John Travolta to pilot own jumbo

John Travolta has got his "wings" and is celebrating by flying his family on a 35,000-mile trip across the globe.

The Pulp Fiction actor has qualified to fly a 747 jumbo jet following intensive training and he is taking wife Kelly Preston and children Jett, 10, and Ella, two, on a lavish two-month holiday.

Travolta will pilot his own 707 jet to 10 countries and to 13 cities including London, Hong Kong, Rome, Tokyo, Sydney and New York.

The jet - bought from Australian airline Qantas in 1998 - has been gutted and fitted with leather couches, a double bed, shower, kitchen and private cabins. Travolta's own back-up crew and stewardesses will accompany him on the trip.

The 48-year-old star announced his holiday plans after emerging from his jet dressed in full pilot uniform in Los Angeles airport, where he was presented with his 747 wings.

After bursting into a rendition of Come Fly With Me, he said: "It is going to be great. I'm really looking forward to taking to the skies with my whole family. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate getting my wings. Not many people can say they have flown around the world.

"Getting my 747 wings is one of the proudest moments of my life. It is right up there with my two Oscar nominations.

His wife Kelly added: "The most important things I'm taking are suncream and my bikini. We are going to see some wonderful places and nice weather."

Travolta has been flying since 1970 and also owns a Gulfstream II. "I guess you could say I am an airline geek," he said. "I think the Grease sequel should be Danny and Sandy meeting at the airport and everyone thinking Danny is a 747 pilot.

"I have named my son Jett and wanted to name my daughter Qantas, but my wife was not having any of it." As if to show that he still retained a sense of proportion, he added: "I'm not going to buy a 747. The 707 I have already got is big enough. There are limits to these things." The star has painted the exterior of the plane - named Jett Clipper Ella - in the original livery of Qantas, after being named the airline's "ambassador-at-large".

He said: "I said that if they let me paint my plane with Qantas colours I would love to fly around the world promoting the company. Then they offered to help me become a 747 pilot." During his trip, Travolta will promote the company to local businessmen.

Travolta said: "When you fly you are responsible for a machine that's going through the air at 600mph.The sensation is thrilling and there is a beauty and an art to it."

Yet his love of flying means Travolta has no intention of giving up his successful movie career. He said: "I can't give up acting. The movie business is what gives me the kind of money I need to do this type of thing."