St. Jude patients take special flight to “North Pole”

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Patients at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and their families packed their bags for a special trip to the “North Pole” Friday.

Delta Airlines and the Memphis International Airport hosted their “Fantasy Flight” for the group, a tradition that has returned after a 5-year hiatus.

The children were able to check in at the airport and receive special boarding passes before departing on a plane that taxied around the airfield. The plane arrived at a different gate, where Santa and other guests were waiting to greet them with hot chocolate and other sweet treats.

“This is all about the children. Memphis airport is just thrilled to be apart of it,” said Terry Blue, president and CEO of Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority. “This is one of those moments that warms your heart. Really it gets to what the airport is, we are here for the community even if it is just to play a small part to be the facility that this gets to happen at.”

Volunteers with St. Jude were on hand to help with the event.

“We are volunteers with St. Jude. We are going to hang out with them, take pictures with them and just let them have some fun,” one volunteer said.

This marked the 11th Fantasy Flight that Delta has collaborated on with the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority.

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