Galley Gossip: Laviators Unite – at flickr.com

by Heather Poole on

After I wrote the article hottest trend on the airplane since the mile high club something odd happened, readers started emailing me photos of themselves in the lav! Of course that prompted me to write Laviators Unite -Mile High Headshots! in order to share the official laviators photo gallery (where all the photos eventually end up). Something truly amazing happened after the photo gallery was unveiled. One of my readers from Romania, George, created The official laviators music video. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Michelle (pictured), one of my favorite laviators, actually managed to get the word into Urban Dictionary!

LAVIATOR : A person or people who take photos of themselves in the lavatories (restrooms) of airplanes

And then Michelle one upped herself and made her own hilarious laviator video. I do hope she’s begun a new trend.

Interested in joining the club? Here’s how…

On your next flight:

1. Grab your camera (Put it in your pocket)
2. When the seat belt sign is off, go to the lav. (Don’t forget to lock the door)
3. Take a picture of yourself (Get creative! That’s what this is all about.)
4. Keep it clean, people! (That’s rule #1)
5. Submit your photo to the laviators new home on flickr.com and then I’ll feature the best photos here on Gadling

Check out our newest coolest members…

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I’m in Geneva this week for the big business aviation show. Attached is a photo of me in the lav on the Boeing Business Jet that used to belong to Phil Condit, the past Chairman/CEO of Boeing. The plane is up for sale. Flightblogger and I plan on sending you another picture of us in a bizjet lav. I hope this finds you well! -Benet Wilson (Aviation Weekly)

The last time I saw you, Benet, you were posing in the lav with flightblogger on Oprah’s jet – as in the big O! Which only makes sense considering you’re kind of like Oprah yourself in the aviation world. You’re also the laviator record holder for most laviator submissions! You go, Girl!

Since the inception of the introduction of the term Laviator I have resisted the trend of shooting portraits in an airplane lavatory. My primary resistance to being a Laviator … or Laviating or having Laviated was that I really didn’t want to bring a camera into an airplane lavatory. Seriously … airplane lavatories are germ incubation factories. I generally find myself wiping down the seat twice, and on the way out washing my hands twice, followed by a generous use of Purell to wash my hands after touching the door on the way out… – Steven Frischling, Flying With Fish

It’s about time, Steven! To be honest I never really thought this day would ever come. Especially after receiving your sorry attempt at a laviator shot taken from inside the spic and span Admirals Club Lounge restroom in the airport terminal. Now if Purell doesn’t jump all over this amazing marketing opportunity, featuring the laviators in an advertising campaign, I’ll be shocked. Because we, the frequent flying laviators, are the face of antibiotic hand lotion in the sky.

About a week ago, Flying with Fish posted laviator photos of himself. I thought I’d continue the meme, from onboard Cathay Pacific First Class. What could be trashier than taking a picture of yourself in the lavatory? Except here I am, in a first class lavatory. Oh, sweet irony! – Gary Leff, View From The Wing

That’s one swanky looking lavatory you’re hanging out in, Gary! I heard from the husband a reliable source that those hand lotions behind you smell absolutely amazing. Do they? Oh don’t you dare tell me you didn’t take a whiff. Because I know you did. In fact, I bet you ten bucks you even sampled a few different kinds. Don’t deny it, Gary, or else I’ll have to check inside your carry-on tote for evidence. As for what can be trashier than taking a self-portrait of yourself in the lav, well I can think of something – my job! Try collecting trash for a living at 30,000 feet. In fact, if you’re ever on one of my flights I’ll let you do just that. Then we can talk trash!

This was NOT easy! – Pam Mandel, Nerds Eye View

Yeah, I know that Pam! This is especially true when you’re posing with a ukulele in the lav! But that’s part of the fun, isn’t it? By the way, what did the flight attendants say when they saw you going into the bathroom with a musical instrument? Oh I bet you were major Galley Gossip that day! I mean here I thought it was weird when a passenger inside the lavatory cracked open the door and asked if we had any magazines to read on board, but that almost makes sense compared to what you were doing. Big probs to you, my friend! How bout next time you play a little something on the uke, but don’t forget your tripod because I’ll need to see a video of that for sure. (Please!)

