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Dozens of kids cheered on a festively decked-out plane in Denver on Saturday when the pilot announced their destination for the day: the North Pole.<\/p>\n
More than 100 children, some of whom have serious health issues, were then taken on a roughly 45-minute flight near the city before landing back at Denver International Airport and being towed to a hangar transformed by United Airlines employees and volunteers into the North Pole.<\/p>\n
Streamers, paper snowflakes and tufts of cotton resembling feathery snow dotted the plane and seats. Flight personnel paraded a bubble machine up and down the aisle to shouts of \u201cbubbles, bubbles, bubbles\u201d from the excited children. Holiday songs played in the background and there were apple snacks and juice for all. <\/p>\n
Before landing, the children were asked to close their window shades. When they opened, the kids were met by the sight of a waiting Santa and Mrs. Claus and a host of elves. An ice cream truck was on hand and the children received gifts. <\/p>\n
Bryce Bosley, 6, was tickled to see Santa and all the North Pole had to offer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe North Pole is fun because there\u2019s games, food, and all the activities are really fun,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
United Capt. Bob Zimmermann, the holiday flight’s pilot, was struck by the joy and wonder of the youngsters.<\/p>\n
\u201cThroughout the year I\u2019ll think of the fantasy flight,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen life seems to get tough or I want to complain about something, I remember these kids and the joy and the love and what this feels like, and it just keeps my life in perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n
United partnered with Make-A-Wish Colorado, Girls Inc., Children\u2019s Hospital Colorado and Rocky Mountain Down Syndrome Association to invite Denver-area kids ages 3 to 10 years on the flight.<\/p>\n
For more than 30 years, United has staged its annual \u201cfantasy flights\u201d to fictional North Poles at airports around the world to bring holiday cheer to children and their families. <\/p>\n
This year they took place in 13 cities, starting Dec. 5 in Honolulu and then in Washington, Houston, Los Angeles, London, Chicago, San Francisco, Tokyo, Cleveland and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and on the island of Guam. Newark, New Jersey, also had a flight Saturday. <\/p>\n
Jonna McGrath, United’s vice president for operations at its Denver hub, has participated in 29 flights and said it is one of her favorite days of the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt gives them a day where they are away from some of the challenges they face in their day-to-day life,\u201d said McGrath, who was dressed as an elf. \u201cBringing a little magic and some gifts to their holiday season is something they\u2019ll never forget.\u201d<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
Bohrer reported from Juneau, Alaska. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emails I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our\u00a0privacy policy Dozens of kids cheered on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3933,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n