Airservices has today released a video showing the flight path that Santa will take this week that enables him to visit more than nine million homes on Christmas Eve. Santa’s flight path specifies where he will fly on Christmas Eve along with the technology that is fitted to his sleigh.

Airservices Executive General Manager Air Navigation Services Stephen Angus said everyone at Airservices had been working hard to ensure Santa’s flight will go as safely and efficiently as planned.

“We manage more than four million movements each year, however, Santa makes more take-offs and landings than that, in just one night.”

“This year we have been working closely with Santa to ensure that his flight on Christmas Eve is as environmentally and efficient as possible” Mr Angus said.

“We have used a number of initiatives including the use of tailwinds to lessen the effort for the reindeers to keep them fresh for the long trip, reducing airborne holding by making Santa the priority for the big flight and ensuring we minimise Santa’s sleigh noise by using a ‘continuous descent’ when arriving into every airport.”

“The initiatives we have adapted to Santa’s flight is in keeping with Airservices increased focus on technology and making better use of our systems to improve performance, efficiency and safety.”

Airservices has allocated Santa the call sign of ‘SLEIGH RIDER ONE’ and has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) to warn all other aircraft flying on Christmas Eve—one of the busiest nights of the year—to keep clear of Santa as he delivers presents to all the boys and girls.