Aer Lingus has been flying Irish people home since 1936. The airline has today released a short film capturing three very special journeys home for Christmas of Irish people living in New York and San Francisco. The emotive video features up and coming Dublin singer-songwriter, Tim Chadwick’s song, ‘Belong’.

Each of the three travellers were picked based on the compelling reasons they had given to Aer Lingus about their desire to come home for Christmas.

From San Francisco, we brought Tracey, her husband and two boys to Glasnevin to surprise Joan and Tony and reunite with their grandchildren. James’s family in Dundalk have not enjoyed Christmas dinner in their home since he emigrated to New York as they didn’t want to leave his seat empty. And we brought Brendan home to his family in Lusk to regain his title as the most boisterous family member on Christmas Day.

Aer Lingus not only captured their journeys from the United States to Ireland, they even met the three families left behind in Ireland. Entirely unaware of what was really at play, the families described how much they missed their loved ones at Christmas…..little did they know who would be walking through the front door a few days later!