Christmas: Children weep after Lapland flight to see Santa called off on runway

Parents were told they could pay £5000 for alternative travel, wait until 2026 or take a full refund. Photo / Jonathan Nackstrand, AFP

Hundreds of children were left devastated when their flight to see Father Christmas in Lapland was cancelled moments before take-off.

Families had spent thousands of pounds on a festive day trip from Glasgow to Finland on Thursday (local time).

But the 130 children on board were brought to tears when the flight was called off after the cockpit window was broken as it taxied to the runway.

Parents were told they could fork out £5000 ($11,526) for alternative travel, wait until 2026 or take a full refund.

Stefenie Bird-Young, 36, from Kilmarnock, had paid £2300 to take her husband Chris Bird-Young, 35, and children Aaden Bird-Young, 9, and Amelia Bird-Young, 7, on the visit.

“We were about to take off, then something happened and we were told to disembark,” Stefenie Bird-Young said. “The next thing we knew the flight was cancelled and we were told ‘go home’.

“It’s a chartered flight for a day trip so there was no other plane for us. You only get one shot. The sound of the children crying their hearts out was unbearable.”

The excited children had boarded the 7am flight, operated by Enter Air on behalf of Transun, wearing Christmas jumpers and were due to enjoy husky rides, snowmobiles and a sleigh ride through a Lapland forest.

“When they told us the flight was cancelled, the kids all burst out crying,” she said.

“It was devastating. As a mum, I just wanted to fix it for them, but there was nothing we could do.

“My own two are absolutely heartbroken. They told all their friends and teachers they were going to Lapland to meet Santa. We were up at 3am, the excitement was huge – and then everything just collapsed.”

‘We are sorry for the inconvenience’

Barrhead Travel tried to source alternative travel but the only option available would have cost the family £5000.

“I just can’t justify that,” she said. “We’ve been told we can wait until next year or take a refund, but with my Dad’s health, we genuinely don’t know if next year is even possible. And Aaden is getting older so we don’t know if he’ll have that same excitement to meet Santa.”

A spokesman for Transun said: “We were saddened that [the] day trip from Glasgow had to be cancelled. We were informed that the aircraft was struck from outside whilst taxiing to the runway which broke the cockpit window. The aircraft returned to the stand and passengers disembarked.

“We are sorry for the inconvenience and understand there will be disappointment, particularly for children. Affected passengers have been given the option of either transferring their booking to another available date or receive a full refund.”

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