Santa gets official permission to enter UK airspace this Christmas
You know Christmas is around the corner when Santa Claus has requested permission to land.
And luckily for those celebrating the festivities, Father Christmas will not be turned away when he tries to land in the UK next week.
The usually serious UK Civil Aviation Authority has shown some Christmas spirit by giving Santa the green light to land this year.
The CAA, which is responsible for regulating and inspecting all aspects of civilian flying 365 days a year, said ‘Santa is now cleared to fly on Christmas Eve.’
But the permission was not given at random – officials made sure to check that Santa’s sleigh complied with safety requirements.
With millions of passengers travelling through UK airports, the CAA also shared six tips to help smoothen the journeys.
Andrew McConnell, the CAA’s deputy director of communications, said the safety inspectors made ‘a list and checked it twice’ against the sleigh.
Top tips for flying this Christmas
Flying over the festive period can be a stressful experience.
The CAA reminded passengers of the key six tips to make it easier.
- If your flight is delayed, your airline should look after you
- In the case of a cancelled flight, you should be offered a choice of a refund or alternative travel arrangements
- Make sure to check what kind of baggage allowance and contents are included in your ticket type with your airline
- Lost or damaged luggage is the responsibility of the airline
- It is worth checking the airline’s lithium batteries policy before travelling
- Party poppers are banned from being flown in aircraft, and Christmas crackers can only be packed in their original packaging
‘But he won’t be the only one in the skies this festive season. If you’re jetting off on a Christmas getaway, it’s important to know your passenger rights before you travel.
‘The Civil Aviation Authority works to keep the aviation industry safe every day of the year – including Christmas!’
But not everyone has been as welcoming of the Santa.
One man was fined in Russia after dressing up as Father Frost – the local version of Santa – in protest against the rule of face coverings in public.
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