Galley Gossip: Looking for love on the airplane (or at the airport)

by Heather Poole on

I never realized how much people actually disliked traveling until I started writing for Gadling. Well the next time you have to travel, don’t despair. It’s not all bad. Not if you’re single that is. In fact, if you are single, it can be a lot of fun. Real fun! How do I know? Because recently I read an interesting article about looking for love at the airport, which I think is a fabulous idea. I did it. Why not you? I succeeded. You could too!

So what if I really found the love of my life on the airplane, same thing! I believe so strongly in finding love while traveling, I’ve even instructed quite a few of my single flight attendant and agent friends to look for love at the airport and on the airplane. Forget online dating. That’s old school. The airport is where it’s at. Where else can you find men, all kinds of men, lots and lots of men (and women) just standing around waiting for something good to happen. Think about it, you could be that good thing. I’m talking about an endless supply of diverse and interesting people here with nothing to do but wait – for you! Don’t see what you like, sit tight, a new flight will be boarding or deplaning soon.

Once you’re on the flight, make sure to check out those seated around you. Whatever you do, don’t forget about the ones working behind the drink cart. Hey, flight attendants need a little love, too! Seriously, the flight doesn’t have to be miserable. It’s all up to you. Just say hello. To someone. Anyone. NOW!

In the article I mentioned above, “Sally” suggests grabbing an E seat. Oh I know what you’re thinking, there’s no way, no freakin way you’re going to sit in a middle seat. Hey I don’t blame you, it’s the worst seat on the airplane! But not when you’re sandwiched between two hotties.

Here’s what Sally suggests..

“If you’re single and looking and really in the mood, there’s one great way to meet people on a plane. You fly Southwest. Make sure to board with the last group, which means you’ll probably be stuck in a middle seat. Then you walk down the aisle looking for a middle seat next to a really hot guy. Done.”

Personally I think Sally’s suggestion is brilliant. Don’t you?

Like I mentioned already, I met my hubby on a flight from New York to Los Angeles three days after Christmas. The flight was empty. I think we were somewhere over Illinois when I began to take notice of him. Whenever I tell the story of how we met, people (even flight attendants) always seem a little shocked. Then they’ll look at me funny and ask, “Really?”

Yes, really.

I’ll then look at them funny and ask, “What’s the big deal?” because really, what is the big deal?

Trust me, there’s no better place to find a man (or woman) than on an airplane. When I met my husband I didn’t think he was my type. Not at all. He was short. But what I would soon come to love about him was the fact that he had manners. Whenever I offered him something to eat or drink he always said please and thank you. (Good manners are a must when it comes to meeting a flight attendant.) You know that old saying, you can always tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his mother. Well the same holds true for the way he treats me. The flight attendant. Or anyone else in the service industry.

My husband, the passenger, he actually made eye contact while saying please and thank you, something that rarely happens on flights these days, and he did it without ogling. He was polite. But not flirty. A gentleman. This I found to be very attractive. You see if they flirt with me they’ll probably flirt with you, too, and that’s not a good thing, not when you’re looking for something serious.

Of course I couldn’t help but notice the computer, Ipod, magazine, and pen and paper inside his carry-on bag. This showed me that he was a man with a plan, which was my kind of man. The thing that got me was the delicious looking sandwich he’d brought onboard with him. It was a sign that he knew how to take care of himself. Hello, he was traveling in business class! We still serve food in business. Of course what sealed the deal was when he offered me a bite. This showed me he was a giver, not a taker. Right then and there I knew he was the one for me. We were engaged eight months later.

The point I’m trying to make here is that love really can happen at the airport or on an airplane, and it can happen to you. You just have to be open to it. And you have to say hello. To someone. Anyone. Now! How else will they know you exist?

What’s that you say? Can’t afford to fly? Well then go to the bar. If you’re in Denver there’s a nightclub called DC10 where the waitresses make the rounds dressed up as “sexy flight attendants.” The club has no VIP room so all the customers can feel as if they’re traveling in first class. Hello!

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Photos courtesy of Heather Poole (Yeah, that’s me!)

