SAS follows up gay success


" SAS is committed to its LGBT (Gay, Bi and Transsexuals)-campaign "Love is in the air," which was one of last year's biggest social media successes, with an improved HBT side and a new SAS Crew Guide specifically for the gays market. Crew Guiden hadde Hollywoodpremiere forrige uke. Crew Guide had Hollywood premiere last week. Det siste året har SAS dessuten vunnet flere internasjonale priser for sin satsning på HBT. In the past year, SAS has also won several international awards for its commitment to HBT. "

Last year SAS had the woirlds first gay and lesbian weddings in the air ...


Check out the cool inflight wedding rap by one of the flightattendants last year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtCjJVf9akA&feature=player_embedded


Read more here:

http://translate.google.com/translat...boarding.no%2Fart.asp%3Fid%3D48002


Not gay myself, but I think it's a cool idea from SAS and happy that it is such a success

Quoting Mortyman (Thread starter): Not gay myself, but I think it's a cool idea from SAS and happy that it is such a success

I think its weird and as a passenger I would definately dont want that wedding on my flight. but thats just my personal opinion.

I hope they rented the entire business class cabin. Otherwise it must have been annoying for some of their fellow passengers who might just wanted to take a nap and paid for a business class seat.

Quoting AirPacific747 (Reply 2): I hope they rented the entire business class cabin. Otherwise it must have been annoying for some of their fellow passengers who might just wanted to take a nap and paid for a business class seat.

What the wedding shows is that SAS values gay business and is willing to go out on a political limb to show support for GLBT travelers. Whatever annoyance the activity might have caused on that particular day could not have been as bad as a screaming baby (or several) in the business cabin, which could ruin anybody's flight. Casual spectators often enjoy celebrations vicariously and those on the flight might have even been offered something to help toast the occasion, so it's difficult to see how this would have been unwelcome.

Quoting kl911 (Reply 1): I think its weird and as a passenger I would definately dont want that wedding on my flight. but thats just my personal opinion.

Im sure we have all seen documentarys where some nerd proposes to his girlfriend in front of a cabin of passengers with the PA system in his hand and worse yet, the few where they actually do get married in the aisle.....Dont see how this is any different!

Quoting tonystan (Reply 4): Im sure we have all seen documentarys where some nerd proposes to his girlfriend in front of a cabin of passengers with the PA system in his hand and worse yet, the few where they actually do get married in the aisle.....Dont see how this is any different!

At least there's less chance of someone saying no!

What if someone is religious or is not feeling comfortable around this kind of behavior? SAS should not have gone against the beliefs of one group of people to please another one. There is a reason why airlines have not done so before...

Quoting ju068 (Reply 9): ju068 From Serbia, joined Aug 2009, 1218 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted Sat Nov 19 2011 21:22:46 your local time (8 minutes 45 secs ago) and read 132 times: What if someone is religious or is not feeling comfortable around this kind of behavior? SAS should not have gone against the beliefs of one group of people to please another one. There is a reason why airlines have not done so before... Góða ferð og þægliges stund fyrir flugtak!

While I do agree that some people may have found this uncomfortable ( though quite why escapes me ) I believe you are confusing your facts. Being gay is not a 'belief' nor is it a choice per se.

What you are effectively implying is that anyone who is not gay is against it, as you suggest SAS are upsetting 'straight' people to please homo's like myself.

I don't believe this to be true, I think they meant to make a gesture to the lucrative pink pound, and show that they are a modern airline with an accepting and welcoming attitude to the gay community.


If it makes a few quid extra for them too, then all the better and good luck to them.
As a gay Bloke, it wouldn't make me want to fly them anymore than any other airline.

Quoting kl911 (Reply 1): I think its weird and as a passenger I would definately dont want that wedding on my flight. but thats just my personal opinion.

Indeed your opnion, everyone has them. Some are better than others.

Quoting ju068 (Reply 9): What if someone is religious or is not feeling comfortable around this kind of behavior?

This kind of behaviour? I am not sure how someone would be uncomfortable around people who love each other.

Quoting ju068 (Reply 9): SAS should not have gone against the beliefs of one group of people to please another one. There is a reason why airlines have not done so before...

Again, beliefs? Equality is not a belief. Religions are beliefs.

Quoting FCAFLYBOY (Reply 10): What you are effectively implying is that anyone who is not gay is against it, as you suggest SAS are upsetting 'straight' people to please homo's like myself.

Yes but they did it already once, don't see the point in doing it again ...

