Potentially Creepy Airline Perk of the Day: Flirty Drinks

[brooklynite]

The Atlantic:

Commercial air travel is known more for its tedium than for its romantic potential. But that may be changing.

Just kidding, of course that's not changing. But Virgin America does have a new in-flight feature whereby the Casanova in row 19 can send you a drink, and then maybe a follow-up text like "Hey, r u enjoying the vodka soda?"

It's called "seat-to-seat," and it is debuting on Virgin's Los Angeles-Las Vegas service. Virgin even has a contest going called "Get Lucky," to see who comes off the plane with the best story or... photograph [PDF].

This might sound creepy to you, but remember, it's intended for the L.A.-to-Vegas weekend crowd.

And, just in case you didn't get the hint...

#t=1s

[Whisp]

1. seems like a really bad and stupid idea.

another way for women to be harassed and expected to give something in return for the stupid drink from most likely some stupid horndog.

[snooper2]

11. you ever see the horndogs?

[SoCalDem]

2. In 1975, Air Jamaica had bikini/island wear fashion shows onboard

and of course the Inaugural United 747 flight out of Chicago had a piano bar in COACH..free booze and music..

Flying actually used to be FUN

[brooklynite]

3. ...and much more expensive.

Today, US customers seem to respond only to ticket pricing.

[SoCalDem]

4. I guess we get what we pay for..

Travel to and from used to be part of the trip.. now, it's like taking the bus was in my day..

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

17. Remember the "I'm National, Fly Me" commercials of the early 70s?

Some of them featured a single gorgeous hostess singing “I’m Cheryl", or "I'm Cindy, come fly me”. They had a parade of sexy hostesses from National Airlines in skimpy attire singing a jingle “fly me” which was understood to mean “unzip your fly and come do me”.


?w=600

[datasuspect]

29. there once was a tribe of impeccably dressed ass slapping steak eaters

a lot of them served in ww2.

[MadrasT]

5. Oh great.

Now not only do I have to worry about being annoyed by the person sitting next to me... I can potentially be harassed by any jackass on the plane.

(Makes mental note to never fly Virgin.)

[HiPointDem]

6. sleazy. creepy.

[randome]

7. 'Creepy' if you assume only men might buy the drink.

But it does seem kind of pointless, overall. What's wrong with striking up a conversation?

[Quantess]

9. How is it not just as potentially creepy if women buy the drink?

Or maybe it isn't. What do I know?

[randome]

20. I assumed the 'creepy' factor was about men hitting on women.

Usually, in the reverse scenario, men don't mind being hit on. I suppose some do but that's a rarity.

[Quantess]

21. I thought that it's only creepy when one is several decades older than the other

whether male or female.

...OR, if the person lays it on way too thick, or won't leave you alone. That's just my own bias, but, different people like different things. Some people get uptight and complain when being hit on by anyone who isn't their fantasy dreamboat, unfortunately.

[Pelican]

24. I get that now as a service member...

I've had folks on the plane buy me drinks when they see that I'm military.

Most of the time the stewardesses let it slide but other passengers have done it as well.

I realize that this is a rare thing and will be used for gags and picking up members of the opposite sex. Still, there are other ways to look at it.

[randome]

30. Those situations happen all the time in the non-flying world.

It doesn't need to be creepy. I'd even say it's easier to say 'No' when you're on a trip that caters to flirting and you're surrounded by people who will support you. (I'm assuming that stewards and stewardesses would do that, should anyone become obnoxious.)

[Whisp]

15. or sending paper airplanes.

snub nosed ones.

[randome]

18. There you go!

[backscatter712]

8. I'll have a vodka martini and 4D will have a roofie colada!

Last edited Thu Apr 25, 2013, 05:09 PM - Edit history (1)

Giggity-giggity-giggity! ALL RIGHT! Let's join the mile high club!

[LadyHawkAZ]

10. Funny that it's on an airline called Virgin

If they're going to start running special Mile High Club mixer flights to go with the singles-bar drink orders, I'll be first in line to buy a ticket. That's a service I would pay extra for. I'm sure it would distract me from my terror of flying.

[Bay Boy]

12. Unrelated, but interesting I think...

...my wife and I just flew Delta from Detroit to Paris and they offered free beer in the coach section. I was pleasantly shocked.

[brooklynite]

19. Try Alitalia...

In Coash they pour wine from the bottle at meals, and stick a couple bottles into the pantry for self-service pouring.

[Bay Boy]

32. My wife just reminded me...

..there was wine offered free also. I don't know how good of wine, since it was boxed wine but it was available too

[Xyzse]

13. So, only for the LA to Vegas weekend crowd

Assuming that is what they are there for I guess...
I have no clue. As long as receiving a drink does not mean an invitation to sit next to them.
Which, for flights I guess doesn't mean that, since they would have to go through having to exchange seats and so forth.

Safety of the passengers should be considered paramount.

Not sure how that flies with this one. Although like I said, it is for one specific flight goving to Vegas, which they assume is for fun... It is a means of meeting people...

I tend to let things like these go. I am sure there are people who would be opposed to such a thing.

[Aristus]

14. Seems like a bad idea when you have a captive "audience", so to speak.

No place for the recipient of the attention to go.

[actslikeacarrot]

16. Unless I was on a date...

...I have never bought a woman a drink. If I am paying for it I am drinking it. The unasked for drink move smacks of desperation.

[davidpdx]

22. What next, condom dispensers in the bathrooms?

Yeah, I don't think I want to use the bathroom after two people have done the bumpity bump.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

23. Virgin America is (one of) the best airlines IMO, but...

...this is a FAIL of epic proportions.

FA: The gentleman in row 8 would like to buy you a drink.
"Oh, I'm only 18."

[Warren DeMontague]

25. This is brilliant; because they already make everyone sit in everyone else's fucking lap

"it's not a bug, it's a feature!"

[Bonobo]

26. Agreed.

I also hate the fact that people can speak to each other. It opens up all sorts of potentially ugly situations.

[Deep13]

27. I would be texting my wife the whole time with silly jokes. nt

[brooklynite]

28. Maybe an additional money-making feature...

would be to pay the Flight Attendant to throw the drink in the buyer's face?

[randome]

31. Or one could say "No, thanks."