Hey hey, here it is – JL

Hey, hey – wait a minute….so this is what happened to The Smashing Pumpkins! Hey, do me a favor and tell Jessica Simpson I said hello. Take that back, tell Jessica Simpson she’s next! Besides you, Billy Corgan – Oops I mean JL (wink wink) – I don’t have a celebrity laviator shot.

Laviated on Southwest Airlines – a 737-700. Flying from SMF-SEA wearing a reverse Laviator T-shirt designed by Windtee, maker of aviation artwork! – Julie

Hey, I need one of those shirts!


I took the photo in the first class lav on American Airlines from DFW – CLT this morning on my 79th flight of the year. :) This is the second year in a row I’ve flown on my birthday! – Julia

From this day forth I think everyone should spend at least one birthday in a lav on an airplane. Lord knows I have – too many times to count! Let’s not even talk about all the holidays. Now what I like about this picture, Julia, is not your pretty eyes or the way your sweater pops or the clarity of the photo, but the coffee bag hanging on the back of the lavatory door. That, my friend, is airplane deodorizer. (Works wonders sprinkled on top of barf as well)

Stop getting sick when you fly – Airplane tip

by Gadling Staff on

Forget buying expensive products that promise to keep you healthy when you fly. This simple, but unglamorous trick, prevents me from getting sick every time.

Before I head to the airport, I put a generous amount of antibiotic ointment on a cotton swab and then coat the inside of my nose. It creates a barrier for the germs and keeps my nose from becoming dry and irritated while breathing the recycled air in the plane.

(Of course, I have no medical proof, but I never get sick after flying when I remember to do this.)

Have an airplane raffle – Airplane tip

by Gadling Staff on

Last year on our flight to Las Vegas, I asked several of the other passengers if they would like to partake in a drawing for a chance to win money before landing in Vegas.

Several passengers were interested, so we got a trash bag and a marker, and each passenger that wanted to play wrote their seat number on a dollar bill and placed it in the trash bag.

After asking everyone if they wanted to play, we had a young passenger draw one of the dollars from the bag and that person won all the cash.

Daily Pampering: Luxury shopping at 35,000-feet

by Melanie Nayer on

Don’t you just hate it when you realize your favorite Chloe bag is at home, and you’re 35,000 feet in the air? Good news fashionistas: the savvy shoppers at Virgin America have found a way to ensure you aren’t without your favorite luxe items.

Virgin America and Gilt Groupe, the invitation-only online shopping site featuring hundreds of luxe-designers, have partnered to provide travelers with bonus Elevate points for shopping in style.

Here’s how it works: Make a purchase on Gilt Groupe using your Elevate number and receive 500 bonus points towards your Elevate Frequent Flier program with Virgin America. After 30 days from your purchase, members will get 500 bonus points. Thereafter, you’ll get 250 Elevate bonus points per $250 purchase.

Gilt Groupe offers Men’s, Women’s and Children’s favorite fashion and luxury brands at up to 70 percent off retail prices. Membership is free, so it won’t cost you to join. Gilt publishes new sales and designers on a daily basis and you have 36 hours to buy from that sale. You can check out the designers and upcoming sales during the preview period (usually a few days before the sale opens) and start picking your items.

Word to the wise from this Gilt Groupe shopper: Get online early and grab your item! It’s a first-come, first-served site so when the item is gone, it’s gone for good.

Want more? Get your dose of Daily Pampering right here.

Southwest Airlines seizes shipment of human heads from cargo department

by Scott Carmichael on

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcdfw.com/video.


Of all the “baggage issues” we’ve covered here on Gadling, this is by far the weirdest/most disgusting. A Southwest Airlines employee contacted police when an incorrectly labeled package turned out to contain 40 to 60 human heads.

The heads were on their way to a Fort Worth medial research company, but the local coroner says the shipment had “discrepancies”. According to NBC news in Forth Worth, the company that supplied the heads had their license revoked back in December.

Now, I think we should all spend a moment to think of the horror the poor Southwest Airlines employee has been through – opening a cargo box to discover 60 heads staring at you is a sight he or she will most likely not forget any time soon.

Update: As Southwest airlines correctly points out in the comments, the heads never made it onto a plane – a Southwest Airlines cargo staff member followed all procedures and contacted local authorities before the package was accepted. Kudos to them and everyone at Southwest Airlines for preventing this shipment from making it onto a plane.