Quoting FCAFLYBOY (Reply 10): While I do agree that some people may have found this uncomfortable ( though quite why escapes me ) I believe you are confusing your facts. Being gay is not a 'belief' nor is it a choice per se.

Yes and the vast majority of European population does not feel comfortable being in that situation. When I mentioned belief I was referring to religious people whose faith does not approve of homosexuality.

Quoting ju068 (Reply 12): Yes and the vast majority of European population does not feel comfortable being in that situation.

Are you sure about that? The "vast majority"? I don't think so.

Quoting UALWN (Reply 15): Are you sure about that? The "vast majority"? I don't think so.

Then I recomend checking the numbers once again.

Quoting ju068 (Reply 12): Yes and the vast majority of European population does not feel comfortable being in that situation. When I mentioned belief I was referring to religious people whose faith does not approve of homosexuality.

Excuse me, but this is 2011, not 1911.
I think the "vast majority" of European population have no problem with homosexuality.

IDK I'd be annoyed having a gay OR straight wedding on my plane. It's an airline, fly people places! Just my opinion

Quoting ju068 (Reply 17): Then I recomend checking the numbers once again.

Which numbers? Do you have any statistics about the number of European citizens who would be uncomfortable watching a same-sex marriage?

Quoting UALWN (Reply 17): Which numbers? Do you have any statistics about the number of European citizens who would be uncomfortable watching a same-sex marriage?

You are welcome.

''Europeans show relatively high acceptance for gays and lesbians with a regional median response of 32%''

http://www.gallup-europe.be/newsletter/articles/1207_10.htm

Quoting ju068 (Reply 19):

The low number you are giving is from East bloque countries that aren't very open minded and really shouldn't be part of the EU.


European is such a vast group of people. What is European? Northern? Southern? Eastern?

Quoting ju068 (Reply 12): Yes and the vast majority of European population does not feel comfortable being in that situation. When I mentioned belief I was referring to religious people whose faith does not approve of homosexuality.

I don't know which Europeans are telling you this, but they're lying  

You did not mention religion at all. Was there a group of nuns and vicars on board?
Your views are outdated, your 'facts' shaky, but to each their own.

Quoting FCAFLYBOY (Reply 10): As a gay Bloke, it wouldn't make me want to fly them anymore than any other airline.

I agree. I look for service and more bang for the buck.

Quoting YYZAMS (Reply 20): The low number you are giving is from East bloque countries that aren't very open minded and really shouldn't be part of the EU.

I am not a native speaker but I suppose you mean Eastern bloc...  

Quoting FCAFLYBOY (Reply 21): I don't know which Europeans are telling you this, but they're lying

The % is there...

Quoting FCAFLYBOY (Reply 21): I look for service and more bang for the buck.

May I suggest that if you want to service the buck with a bang, pass on SAS, and book either the first class suites on the Singapore 380, or wait for Branson's upper class on the his 380s. My opinion of course, and as someone said, some opinions are worth more than others. Personally, the only way I would countenance a gay wedding up there is if I knew in advance that my (male) flight attendant would be dressed in lederhosen when he was serving me my champagne. If I have to put up with camp, let it be first class camp all around.

It's all about tolerance. Religious, sexual orientation, you name it.
In any case I would prefer not to have any kind of ceremony (whatever that is) on my flight. It's just annoying and embarrassing.

Quoting ju068 (Reply 9): What if someone is religious or is not feeling comfortable around this kind of behavior? SAS should not have gone against the beliefs of one group of people to please another one. There is a reason why airlines have not done so before...

Then it is easy - if it offends you, or anyone, don't fly SAS.

There are probably people who would be uncomfortable on, or offended by, Air NZ's Pink Flights to the Sydney Mardi Gras, but again - don't like 'em, don't fly 'em:

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/press...nk-flight-to-north-america-17sep07

"Attention passengers, Air New Zealand is now boarding rows one through FABULOUS. Today, the airline announced its first North American "Pink Flight," in celebration of the 2008 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras."

It isn't rocket science.

mariner

Personally, I think it'd be very awkward as a passenger to witness. Even if you support LGBT rights. But from a corporate standpoint, it's a certain victory.

Quoting ju068 (Reply 6): What if someone is religious or is not feeling comfortable around this kind of behavior? SAS should not have gone against the beliefs of one group of people to please another one. There is a reason why airlines have not done so before

really quite simple..speak with your dollar if you don't like the way a company runs their business to attract a market segment.

