THE Bayside Festival may have closed but an attraction nearby in Weymouth is really taking off.

Jurassic Airlines, which takes passengers on a flight back in time, is proving to be an Olympic hit.

The 12-seat Boeing-737 flight simulator outside the Pavilion ‘takes off’ every 20 minutes from 10am each day and takes travellers back 250 million years to see dinosaurs in their natural habitats and witness the Jurassic Coast change over the millennia.

A spokesman for the Pavilion Theatre box office which sells tickets for the flight back in time said: “We are selling a huge amount of tickets for Jurassic Airlines – it is definitely the most popular non-sports event in Weymouth.”

Boarding passes are checked at the gate and there is a quick check of baggage with any items made from fossil fuels not allowed on board. There is also a stern warning not to stow any dinosaurs in hand luggage.

Each visitor’s carbon footprint is checked and phones are switched to flight mode while passengers wait in the departure lounge.

Jurassic Airlines creator and CEO Richard Hartnell warns: “There is a level of motion on the flight, as you would expect with travelling back into hyperspace and deep time, but the skilled aircrew have so far managed to bring all passengers back safely to Weymouth 2012.”

Passengers do not need to bring passports and flights are never delayed because of bad weather. The simulator is open every day from 10am-5.20pm and will be in position until September 9.

Tickets cost £5 and are available from the Pavilion box office and online via jurassicairlines.co.uk