MrBeast is giving away a private jet at London’s Southend Airport

London Heathrow may hold primacy as the UK’s largest airport at the time London Gatwick boasts of being the second busiest airport in London. However, the smaller, often forgotten London Southend Airport (SEN), probably secured the title of London’s most social airport. Let’s see why.

An American YouTuber chooses London’s Southend as the location for a viral challenge

Have you ever heard of Jimmy Donaldson? Or should I say MrBeast, an American YouTuber who owns a channel with 112 million subscribers?

If you’ve never heard of him, you should check out one of his latest challenges: MrBeast invited a group of 11 other YouTube content creators to London’s Southend Airport where a $2.5 million private jet was waiting for them on the tarmac. For what? Very easy: all participants had to keep their hands in the plane as long as possible. The last man who had his hand on the jet could have it! At this point, every aviation enthusiast is probably wondering why they weren’t invited to participate in this futile competition.

However, the winner of the contest did not receive a private jet worth $2.5 million. Or better put, MrBeast kindly asked his fellow YouTubers to donate the plane to someone who might need it more than them. We’re not here to reveal which of the 11 YouTubers won the contest. However, it should be noted that the winners managed to keep their hands on the private jet for a staggering 18 hours!

Why London Southend?

Of all the airports in the world, why did MrBeast choose the relatively unknown London Southend for his challenge?

Firstly, the strategic location of the airport can be noted. Indeed, London’s Southend is 35 miles (56 kilometers) from the metropolis. Even if the distance may be inconvenient for those traveling to the UK capital, the airport’s convenient location is worth noting for those looking to explore London and the south-east of England.

Second, the proximity to London made it easy to get access for video production, including the crew, 11 members and MrBeast himself. What’s more, London Southend is undoubtedly less congested than Heathrow, Gatwick or other airports serving the city, which made it easier for productions to film without causing significant disruption. In addition, the airport was found to be an ideal choice for its runway and hangar, offering excellent shooting angles.

At the time of writing, the video of the challenge has received 54 million views. This is great news for the airport located in Essex, whose presence among the airports serving London is often overshadowed by the larger Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted. Commenting on the challenge, John Upton, CEO of London Southend Airport, said:

“Promoting a production like this is fantastic for raising awareness of our excellent location, so close to London and serving the East of England”

Was this challenge a good idea for the environment?

MrBeast’s challenge with a private jet was undoubtedly very unusual, probably unheard of. But what about the environmental impact of flying a private jet to London’s Southend just to be on YouTube?

Well, MrBeast has it all sorted, including compensating for the environmental impact associated with his task. Indeed, the famous American YouTuber has made a generous donation to The Arbor Day Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to support the continuous planting of more and more trees.

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