This sounds like a marketing ploy to a relatively wealthy demographic known for extensive traveling. Makes sense to me to have a publicity event where 80,000 people vote for which couples get married. The 80,000 people voting on facebook is a huge advertisement for SAS compared to the number of passengers that may have been offended on the specific flight.

Good for SAS to advertise in an unconventional way. Other airlines heavily sponsor and advertise to the demographic such as Air New Zealand charter gay flights or American's whole gay website.

Quoting usdcaguy (Reply 3):

Whatever. This is nothing more than a publicity stunt, and the airline is only doing this because they think it will give them a larger profit in the end. I personally have nothing against gay marriages, but I think this is a silly idea, and I would be annoyed if I had just paid for a business class seat and then having to witness this ceremony onboard, if all I wanted was a good nights sleep (perhaps before an important meeting). Yes, I might just be boring.

Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 13): IDK I'd be annoyed having a gay OR straight wedding on my plane. It's an airline, fly people places! Just my opinion

  

Quoting ju068 (Reply 15):

First of all that article is from 2007 and things change. More recent info shows wide acceptance in countries like Germany, France, and the UK while more negative in areas like Poland and Portugal.


The study — “Intolerance, Prejudice, Discrimination: A European Report” — questioned roughly 1,000 people in each of eight selected EU countries — France, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, and Poland. Limitations on funding and the requisite cultural experience to evaluate anti-democratic attitudes limited the number of nations surveyed. Racist, anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, and xenophobic attitudes were also measured.

Beyond Hungary and Poland, opposition to marriage equality also prevailed in France (52.3), Italy (64.1 percent), and Portugal (62.4 percent). In contrast, only 42.1 percent of British respondents and 39.7 percent of Germans rejected marriage rights for same-sex couples, though neither country came close to Holland’s acceptance of equality.

From 2010:

http://gaycitynews.com/articles/2011...news/doc4d938e101dd1a655569691.txt

In recent months, for the first time, polling in the US shows a narrow majority of Americans in favor of same-sex marriage — though in 2008 Californians enacted Proposition 8, doing away with equal marriage rights for same-sex couples despite earlier polls showing a slight majority in support.

Sizable swaths of respondents in Western and Southern European countries showed a persistent and deeply anchored bias against gays. Forty-four percent of the Portuguese and 42.5 percent of the Italians responded affirmatively when asked if they viewed homosexuality as “immoral,” while the comparable numbers for Britain and France were 37.2 and 36.2 percent, respectively. In Germany, which before the Nazi era (1933-1945), was the world’s most progressive and enlightened country for the LGBT community, 38 percent of respondents expressed a pejorative view of homosexuality.

Also:

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) rights are widely diverse in Europe per country. Seven out of the ten countries that have legalised same-sex marriage are situated in Europe; a further fourteen European countries have legalised civil unions or other forms of recognition for same-sex couples. It is widely believed that the LGBT community enjoy far greater acceptance, rights, protections and happiness in Europe (specifically The EU) than anywhere else in the world.

From a marketing perspective I can't see how it's really smart for an airline to involve it's brand in controversial social or political issues considering the diverse number of people they fly. If in the end this is proven to positively affect their bottom line I could see how it would make sense...but while they may have gotten 80000 hits on facebook, it's difficult to gauge just how many customers may also have been turned off by SAS because of this (yes, the reality is that there still exists a large segment of the population who are, at the least, uncomfortable with such notions). A few years ago, Holiday Inn ran an ad featuring a women who was revealed at the end of the commercial to be a transvestite. While it was a clever ad, Holiday Inn lost thousands of bookings from people who felt put off by the ad...so it's a fine line when it comes to these kinds of issues.

Quoting FCAFLYBOY (Reply 7): Quoting ju068 (Reply 9): ju068 From Serbia, joined Aug 2009, 1218 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted Sat Nov 19 2011 21:22:46 your local time (8 minutes 45 secs ago) and read 132 times: What if someone is religious or is not feeling comfortable around this kind of behavior? SAS should not have gone against the beliefs of one group of people to please another one. There is a reason why airlines have not done so before... Góða ferð og þægliges stund fyrir flugtak! While I do agree that some people may have found this uncomfortable ( though quite why escapes me ) I believe you are confusing your facts. Being gay is not a 'belief' nor is it a choice per se.

