Pensioner takes her first ever flight aged 95 – enjoying a ‘wonderful’ champagne-fuelled easyJet trip to Switzerland
- A 95-year-old woman has taken her first ever flight to visit Lake Geneva
- Gladys Blackburn flew from Luton Airport to Switzerland on a two-day holiday
- Pensioner was treated to a glass of champagne on the easyJet flight on Tuesday
By Luke Andrews For Mailonline
Published: 11:52 EDT, 4 July 2019 | Updated: 12:41 EDT, 4 July 2019
A 95-year-old woman has taken her first ever flight, describing it as a “wonderful” experience.
Gladys Blackburn flew from Luton Airport to Switzerland because she had always wanted to visit Lake Geneva.
The pensioner, whose previous holidays have always been by road or rail, was treated to a glass of champagne on board the easyJet flight on Tuesday.
Gladys Blackburn, 95, was treated to a glass of champagne on board her first ever flight, run by easyJet, from Luton Airport to Lake Geneva
Gladys had always taken her previous holidays by road or rail. The two-day vacation to Lake Geneva was organised by Milton Court Care Home
The two-day trip was arranged by Milton Court Care Home – where Ms Blackburn lives – in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
She had previously enjoyed trips to her local airport to watch planes take off and land, without the chance of flying in one herself.
Staff first learned of her desire to fly when they installed a ‘wishing tree’ for residents.
Ms Blackburn said: ‘I was over the moon when they told me about this. Being up in the clouds with a glass of champagne and a view of everything below – it was wonderful, better than I had imagined.
‘I was nervous at first but I want to do it again now!’
Gladys pictured celebrating the flight with Doisie Moses (next to her), Gemma Brooks from Milton Court Care Home (behind) and her carer Nicole Blakeman
Gladys pictured with (from left to right) Doisie Moses, Gemma Brooks from Milton Court Care Home and her carer Nicole Blakeman
Gemma Brooks, of Milton Court Care Home, described Ms Blackburn as an ‘amazing bubbly character’.
She added: ‘Gladys had only ever travelled abroad by coach in her life. It’s always been a dream of hers to fly, and why should dreams have to change just because of your age?’
Head of passenger services at London Luton Airport, Clare Armstrong, said the pensioner’s ‘positive spirit is infectious’.
She went on: ‘It has been an absolute pleasure to be involved in making Gladys fulfil a lifetime ambition.
‘We look forward to welcoming her on next flight through London Luton Airport.’
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