Southwest Announces Fares and Schedule for Minneapolis/St. Paul

by Josh Lew on

Southwest Airlines recently announced its schedule and fares for its service between Minneapolsi/St. Paul and Chicago Midway. The first flight will take off on March 8th, 2009. The announcement of fares is bound to create a bit of buzz for Southwest in the Twin Cities. Here’s why: The current price of a one-way airfare between MSP and Chicago is $426. Southwest’s lowest price will be $69 one-way (21 day advanced purchase required). The best round trip deal from the airlines that currently fly the route (Northwest/Delta and American) is well over $300. The math reveals that Northwest and others have some soul searching and price cutting to do in order to stay competitive on the route.

And, since Southwest also announced 8 daily flights, it appears that there will be plenty of seat avialible for those who want to give the proverbial finger to the big boys and save some cash in the process. When service launches, Southwest will only be flying the one route between MSP and Midway. However, from Midway, Southwest flies to 47 cities nationwide.

[Thanks Rick Seaney]

Southwest celebrates Halloween with a bang

by Grant Martin on

If you were following along the tweetfeed and some of the events late last week, you may have learned that I spent a little bit of time down at Southwest Airlines‘ HQ in Dallas for Halloween. Each year the airline has an internal competition among the departments to decorate their sections, arrange skits and try to outdo each other for the famed glory and bragging rights of the best performance.

This year, I came down with The Cranky Flier and EGW from Jaunted to help in judging the competition and to witness the madness first hand. And madness it was.

To begin with, Southwest’s CEO, Gary Kelly takes the holiday pretty seriously (he’s about the complete opposite from me.) A few years back he dressed up as Gene Simmons from Kiss. Last year he was a chick. And his enthusiasm trickles down into the soul of the entire company. EVERYONE gets fired up for this day.
When I showed up at HQ just after seven, I briefly had breakfast with my colleagues and was introduced to Gary, who this year was dressed up as Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top. Yes, that’s him pictured above; here’s a picture of him in real life. Two of his closest colleagues were dressed up as other band members. Here they are practicing their moves:

After introductions and pictures, we were quickly ushered outside to golf carts that took us over to the MX hangar where aircraft are refurbished and fixed. I could have spent all day here but instead we were led through to a surprisingly impressive haunted house, complete with goons jumping out at you and fake blood.

With everyone safe and sound, much of the rest of the day involved visiting different departments and participating in assorted skits and activities that they had prepared. Some, involving dozens of employees coordinated into singing and dancing productions MUST have been professionally choreographed, begging the question of how much time and cash went into the production (and how much these bragging rights are really worth.) Others, like the Indiana Jones reenactment looked like they took weeks of construction and planning.

In the end, it was that sort of effort that ended up getting the judge’s vote for best performance. Both the Indiana Jones reenactment and a Southwest Spin on Mama Mia titled “SWAMama Mia” took home prizes for best performance.

As for the judges, we enjoyed ten seconds of fame at the end of the day when we were introduced to the employees up on stage. And I’m proud to say that I’m the only blogger that carried a beer up with him.

Until next year, friends at Southwest. I probably need that long to recover.

The airlines celebrate halloween

by Grant Martin on

Oh, to be part of the airline industry. As we recently saw in great detail, Southwest Airlines takes the holiday very, very seriously. Out at their headquarters on Friday, I was privy to a celebration of epic proportions — several departments decked out completely in costume and decoration, some with meticulous construction and weeks put into planning. I heard that some departments hired professional choreographers to coordinate their dance moves. More on that later this week though.Elsewhere in the industry, Virgin America also hosted a smaller celebration at their headquarters in California, complete with over-the-top costumes and decorations. I also heard that some Northwest employees dressed up as Delta employees. Wild.

In other news, the candy jar at my office has been empty for about a month now. I’ll cross my fingers on the Halloween celebrations getting kicked off next year.

Southwest Airlines Halloween update – looks like someone is having fun!

by Scott Carmichael on

The messages on the Gadling Twitter feed sound like they are all in a secret code, but the only thing I can tell is that someone is having a great time celebrating Halloween with Southwest Airlines!

Apparently the celebration involves golf carts on the tarmac, an airline CEO dressed up as ZZ Top and a Gadling blogger with a yet to be photographed orange pilot suit (I’ve demanded photographic evidence of that!).

Stay tuned to our Twitter feed for updates as the day progresses, and perhaps we’ll catch a glimpse of even more wacky costumes.