I don't think that was his implication and in any case he brings up a valid point. When you're a global carrier like SAS, you transport a clientele diverse in many aspects including religion...and whether you agree or not, there are a great many major religions that take issue with homosexuality, so having these people be witness to or be present at a gay wedding would indeed be very off-putting and could therefore have negative financial implications for SAS. Again, the various views concerning homosexuality are irrelevant here, there are reasons why major brands generally stay neutral on social and political issues as they're divisive and could ultimately cost the company profits. For these reasons I think this campaign is a gamble for SAS and it will be interesting to see how it plays out for them financially in the end.

Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 13): IDK I'd be annoyed having a gay OR straight wedding on my plane. It's an airline, fly people places! Just my opinion

        

Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 13): It's an airline, fly people places! Just my opinion

Tell that to Southwest.

I am so anti-social I got annoyed with the number of times they wanted me to sing Happy Birthday to people I don't know.

Quoting flyguy89 (Reply 31): When you're a global carrier like SAS, you transport a clientele diverse in many aspects including religion...and whether you agree or not, there are a great many major religions that take issue with homosexuality, so having these people be witness to or be present at a gay wedding would indeed be very off-putting and could therefore have negative financial implications for SAS.

It might be off-putting to some, but you think they are not aware of this?

I strongly object to Alaska and its prayer cards, but I have a choice. If I don't fly Alaska, I don't get the prayer card.

It is so very easy, people.

mariner

I like a quiet cabin and I generally am not a fan of theatrics and showing-off. Proposals and weddings (whether it's straight, gay, or man-animal) rank right up there with screaming babies and obnoxious passengers: things I'd leave at the gate!

Now, if they want to have themed flights, even on regular service, I say have at it. Just make sure it's clearly advertised as so at the time of booking so I can choose a quieter alternative if I want to. Airlines are in the business of making money (kudos to SAS for unashamedly stating it is what this is all about too), if they believe they can make more money catering to a group of passengers that isn't me, that's their right, after all...

dear all,

this is my first post, be nice to me!

as a crew member for a big german airline i am proud to welcome passengers from around the globe. when i read this thread i felt a little sad of some people's opinion! i think what sas did was a nice move forward to a world of better understanding and acceptance. i am sure the other passengers weren't disturbed too much as they used business class cabin. they announced this before the depature as it was a huge media event. if other passengers felt unpleasant about it i am sure they could have rebooked on other flights. this is an event that doesn't happen on a daily routine so people don't have to get "bothered" by this example of appreciating all kinds of people everyday!

when two people love each other and commit their love in 35,000 ft it should be a great event for all a-netters, no matter if it was a straight wedding or in this case a gay wedding!

i'm proud that our *Alliance partner sponsored this event and i would love to have a wedding on one of my flights in the future!

p.s. i am sure that the other passengers got a piece of the cake, too!

cheers

I always put a little red flag next to companies which force anything upon me which isn't related to the product I am buying. Especially when they do so AFTER I have committed to the business and cannot run away.

A little red flag doesn't mean that I would never do business with them, but only when the competition offers an overall inferior product.

Any sort of weddings, any sort of divorces, please keep them for yourselves and invited guests who voluntarily show up.

I haven't heard about this stunt before. But if it becomes the norm to have weddings on SAS planes, then they will have less business from me in the future.

I would assume that divorces will not be arranged on SAS planes since their Q400s have been retired.  

Quoting mariner (Reply 33): I strongly object to Alaska and its prayer cards, but I have a choice. If I don't fly Alaska, I don't get the prayer card.

= WTF? Alaska gives prayer cards to passengers?

Saludos,
A.

Quoting lhcabincrew (Reply 35): this is my first post, be nice to me!

Welcome to a.net!

Quoting lhcabincrew (Reply 35): when two people love each other and commit their love in 35,000 ft it should be a great event for all a-netters

I know, and this is the point that is being lost here...two people got to get married in a plane while flying, how amazing is that! I wish I could do that myself but my partner hates flying and would probably be sleeping with Dramamine anyway!

As other posters have already stated, this is nothing more than a marketing strategy to earn the airline more revenue. I'm sure they did their studies and realized that more people would like the idea than get offended by it. I hope it works for them, as an a.netter I always like it when airlines make a profit!

Quoting abrelosojos (Reply 37): WTF? Alaska gives prayer cards to passengers?

They did last time I flew 'em, and this article says they still do - with a photo:

http://www.everywhereist.com/flying-on-a-prayer/

"Now that we get upgraded to first class, we see them more than ever, but they’re also included in the Picnic Packs that they sell passengers in the economy section."

