MONTREAL, Dec. 5, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - It has become a real tradition just before the holiday season, Air Transat and the Children's Wish Foundation's Flight with Santa Claus taking place today. Hundreds of children were part of the festivities with the hope of finding Santa somewhere in the sky between Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.   

Upon their arrival, elves and animated characters welcomed children and their families at the Air Transat check-in counters at Montreal-Trudeau, Toronto-Pearson and Vancouver airports. At the boarding gate, a number of activities awaited everyone before taking place in an Air Transat airplane. Shortly after take-off, mission accomplished: Santa himself appeared in the cabin, delighting everyone.

"At Air Transat, it warms our heart to enable hundreds of children and their families to experience a unique and magical moment", said Annick Guérard, Chief Operating Officer, Transat. "Since 2004, this flight holds a very special place in our hearts and every year, we are amazed by the dedication of the Foundation, our employees, volunteers and collaborators that make this tradition such a wonderful event. They go all out to make this day an unforgettable one."

"The annual Flight with Santa Claus is truly a magical day that brings incredible joy to children diagnosed with a life-threatening illness," shares Chris Kotsopoulos, Chief Executive Officer at the Children's Wish Foundation. "It allows children and their families to create special holiday memories to cherish for years to come."

During this unique event, Air Transat announced a donation of $80,000 to Children's Wish, which represents the amounts collected over the past year as part of the air carrier's Small Change, Big Hearts program and other initiatives, and is in addition to the over $6 million raised for Children's Wish since the inception of the partnership between both organizations in 2004.

For more information, follow the #SantaFlight hashtag on social media.

About Small Change, Big Hearts
The Small Change, Big Hearts program is supported by the donation of pocket change from Air Transat passengers at the end of each flight. Since December 2009, funds raised through the program have been donated in equal parts to The Children's Wish Foundation and to SOS Children's Villages, an international organization that assists orphaned and abandoned children in 134 countries. Since November 2017, it has also been possible to contribute to Small Change, Big Hearts when booking a package online on transat.com, with a travel consultant or with a Transat call centre agent. Since the creation of this program in 2004, Transat has donated more than six million dollars to both charities.

About Air Transat
Air Transat is Canada's number one holiday airline. It flies to some 60 destinations in the Americas and Europe, offers domestic and feeder flights within Canada, and carries nearly 4.5 million passengers every year. Based in Montreal, the company employs 3,000 people. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc., a leading integrated international tourism company specializing in holiday travel and offering vacation packages, hotel stays and air travel. Transat was awarded Travelife certification in 2018 in recognition of its commitment to sustainable development.

Recent distinctions and awards (2017-2018)

• Named World's Best Leisure Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards
• Ranked by Atmosfair among the world's Top 20 airlines for energy efficiency
• Voted Best Leisure/Charter Airline at the Agents' Choice Awards presented by Baxter Travel Media
• Voted Best Airline at the Trophées Uni-Vers awards organized by the Association des Agents de Voyages du Québec

About Children's Wish Foundation of Canada
Children's Wish Foundation of Canada is the largest and only all-Canadian wish granting charity dedicated to granting wishes to Canadian children between the ages of 3 and 17 who are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. For more than 34 years, Children's Wish has worked tirelessly to grant heartfelt wishes to over 25,000 children and their families – that's three wishes each and every day, all year long!

Now more than ever, we are encouraging Canadians to donate and support Children's Wish Foundation of Canada. You can help grant the next single-most heartfelt wish. Visit www.childrenswish.ca for more information and to donate.

Source:
www.transat.com
www.childrenswish.ca

SOURCE Transat A.T. Inc.