You Will Love How This Airline's Employees Came Together To Create A Christmas Miracle
Feel Good Friday: It's a miracle that an airline would go to such great lengths and 'inconvenience' to delight its customers. Maybe Christmas does bring out the kindness in people after all.
By Mei Mei Chu — 13 Dec 2013, 05:17 PM — Updated almost 11 years ago
WATCH: Passengers travelling from Toronto and Hamilton to Calgary had the Christmas surprise of their lives thanks to this Canadian airline
Thanks to WestJet, one gaggle of weary travelers was treated to a Christmas miracle that turned an airport into Santa's workshop.
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Why did they 'have' to do it? WATCH: WestJet vice-president Richard Bartrem shares why they wanted to share some Christmas magic
150 WestJet employees in 3 airports delivered over 350 gifts to 250 passengers
The airline claims to have spent the past four months putting together its Christmas Miracle stunt, in which passengers got to tell Santa Claus what they want before catching their flight and hey presto it was there waiting for them at the other end of their journey.
dailymail.co.ukDelivering over 350 gifts, passengers got to unwrap presents such as a 50-inch LG HDTV, Beats Audio headphones, a Samsung Galaxy mobile device, an Android tablet, an Interceptor remote controlled helicopter, a snowboard, a new digital camera, toys, games, outerwear and flights home for the holidays. Of course, the passenger that asked for new socks and underwear got exactly that.
digitaltrends.com
150 WestJet employees in 3 airports delivered over 350 gifts for 250 passengers
Image via dailymail.co.ukTurning an airport into Santa's workshop took four months of planning. How did they do it?
WestJet passengers would walk up to a large kiosk decorated to look like a giant Christmas present. Following the prompt on the large digital display, passengers would scan their boarding passes at a scanner located to the right of the screen.
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According to a WestJet representative, the kiosks were able to transmit the video feed over a wireless connection, but the hardware was hardwired over Ethernet in order to provide a smooth, clear stream feed of Santa Claus for the passengers. Hidden cameras were also placed around the kiosk to record the reactions of the passengers.
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The information from the boarding pass would be logged by the team running the promotion and supplied to a Santa Claus in a video studio.
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As each passenger mentioned a gift they would like to have, the WestJet team took notes of these gifts and supplied the full list to another team in Calgary. That team quickly raced over to retail locations like Best Buy and started shopping for all the gifts. Prior to the two planes landing in Calgary, the team wrapped up all the gifts and got them ready for the arrival of the passengers.
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The more than 150 WestJet employees played the part of Santa's elves, gathering personalized presents, wrapping them and delivering them to the Calgary airport before the unsuspecting recipients landed. Upon arrival, the travelers received nothing short of a holiday miracle at baggage claim.
mashable.com
Turning an airport into Santa's workshop took four months of planning. How did they do it?
Image via dailymail.co.ukThats not all! WestJet Airlines has more Christmas surprise up their sleeves.
Tied into the promotion, after the YouTube video hit 200,000 views, WestJet promised to donate flights to a family in need this holiday season through the Ronald McDonald House organization.
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