Southwest Airlines Offers “Skimpy” Airfare in Nod to Miniskirt Publicity

by Catherine Bodry on

First, a Southwest employee insults Kyla Ebbert by asking her to change her revealing outfit or disembark the plane. Now, Southwest has turned the critical media coverage of this impromptu dress code violation into a marketing campaign for its flights.

Chief Executive Gary Kelly claims that they’re “trying to be lighthearted about all this.” Southwest has already apologized to Ebbert, but after another woman spoke out about similar treatment and Ebbert went on ‘The Today Show’ and ‘The Dr. Phil Show’ to tell her story, Southwest not only issued another apology (and two free round-trip tickets) to Ebbert, but also announced a 10-day fare sale in honor of miniskirts.

Does this mean that buttock-baring minis will be okay on future Southwest flights? Kelly doesn’t elaborate on a Southwest dress code, but does acknowledge Southwest’s less-conservative past as a company that touted itself as “the love airline” and dressed its stewardesses in hot pants.

More Southwest Airlines controversy:

[via msnbc.com]

Mahalo: How to Sleep on a Plane

by Justin Glow on

I’ve never been able to sleep on planes. Sure, I doze off occasionally, snapping my head forward every few minutes in a shot of confusion — but I’ve never truly slept in a way that leaves me feeling refreshed upon landing. It’s either too crowded, too loud, too hot, too cold, too comfortable; I can always find a reason to toss and turn. One of the only times I was able to really fall asleep was on an Alitalia flight to India, but that was because they served unlimited, free beer and wine. You get the picture.

The “human powered search engine” Mahalo has a handy how-to on sleeping on a plane. A lot of the info is obvious if you’re a semi-regular flier, but there are some tips that I hadn’t heard before. For instance, did you know the National Sleep Foundation says alcohol prevents sleep? I beg to differ. PLEASE let me differ. PLEASE.

Anyway, the how-to is broken up into 6 helpful steps:

  1. Book the right seat
  2. Prepare before your flight
  3. Use accessories to increase your comfort
  4. Warn people you plan to sleep
  5. Use sleep medications
  6. If money is no object, fly business or first class

Overall, it’s another great guide from the folks over at Mahalo. It should have you sleeping on planes in no time. But since it is a human-powered search engine, I, as a fellow human, would like to offer up a piece of advice for addition. The how-to warns that both the last row and the rows in front of the exit seats often do not recline, so you shouldn’t sit there unless you plan on sitting upright the entire time. Fair enough. However, if your seat does recline, mind the person sitting behind you. Even though the seats are designed to recline with minimal intrusion of your backseat neighbor’s personal space, it doesn’t always work that way — especially if they’re eating. So do everyone a favor, and communicate with the person behind you. Is he or she eating, or working a laptop perhaps? Don’t recline your seat quite yet. Instead, turn around and ask, “I’d like to recline my seat when you’re finished eating. Is that a problem?” Nobody likes a head of hair in their lap as they try to choke down the already-questionable food.

Or you could always just buy the Knee Defender.

Spontaneous Weekend Trips: Los Angeles, Part One

by Jamie Rhein on

My spontaneous, solo trip to L.A. two weekends from now, Sept. 28-30 ,started with an e-mail. A friend who works for the City of West Hollywood sent out a mass invite about an event he is in charge of organizing. The Algonquin West Hollywood Literary Award Soiree is the first ever. “Great!” I thought, “looks interesting.” Then, when I saw Mark Salzman is the author who will receive the award, I thought. “Damn, I’d like to go.” He is one of my all time favorite writers–one whose book, The Laughing Sutra, I have taught and someone who has a humorous, interested eye on the world.

Next thought was, hmmm, I wonder how much the flights cost? After a visit to Travelocity, the wheels started to turn. Can you believe this? A round-trip ticket on Delta to L.A. from Columbus is $218.80, taxes included. Seriously. I was astounded. Skybus is now at $285 and that flight is to Burbank. After heading to Delta’s Web site, I saw a detail I also couldn’t believe. The ticket is fully refundable if it’s canceled within 24 hours of the flight. What?!!!

