks to the mod who so very cleanly split this thread from the original 940 ORD-FRA brutally oversold.
Good luck with it this year!
I added your research to the Wikipedia article. Anyone with more to add should do so.
I cracked up reading that. Utterly hilarious. It beats even the SMD2010's flight to PAE, dare I say it.
.Update: Thanks to the mod who so very cleanly split this thread from the original 940 ORD-FRA brutally oversold.
So glad that you enjoyed the Choir boys! I am actually the chairperson for the event at ORD. The children love it and we love doing it for them...Curious to know where such flights from the US go to. From Britain there are equivalents at this time of year which typically do a day return trip to Rovaniemi in Northern Finland right on the Arctic Circle, the stereotypical home of Santa Claus. British Airways has done them for years.
Last edited by Richard Chen; Dec 1, 2010 at 9:15 pm Reason: thx 4 splitting thread
Dec 1, 2010, 8:43 pm
#116
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: The World.
Programs: UA MP/UC - "RIP Tulip Plat"
Posts: 1,225
Some F/As seem to think that this great gesture will dissapear thanks to CO...gosh I hope not.
Dec 1, 2010, 8:59 pm
#117
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: retired from SFO Terminal 3
Posts: 7,437
CO also does these types of flights. Someone needs to remind the UA FAs that this weekend's SFO Fantasy Flight has been approved by the parent holding company of both airlines.
Dec 1, 2010, 9:05 pm
#118
Moderator: Mileage Run, United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: The City/Honolulu
Programs: UA 3MM; Hyatt Glob*****; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,473
They've been collecting donations towards the event for the past month at the SFO RCC. I donated early on.
Dec 1, 2010, 9:09 pm
#119
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EWR
Programs: UA .5M, Vistana 1-Star owner
Posts: 992
Fantasy Flights
Last edited by Richard Chen; Dec 1, 2010 at 9:14 pm
Dec 1, 2010, 9:21 pm
#120
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 21,603