John Travolta made one of the most unique arrivals at the Cannes Film Festival by personally flying his private jet from the United States to Nice, France. The Hollywood star piloted the nearly nine-hour journey himself for the premiere of his aviation-themed directorial debut, Propeller One-Way Night Coach.
Joining Travolta onboard was his daughter, Ella Bleu Travolta, who stars in the film as a flight attendant. Before takeoff, the actor reportedly welcomed passengers with a captain’s announcement from the cockpit, inviting everyone to relax and enjoy the flight while joking that “the champagne is on me.”
The film is based on Travolta’s 1997 children’s book and follows a young aviation enthusiast traveling across America with his mother, stopping in cities including Chicago, Denver, Kansas City, and Los Angeles. The project reflects Travolta’s lifelong passion for aviation, which has remained a major part of his life alongside acting.
Travolta earned his pilot license at just 22 years old and is certified to operate several major aircraft types, including the Boeing 707, 737, and 747. During the Cannes event, festival director Thierry Frémaux surprised him with an honorary Palme d’Or award. Visibly emotional, Travolta described the recognition as “beyond the Oscar,” while aviation fans online celebrated his Cannes arrival as one of the coolest celebrity aviation moments in recent years.