You might catch a glimpse of Santa Claus after the federal government granted the famous North Pole resident and his nine reindeer permission to fly in Canadian airspace.
Not unlike other releases, Santa has undergone a “rigorous” certification and inspection process, according to Transportation Minister Pablo Rodriguez This was announced in a press release on Friday. Rodriguez reportedly reviewed all of Santa’s paperwork and checked them twice before giving Santa the all-clear.
Just in time for his gift-delivering task, Transport Canada inspectors traveled to the North Pole to take a closer look at Santa’s zero-emission sleigh and its safety systems, officials said. They also checked the volume of his sleigh bells and made sure Rudolph’s nose was operating at “maximum brightness.”
“In my new role as Minister of Transportation, I am pleased to carry out the important task of clearing Santa Claus and his crew to travel in Canadian airspace. “We will work around the clock to ensure that Santa Claus and his reindeer have a safe and joyful journey across our country,” Rodriguez said in the press release.
Santa shared a copy of his flight plan and pre-flight checklist, confirming he had enough rest for the long flight ahead – but no secrets were revealed about the list of naughty and nice things. Canadians will have to wait for that.
You can track Santa Claus and his reindeer at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Follow Santa’s website on December 24th with a holiday countdown, games, music and more. This is the 68th year that NORAD has tracked Santa Claus and his crew.
Curious trackers can also call 1-877-HI-NORAD from 6 a.m. to midnight MST to ask live operators about Santa’s location.
“Coffeeaholic. Lifelong alcohol fanatic. Typical travel expert. Prone to fits of apathy. Internet trailblazer.”