Children make memories searching the sky for Santa

More than 140 local children saw their Christmas dreams come true on a charity’s annual ‘Search for Santa’ flight from Manchester Airport.

Childflight, a North-West children’s charity which provides flights and holidays for children who are unwell or living in challenging circumstances, teamed up with Manchester Airport and TUI to operate the special Christmas trip. Those taking part were primary school aged children who have either never flown before, are facing medical or social challenges, or have been deprived of normal childhood experiences.

The children were taken on a TUI aircraft, leaving Manchester and flying over the snow-capped peaks of North Wales – doubling for the North Pole. They were entertained on board by volunteers, including airport employees in full costume as Santa’s elves. Midway through the flight, the children felt a slight wobble as a sleigh seemed to gently touch down on the plane and Father Christmas appeared from the cockpit.

On their return to Manchester Airport, the children paid a visit to Santa’s Grotto in the Little Flyers’ Zone play area in Terminal 1, where they each received a bag of presents – as part of the airport’s efforts to ensure as many local children as possible have a present to open on Christmas morning.

Stephen Sefton, Chair of Childflight, said: “This flight is all about creating magical moments for children who face challenges that most of us can hardly imagine.

“Whether it’s due to illness, social disadvantage, or just life circumstances, we aim to give these children the chance to experience something truly special. The ‘Search for Santa’ Flight is not just a journey into the sky – it’s an experience that will stay in their hearts forever.

“We have now been operating this flight for more than a decade and over that time, more than 1,000 youngsters have been able to enjoy this magical experience.

“The event is made possible by the tireless work of ChildFlight’s volunteers and the generous support of partners like TUI and Manchester Airport, whose teams are helping to bring the magic of Christmas to life for these deserving children.”

Robert Pattison, Head of Community Engagement at Manchester Airport, said: “We are proud to have a long-standing partnership with Childflight, an organisation which does outstanding work brightening the lives of young people living through very difficult situations in the North-West, including those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and children who are seriously unwell.

“I’m also incredibly grateful to colleagues from Manchester Airport and TUI who have put their heart and soul into delivering this event for so many years and making such a success of it.

“This year we are making it our mission to ensure that as many children as possible in our neighbouring communities wake up with a gift to open on Christmas morning. In addition to this activity with Childflight, colleagues are also donating presents to a ‘Giftmas’ campaign, topping up £3,000 worth of gift donations made by the airport which will be distributed to community centres, community cafes, foodbanks and other hubs ahead of the big day.”

Dawn Wilson, Chief Operating Officer of TUI Airline, said: “We were thrilled to once again be part of the magical ‘Search for Santa’ flight, a cherished tradition at Manchester Airport that brings the joy of Christmas to life. This unique experience has been a highlight of the festive season at the airport for many years, and we’re proud to play a role in spreading holiday cheer.

“We are so grateful to our incredible colleagues and crew, whose dedication and enthusiasm created an unforgettable journey for our VIP passengers. Their hard work and passion were instrumental in making this event truly special.

“At TUI, we are committed to making holidays extraordinary for everyone. This special Christmas flight, in collaboration with Childflight and Manchester Airport, not only gives children the chance to experience the excitement of flying for the first time but also creates magical memories we hope they will treasure forever.”