Flight attendants protest AirTran swimsuit plane

[Cruzan]

A revealing image on the runway has some AirTran Airways flight attendants fuming.

Orlando-based AirTran, which has its largest hub in Atlanta, has adorned one of its Boeing 737 jets with the image of a swimsuit-clad woman in heels, as part of a partnership with Sports Illustrated for the magazine's swimsuit edition.

The promotion is ending and AirTran will remove the image from the plane soon, spokesman Christopher White said.

The AJC has learned that the Association of Flight Attendants at AirTran voiced its objections in a message to members.

"It is our feeling that this is not only contrary to the family image that this company tries to promote, but also potentially offensive to their female employees, the majority of their flight attendants who will have to work on this aircraft," the union said, adding that it "creates a potential for verbal abuse by male passengers."

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EDIT:
Last year's promotion on Southwest:

[HopeHoops]

1. In protest, the flight attendants should all show up in bikinis one day - including the guys.

Maybe that would get the attention of the numbnut idiots who made the decision to allow that.

[seabeyond]

38. or... a huge ass picture of macho manly man in speedo. ya think. nevah. nt

[Name removed]

2. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[wolfgangmo]

3. To corporations we are all commodities.

Including the employees and the customers.

[Echo In Light]

32. And usually more than willing commodities, at that

[KansDem]

4. Kind of like Hooters' with wings...

Personally, I find this campaign offensive and I'm a guy!

[DemoTex]

8. There is (was?) a Hooter's with wings: Hooter's Air.

"Hooters Air operates it’s main hub in Myrtle Beach, SC. They originally offered air service out of Atlanta, Baltimore and then added the Bahamas and Ft Meyers’ Florida to continue their fun in the sun party theme. Hooters adds a couple hooter girls on all it’s flights for “additional customer service” Along with Hooters regular airline tickets and service they also offer Charter service."

http://airlines.ws/hooters-airline/

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

20. If the plane has Hooters' menu and food quality

I'll fly it. Better than a can of Pringles or whatever is being sold these days.

[KansDem]

28. DAMN!!! I missed this!

I guess you might say this development flew right by me!

[katandmoon]

26. Thank you.

[DemoTex]

5. Reminiscent of Continental's "We Move Our Tail for You" slogan ..

And of the various exploitations by PSA airlines. I predict the AirTran B-737 will be returning to the paint shop .. soon.

[Bluebear]

7. And, "I'm Amber. Fly me!"

Was that National's campaign?

[Winterblues]

6. So now a woman in a swim suit is offensive to women?

Give me a break........

[Maru Kitteh]

11. Bless your little tiny heart. Aren't you just too cute for words.

[joeybee12]

12. Yes, it's just that simple...women hate swimsuits...why didn't I see that

right away? :crazy:

[Maru Kitteh]

18. Oh look, another one that's too cute.

[joeybee12]

24. Geesh...did i need the sarcasm button? Thought my post was obviously

agreeing with you.

[seabeyond]

27. i thought agreeing too, but wasnt way sure, lol lol. but ya.... women hate suits, thats it

wink

the sad thing. a lot of guys on this thread totally obtuse

[joeybee12]

30. From now on, I will incorporate the sarcasm emoticon in my sig line!

:sarcasm:

[Maru Kitteh]

33. I'm sorry. I read it entirely the wrong way because I was in a hurry. My fault!

I shouldn't try to do so many things at once sometimes. I apologize.

[joeybee12]

36. No worries!

:toast:

[Kceres]

15. Get a clue.

Don't know how anyone can consider themselves progressive and not take issue with such blatant exploitation.

[seabeyond]

17. it interfers with their agenda.... nt

[Maru Kitteh]

22. The agenda of masturbation and keeping women in their place is VERY IMPORTANT!

Plus, it's difficult to do with one hand so maybe that's why they want us to keep quiet.

[seabeyond]

25. STFU... no way. bringing up the 60's work environment as a compass for today... seperate drinking

fountains too. why not. was like that in the 60's

yup. agreeing with ya.

[no limit]

47. Lol, exploitation? The amount of nuts on this board is amazing at times.

[seabeyond]

48. i'll betcha there are more asses than nuts

wink

[no limit]

49. lol

[katandmoon]

29. It's very disconcerting to see so many Rush Limbaugh wanna-be's in this thread.

You couldn't sound any more ignorant and sexist than he does.

