A “new airline” which purported to charge passengers by the pound ran ads in Philadelphia newspapers this weekend. Promising to chop fairs and carbon emissions, Derrie-Air says: “The magic comes from our one of a kind “Sliding Scale”—the more you weigh, the more you’ll pay. After all, it takes more fuel—more energy—to get more weight from point A to point B. So we will charge passengers based on how much mass they add to the plane. The heavier you and your luggage are, the more trees we’ll plant to make up for the trouble of flying you from place to place.”
Persons of size and overpackers need not get their knickers in a knot. Nor should beauty queens, manoerexics, and supermodels light up at the idea of low fares. It was all a joke whose goal, according to Philadelphia Media Holdings spokesman Jay Devine, is to “demonstrate the power of our brands in generating awareness and generating traffic for our advertisers, and put a smile on people’s faces.”
Tales From The Vinyl Village 
They thought that was a joke? They thought that put a smile on people’s faces? They should have sat in my nail salon yesterday and seen the outrage on all the women’s faces. Um. Ya, I’m not laughing. Maybe I should say something like “It figures a MAN would think that’s funny” and then cancel it with, “Oh, I was just JOKING”. Some PR people are just plain stupid, that’s all.
And I did the math…based on my own very average weight, the fares they were offering were not such a bargain.
Seems like something from an underground college newspaper rather than a serious one, dontcha think?
I love it! Oddly enough, I’ve been supporting such a sliding scale for years…or at least some sort of penalty for people whose girth bleeds over into the seat containing this Reverend…
Rev, I AM with ya there. If your butt is partially on my seat, you need to come out of pocket with part of my fare. LOL!
Heh! Oh yeah, panties will wad! You know, one of the biggest problems with today’s world, our country particularly, is an over abundance of “political correctness” a whole bunch of easily offended people, and no sense of humor. I tell you truly, I’m about sick of all the snivelling, whining, poor me you-hurt-my-feelings crap. I made that pretty plain here:
http://dawtch.blogspot.com/2008/04/political-correctness-war.html
Get over it. Just because someone pokes fun at something (in this case, being overweight), and you happen to be someone who falls into that category (ie, you’re overweight), doesn’t mean it’s directed at you personally – how arrogant are you? It is a joke, humor – do you remember that? IF I make a joke about a stereotypical redneck, and you are a stereotypical redneck, it’s NOT personal – and hey – YOU are the one who chose to be in that category. Yes, I said chose – I don’t want to hear how it’s “not your fault” It is. You are where you are and who you are because of the choice YOU made. Accept it. And if you’re funny, I’m gonna laugh at you. Maybe if you could laugh at yourself a little bit you wouldn’t be so miserable that you have to take everything so personally…
Oh my – I better get off the soapbox, I think my nose is starting to bleed from the height…*grin*
BB
dawtch
They couldnt PAY me to get my fat ass on a plane.
Really? I LOVE to fly. Are you afraid of it, or just not willing to put up with all the crap it entails?
Very much afraid. Did it toooo much when I was a kid, only because I was made to. As an adult, I dont have to, and I wont!
Apparently, the company that started this ad has been to the Vinyl Village:
http://gyroworldwide.com/hype.php?hype_entry=937