If it works for some people, great. It doesn't work for me.

mariner

Quoting mariner (Reply 39): If it works for some people, great. It doesn't work for me.

A prayer card is quite a bit easier to ignore than a whole wedding ceremony with a rapping flight attendant.

Quoting mariner (Reply 33): I strongly object to Alaska and its prayer cards, but I have a choice. If I don't fly Alaska, I don't get the prayer card.

Surely handing out prayer cards to passengers on a plane.... may not help giving off the impression of a safe airline!!!

Quoting flyguy89 (Reply 40): A prayer card is quite a bit easier to ignore than a whole wedding ceremony with a rapping flight attendant.

They're hard to ignore when they're on your food plate and I find them offensive. So I donlt fly Alaska.

One mo' time - it's called choice. Your choice.

mariner

Quoting mariner (Reply 42): Quoting flyguy89 (Reply 40): A prayer card is quite a bit easier to ignore than a whole wedding ceremony with a rapping flight attendant. They're hard to ignore when they're on your food plate and I find them offensive. So I donlt fly Alaska.

....and that's perfectly fine, just pointing out though that it's much less obtrusive than having a whole party happening around your seat while you're trying to catch a few zzz's.

Quoting skygirl1990 (Reply 41): Quoting mariner (Reply 33): I strongly object to Alaska and its prayer cards, but I have a choice. If I don't fly Alaska, I don't get the prayer card. Surely handing out prayer cards to passengers on a plane.... may not help giving off the impression of a safe airline!!!

LOL! I guess not. Though I guess when they were just flying bush planes in the Alaskan wilderness in their early days those things were probably seen as necessary as safety cards haha

Quoting prebennorholm (Reply 36): I haven't heard about this stunt before. But if it becomes the norm to have weddings on SAS planes, then they will have less business from me in the future.

I hardly think that its going to become the norm for SAS, or any airline to have on-board weddings. It was something that was done once, nearly a year ago. They have not said that its something they will ever do again.

Quoting Charles79 (Reply 38): Quoting lhcabincrew (Reply 35): this is my first post, be nice to me! Welcome to a.net!

I'll second that, welcome to a.net!!

What can I say? I haven't come across homophobia much in life but the few times I have the People themselves had something to hide. I.e they were in Narnia. And I'm a straight guy.

The whole I don't want a ceremony on my flight is just a masquerade for homophobia. Just be honest if your a homophobe.

Hi Everyone,

This thread has had a large number of posts removed because of personal attacks and off topic discussion. Please try and stick to the topic at hand or we will be forced to lock this thread for further discussion.

Thanks

NZ1
Forum Moderator

Quoting GT4EZY (Reply 41): The whole I don't want a ceremony on my flight is just a masquerade for homophobia. Just be honest if your a homophobe.

Don't be silly now. It has nothing to do with that. I honestly couldn't care less whether it was a straight or a gay couple getting married on my flight. Let's stick to the issue here.
And by the way, I believe everyone should be allowed to get married with whoever they like, regardless of sexual orientation.

[Edited 2011-11-19 21:26:30]

Quoting GT4EZY (Reply 48): The whole I don't want a ceremony on my flight is just a masquerade for homophobia.

Im not sure about that.

Quoting usdcaguy (Reply 3): What the wedding shows is that SAS values gay business

Thats good, but SAS risked losing other business.

"Primary target group for SAS are business travelers who pay full price tickets, and I think that they will wonder what SAS is now doing. The recipient may experience that the brand starts to get fuzzy. And it is never good, says Tor W. Andreassen is Professor and Head of the Department of Marketing at the Norwegian School of Management."

http://translate.google.com/translat...boarding.no%2Fart.asp%3Fid%3D48002

Quoting FCAFLYBOY (Reply 7): As a gay Bloke, it wouldn't make me want to fly them anymore than any other airline.

Exactly - this was a publicity stunt.

Quoting OEH68 (Reply 12): Excuse me, but this is 2011, not 1911. I think the "vast majority" of European population have no problem with homosexuality.

I agree, but a sizable minority do.

Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 13): IDK I'd be annoyed having a gay OR straight wedding on my plane. It's an airline, fly people places! Just my opinion

from the same article quoted above...

Also Professor Ola H. Grytten at the Norwegian School of Economics believes that SAS ridicules itself, and that this may be perceived as discrimination against other groups.

- I am even left handed and have never received an offer to dedicate my free air. There are many groups who feel that way, says Grytten said.

