When this question comes up in a children’s book these days, what do the characters do?
Zoe (and Beans) rushes inside to Google it.
Which brings me to Mr Christmas and his flying teapot:
All you do is refuel every thousand miles, and you can fly up to three times the speed of sound!
Nic was sceptical. Google couldn’t give the answer, but Wolfram Alpha did.
At three times the speed of sound, he’s going to have to refuel (with teabags) every 26 minutes and three seconds. For a trip round the world’s circumference that’s nearly eleven hours travel not counting time taken to deliver presents. On top of that he has to stop at least every half hour to brew up. Now add in loo breaks… he’s not going to make it.