Crownvic From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 1595 posts, RR: 6 Posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 9178 times:
BA1DF arrived at MCO today for its annual charity deamflight for terminally ill children...Does anyone know if the 744 used will stay here all week or will it ferry out empty somewhere.....The regular 777 flight 239 operated as normal...
VV701 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 6631 posts, RR: 17 Reply 1, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 9108 times:
Quoting Crownvic (Thread starter): BA1DF arrived at MCO today for its annual charity deamflight for terminally ill children...Does anyone know if the 744 used will stay here all week or will it ferry out empty somewhere....
In previous years the aircraft has returned to LHR and has often been timed to depart from MCO at a minute past midnight. On these occasions BA has advertised the flight locally as a sort of semi-inclusive tour. The low-cost tickets require the purchasers to travel to LHR on the 'Dreamflight' aircraft and to return to MCO on the aircraft that goes to pick the children up in a week's time.
I believe that BA charters the two round trips to the 'Dreamflight' organisers (at a favourable rate) and that the income derived from selling the MCO-LHR-MCO rotation is given to the charity.
The 'Dreamflight' charity was founded twenty-two years ago by BA employees as a once-off trip-of-a-lifetime for terminally ill and disabled children who would otherwise simply not be able to go on such a holiday. But this year's trip is the twenty-second such trip.
By the way although the children are predominantly British some are usually flown to London to join the trip from Africa, the Middle East and/or Asia. And each year the aircraft is decorated with (usually) multicoloured, large 'DREAMFLIGHT' titles.
One of the most impressive things about the whole trip apart from the medical staff (doctors and nurses) and other carers - all volunteers - who travel with the children nto look after them is the support given by the people of Orlando. These range from the local Police Department (who usually close the freeway and give the children an exciting journey from the airport to their hotel escorting their coaches with their sirens wailing and their lights flashing) to the many volunteers who help with all the mundane tasks like helping to get the more disabled kids off the aircraft.
VV701 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 6631 posts, RR: 17 Reply 2, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 9044 times:
Here is a link to the 'Dreamflight' web site where you can click on a link and watch a 2.5 minute video that includes various clips of the 747 leaving LHR, arriving at MCO and departing on the homeward trip: http://www.dreamflight.org/multimedia_gallery.htm
Aircanada014 From Canada, joined Oct 2005, 1492 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 8778 times:
How many other airlines offering dream takes flight? I know Air Canada has Dream Takes Flight as well. http://dreamstakeflight.com . They have 8 stations across Canada and take them to CA or FL depending on their location in Canada to Disneyworld or Disneyland.
NASCARAirforce From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 3084 posts, RR: 5 Reply 5, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 2 days ago) and read 8648 times:
Quoting Crownvic (Thread starter): BA1DF arrived at MCO today for its annual charity deamflight for terminally ill children...Does anyone know if the 744 used will stay here all week or will it ferry out empty somewhere.....The regular 777 flight 239 operated as normal...
The BAW flight today was 2037 in and 2036 out, the second one is 2039 in and 2038 out.
Theginge From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2006, 1110 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 8330 times:
Quoting 1peter (Reply 3): NLM's next service is shown as 9107C/28 ex MCO, so to that end I would suggest it's not moving for the week!
They must have a bit of spare capcity on the 744's to leave one there for the week, although I imagine if a few went tech at the same time it might have to come back to cover!!
Theginge From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2006, 1110 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 6574 times:
Quoting Readytotaxi (Reply 7): How does it go with Immigration at MCO, do they wave them on and just a rubber stamp?
I am sure they go through the same procedures as other passengers arriving but I imagine they all get dealt with somewhere other than the main immigration area!!
MCO2BRS From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2007, 520 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 6081 times:
From what I recall, I've seen the BA Dreamflights parked up on the western side of the airport for the week.
As for immigration purposes, I presume they go through the same process just as any other int'l passengers; though, I would hope they are treated with a bit more courtesy and compassion than what I have experienced when passing through immigration at MCO!
ChrisNH From United States of America, joined Jun 1999, 3807 posts, RR: 2 Reply 11, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 5708 times:
This is simply a great, great story. Seeing the smiles on the kids' faces is priceless. In this day of airline & economic turmoil, I'm pleased to see that someone hasn't lost the humanitarian spirit. Bravo BA!
1peter From Netherlands, joined Jul 2005, 147 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 4961 times:
Quoting Theginge (Reply 6): They must have a bit of spare capcity on the 744's to leave one there for the week, although I imagine if a few went tech at the same time it might have to come back to cover!!
There are a couple of scheduled cancellations to accommodate this flight.
Airlines flown; AA, AC, AY, BA, BD, BY, CX, DA, DP, IB, KL, LH, LA, LP, MA & MH
G-CIVP From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2001, 1209 posts, RR: 10 Reply 15, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 4487 times:
Usually the Dreamflight B744 returns to the UK the next day after doing the MCO leg. This happened last year. It simply isn't cost effective leaving a B744 on the deck for 7 to 8 days.
STT757 From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 16273 posts, RR: 52 Reply 16, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 4487 times:
Quoting VV701 (Reply 2): Here is a link to the 'Dreamflight' web site where you can click on a link and watch a 2.5 minute video that includes various clips of the 747 leaving LHR, arriving at MCO and departing on the homeward trip: http://www.dreamflight.org/multimedi...y.htm
Dazed767 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 5447 posts, RR: 53 Reply 17, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 3843 times:
Yeah it's staying all week. And to top it off the AN-124 is here too (arrived around 18:30). Would be cool if they were parked side by side
NASCARAirforce From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 3084 posts, RR: 5 Reply 18, posted (4 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 3797 times:
The AN-124 which was supposed to come in last night and cancelled did come in today kind of on last minute notice to us in Ops. The original plans were to have them park side by side actually, however now the AN-124 is parked next to the south Continental hangar. The AN-124 is supposed to depart around 1100am tomorrow.
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