He fears the airline may come from a variety of customers.

- Many will perceive this as the SAS engages politically. This is the SAS in danger of alienating a number of customers. "

Quoting flyguy89 (Reply 28): rom a marketing perspective I can't see how it's really smart for an airline to involve it's brand in controversial social or political issues considering the diverse number of people they fly

I can address that. I've worked extensively with airlines and their lgbt marketing campaigns in Los Angeles. The gay market is a HUGE rev. generating market for all airlines. Infact, I would argue SAS is late to the game with this one with the likes of Lufthansa, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, Southwest, Qantas and American aggressively wooing the gay community with a lot more interesting, unique, edgy and hip ads than this one. If you are gay you know, you've seen them in niche gay media circles. If not, you probably aren't aware.

Furthermore all companies, not just airlines know that LGBT people and those who are socially friendly to them (or progressive) tend to be the high flyers vs. those who are not, question it, etc are the low paying coach fare crowd. In a nutshell, if peeps are offended by it, marketing research shows thats not the crowd that can afford or fly the routes (or consume brands of other firms) these airlines want anyway so its a moot point to them as they figure just as well.

Quoting Bestwestern (Reply 45): I am even left handed and have never received an offer to dedicate my free air. There are many groups who feel that way, says Grytten said.

If left handed people weren't allowed to marry and had anti labor discrimination laws in place (i.e. the US which is supposedly supposed to be free) you would see it different. They day LGBT people enjoy all the same rights and social acceptance as anyone else will be the day this incident on SAS will indeed be putting one group of people over another. But for now there are millions of LGBT teens who sadly for many, if they expressed what they saw on that SAS flight as something they admired could be seriously injured for thinking so.

Quoting deltaflyertoo (Reply 46): Lufthansa, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, Southwest, Qantas and American aggressively wooing the gay community with a lot more interesting, unique, edgy and hip ads than this one.

There is a difference between having ads geared toward the gay community as, you said it yourself, it's niche advertising which is a common practice. But hosting a gay wedding on-board an aircraft with hundreds of other pax of diverse backgrounds....not the smartest marketing ploy IMHO and steps beyond the realm of niche advertising.

Quoting deltaflyertoo (Reply 46): marketing research shows thats not the crowd that can afford or fly the routes (or consume brands of other firms) these airlines want anyway so its a moot point to them as they figure just as well.

Not at all. Most probably true domestically in the US or within the EU, but again if you're a global airline with long-hauls to many different parts of the world, you could be creating an issue for yourself. This is fuzzy territory, some one will always take offense, but there are definitely cultures/countries in the world whose air travel is indeed very lucrative to the airlines whose cultures/beliefs/religion oppose homosexuality, so headline events such as this one could turn into a brand and financial problem for SAS.

Quoting mariner (Reply 35): They did last time I flew 'em, and this article says they still do - with a photo: http://www.everywhereist.com/flying-on-a-prayer/ "Now that we get upgraded to first class, we see them more than ever, but they’re also included in the Picnic Packs that they sell passengers in the economy section." If it works for some people, great. It doesn't work for me. mariner

= Wow. I think you may have officially turned me off from Alaska Airlines. Sort of the same reason I don't fly Saudia, Royal Brunei, etc.

Saludos,
A.

Quoting deltaflyertoo (Reply 46): The gay market is a HUGE rev. generating market for all airlines.

It makes up 15% of tourism revenue and 10% of airline revenue, which means LGBT people travel more than others and spend more. Such a sizable market segment needs clever marketing too, but because of the sensitivities of a sizable minority, airlines are correct in keeping this market very well segmented, as an 'offensive' (in some peoples minds) advert will have a more lasting negative effect than can be imagined.

The comments above from business schools believe that SAS overstepped the mark. I tend not to agree, but I dont know how much media coverage this PR coup got in the mainstream media and what the reaction was.

Quoting deltaflyertoo (Reply 46): Furthermore all companies, not just airlines know that LGBT people and those who are socially friendly to them (or progressive) tend to be the high flyers vs. those who are not, question it, etc are the low paying coach fare crowd. In a nutshell, if peeps are offended by it, marketing research shows thats not the crowd that can afford or fly the routes (or consume brands of other firms) these airlines want anyway so its a moot point to them as they figure just as well.

Sorry, but thats a total over generalisation. Just because somone is uncomfortable with a LGBT wedding on an aircraft stunt doesnt mean that they live in a cave, or are "low paying coach fare crowd".