Christmas is just a few months away and, while we love a good Santa's Grotto, there's something new coming to the region this festive period. A former British Airways Boeing 747 is being transformed into a winter wonderland, where families will be able to jump aboard and meet Father Christmas himself.
With Bristol's aerospace history, it makes for a great surprise for all of the plane lovers - young and old- in the family. Father Christmas' Flight Before Christmas is set to land at Cotswold Airport during the run up to Christmas, Wiltshire Live reports.
From November 25 to December 24 the world's first 747 Christmas grotto experience will get underway at the private airport. The British Airways’ G-CIVB Boeing 747 ‘Negus’ has been based at Cotswold Airport near Kemble since October 2020 after it was decommissioned from service in early 2020.
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Since then it's been given a bit of a refurb, turning it into an events space to host everything from private birthday parties to product launches and corporate events. So what can you expect during the Christmas grotto experience?
Well, guests will come armed with their very own boarding passes and customised North Pole passports, passing through the 'naughty or nice' security check-in before they're seated in Premium Economy for an in-flight 'elf-and-safety' briefing hosted by Peppermint, the mischievous Head Elf. Guests can then make their way through the aircraft, decorated to suit the festive season - complete with snow, real Christmas trees and a Northern Lights-inspired display - before meeting Father Christmas in his office.
Here you'll have a photo and a group story in front of the fire and children will leave with a book and a packet of reindeer food. Then, as guests disembark, they will meet Mrs Claus in a full-sized gingerbread house where they can decorate their own gingerbread to take home.
Finally, they will pass the elves - hard at work in the Toy Factory, assembling presents - and each child will have the chance to pick a teddy bear, build it and take it home. Adults will receive a mince pie and hot mulled wine.
Tickets to board the world's-first grotto experience onboard a jumbo jet go on sale on Saturday, September 17 2022. There will be a special, early bird discount for those wishing to guarantee their seat on this world-first experience.
Tickets are priced at £15 per adult, £22.50 per child and babes in arms go free. After September 17, tickets will go up to £20 per adult and £35 per child.
There will be an option to pay over two instalments if tickets are purchased before Friday, September 30. You can buy your tickets here.
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