[seabeyond]

31. you are right. absolutely ignoring a females right to work unharassed in her work environment

and how this equates to an harassment.

and unsuppotive of these women, yet called themselves progressive. it is the last decade of all women things for males, whores and entertainment for men mentality

what both women and men fought for in the 70's for women is on the back burner today.

[L0oniX]

9. No Frederick's of Hollywood magazines allowed on board either.

Oh yea ...and keep your virgin families off the Miami beaches too.

[tammywammy]

10. She reminds me of 40s pin up girls

Of which I'm a fan, so I like it.

[Johonny]

13. Is advertising on the side of the plane effective?

unless you protest it and get the planes and photos in the news...

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. This is silly. If the same advertising image was on the side of a city bus

would you expect the bus driver to be wearing a bikini?

It is CLEARLY identified as a Sports Illustrated ad.

The sixties, and 'Fly Me' are long behind us. I think someone is being a little over sensitive.

[Bunny]

16. Must be that time of the month.

:eyes:

[katandmoon]

21. Rush Limbaugh couldn't have said it better.

[Bunny]

35. You may have misunderstood me.

[blondeatlast]

57. I don't think you know Bunny well.

Bunny--I lol'ed.

[RaleighNCDUer]

39. And yet, you did not answer my question.

Would you connect the same ad on the side of the bus to the bus driver, or even the bus company?

Why would ANYBODY connect this with the flight attendants?

I personally think the ad is a really bad idea, but only because it is a useless expense for SI. Who is going to see it at 15,000 ft? The only people who are guaranteed to see it are airport workers, flight crews and a small portion of the public who happen to be in that part of the terminal when the plane is parked. The same on on the side of a bus would be much more cost effective, considering the expense of the paint job and the potential viewers.

Somebody needs to lose that account.

[Bunny]

40. Your cute little comment about someone being 'a little oversensitive'

made it unworthy of any serious response.

[Name removed]

42. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[katandmoon]

19. With all the crap flight attendants have to put up with on the job, I don't think they are being a

BIT oversensitive.

[dana_b]

37. that's right!

are you a flight attendant? I was for 5 years and the stories I could tell..... Seriously, I think people forget that women and even flight attendants have fought for decades to get away from these images and attitudes. To have it blasted on the side of the plane that they work in is more than disconcerting.

[RaleighNCDUer]

52. If there was anything that connected the ad on the outside to the people

working on the inside, I would wholeheartedly agree - but I see no such connection.

Would the same ad on a downtown billboard make implications about the people in the building below the billboard? If the ad advertised the opening of the new season at the Met, would anyone think the attendants are supposed to sing opera?

The ad has NO connection to flight attendants that I see - perhaps I'm to much of a literalist, but what I see is an ad promoting a magazine I don't read. Nothing more.

[seabeyond]

23. sexism, sexual harassment rampant in 60's. oh boy, lets live that again. all we have done

to set boundaries in the work place so the environment is not uncomfortable for women, our DU men advocate bringing their territorial mentality back.

[ccinamon]

34. I believe this qualifies as a hostile work environment

and is against the law.

[Initech]

41. And yet nobody complains about the perfectly-visible Playboys and Penthouses

Sold at airport magazine stands everywhere. Just pointing out the hypocrisy here.

[KittyWampus]

43. My dilemma, should I call out the prudes or the sexists? I think SI LOVES getting some controversy

going. So they probably appreciate the flight attendants protesting.

My only real comment isn't about whether this is appropriate or offensive. Mine is to note that I like the graphic as it reminds me of the old-fashioned pin-up girls from the 40's.

[tammywammy]

44. Oh good

I'm not the only one that likes the graphic. :)

[Snarkoleptic]

45. Now this is one cool plane...

[NeedleCast]

50. I find this offense to killer whales

[Snarkoleptic]

54. I'm offended that you're offended.

[blondeatlast]

58. I love this one. One good thing I can say about my home state is

that it has a beaugtiful flag.

[no limit]

46. Do they really have nothing more important to bitch about?

Its a free fucking country, if you don't like the image then don't work there.

Maybe they should be more concerned about the working conditions of the people flying them around instead of being worried about an image on the side of the plane.

[NeedleCast]

51. If this is offensive

Is the sports illustrated swimsuit edition also offensive?

[RaleighNCDUer]

53. I think that for some here, that is the whole point. nt

[no limit]

55. Kind of funny hearing people on DU argue against women having choice with their bodies

[NeedleCast]

56. Yeah, I don't understand it

I'm sure that makes me a neanderthal.

[no limit]

59. No, it makes you Rush Limbaugh, atleast thats what I get from this thread