Even though the price was right, what about timing? The timing couldn’t be more perfect. It leaves in the evening on Friday, well after a conference I’m going to–and after the kids and husband get home. The flight back is a red eye that leaves L.A. at night. It will get me back to Columbus on at 6:30 AM or thereabouts, plenty of time to make it to my Monday commitments. This also gives me all day Sunday in L.A.

What about getting from the airport and where to stay? A good friend of mine who lives in Santa Monica was at a Dodger’s baseball game when I called him. “Sure, I’ll come get you and you can stay with me,” he said. That problem solved.

From the time I got the email to the time I got my ticket was about an hour. When I sat down to read my e-mails I had no idea that this trip to L.A. was in my future. Some details are still being worked out–but man, am I glad I didn’t try to figure out all the angles before I said yes. The West Hollywood event is open to the public. Anyone can get a ticket. Go the event Web site for details.

Still feeling skeptical though, I called Delta and talked to a person–a real person, to find out if the refundable ticket information is correct and to find out how often that flight to Columbus gets canceled or is late. Either she’s lying through her teeth, or she’s honest. She said she’d check.

Air New Zealand to Offer Gay-Themed Flight

by Catherine Bodry on

Bring on the feather boas, shimmery eye makeup, and stiletto heels. And if you want to sleep, maybe some sleeping pills, because Air New Zealand’s gay-themed flight from San Francisco to Sydney promises to be 14 hours of nonstop fun.

The flight is scheduled to depart February 25 for the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney, Australia, which is one of the world’s most well-attended gay events. Passengers can expect drag queens, pink cocktails, and a cabaret, as well as gay-friendly movies and a “Get-Onboard Girlfriend” going away party.

Air New Zealand flight-tested a similar theme for Sydney’s Mardi Gras in 2007, when flight attendants wore pink feather boas and the pilot donned fairy wings. American Airlines, Air Canada, and other airline companies have become visible sponsors of gay pride events, but none so far have used “campy” programming to appeal to gay and lesbian travelers.

I’m a married, heterosexual woman, but this is one 14-hour flight I just might actually enjoy.

Portugal, Alaska, Prague and Akron

by Jamie Rhein on

Three of these places have something in common and one does not. I’ve just noticed that two start with P and two start with A, but that has nothing to do with this game. Everyone is going on a major trip but me. That, of course, is a gross exaggeration, but consider this. My father is winging his way to the Czech Republic with a stop in Lyon, France as part of his journey. My mother and my brother also left today. They’re in Seattle awaiting to embark on my mother’s dream trip–a cruise to Alaska. A close friend of mine from college left today for eight days in Portugal. (She left her two children with her husband for her jaunt away.) What does Akron have to do with anything? I’m heading there on Sunday. Actually, I’m going to Stow which is next door. My excitement might come from a stop at Grandpa’s Cheese Barn near the Ashland exit off of I-71. Wheee!!! Actually, the cheese there does ratchet up my excitement quotient.

There is nothing wrong with being closer to home. A good friend of ours who lives in Madrid, Iowa just flew in today on American AIrlines. The plane was early and my husband didn’t even have to pay for parking since he was at the airport for less than 10 minutes. This visit is a chance to show our friend, who has never been to Ohio, some of our favorite Columbus hotspots before my husband and he head to Cleveland for an Indians baseball game and a trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sunday is the meet up in Stow for a family picnic gathering. These gatherings are one of the reasons why we are living in the U.S. right now. Still, when I am grazing the samples at the cheese barn, I’ll think of those people I love who are on their mega trips having those adventures they’ve dreamed about.

By the way, the friend who is visiting is the one who took us on the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad mentioned in the fall foliage leaf peeping train post.