VIP passenger with his teddy from Santa
By special request, Santa Claus invited the children at the Piam Cancer Ward in Southampton’s Children’s Hospital to join him in his modern day sleigh… a Flybe plane!
Along with their mums and dads, Santa’s Special guests took photos in front of Flybe’s Snow Globe at Southampton Airport and began to board their own private flight.
The flight took off on December 7th and glided over the South Coast and the Solent. Along the way, Santa gave out teddies, hugs and selfies with all the children on board.
Santa helping the children off their Flybe flight
Ronnie Matheson, who is Flybe’s Interim Chief Commercial Officer, said that:
“It was a real pleasure to give something back to the community at this special time of the year and give this deserving group of brave young people what we hope was a memorable experience.
“We were, of course, thrilled that Santa was able to take a moment out of his busy Christmas preparations to join us for a while and meet the children for this pre-Christmas treat!”
After all, ‘tis the season of giving!
Rachel Funnell, Piam Brown Ward’s charity coordinator said:
“This was a truly incredible experience for all the families involved. It was a really special trip, helping to build up those precious memories for our young cancer patients and their families.
“Southampton Hospital Charity is extremely grateful for Flybe’s generous gift. The festive period is never a time when anyone wants to be in hospital, so this experience will help them forget everything else which is happening.
“Our thanks to Flybe for making this possible.”
Flybe’s 2017 Santa Flight, its second from Southampton Airport.
Other Santa Flights have given rides to the children at Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (in 2011), Jersey Hospital’s Robin Hood Ward (2013) and Young Oncology Unit of the Christie NHS Trust in Manchester (2012).
Browse our Flight Departures to find your next holiday. Who knows, you might see Santa’s sleigh ride past you in the sky!
Merry Christmas!