Hooter's Air has Takes Off

Jeff Royal · Outlaw Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 125

Hooters is ready to say it: 'Fly me'

Hooters Air
Nice wings: Two Hooters girls and blue leather seats are a few features of Hooters Air. Hooters photo gallery

By Craig Wilson, USA TODAY

No longer do you have to go to a Hooters restaurant to see your favorite Hooters gal. Now she's taking her tank-top talents to the sky.

Hooters Air begins flying Thursday, when it will make its inaugural flight from Atlanta to Myrtle Beach, S.C. One-way tickets are $129 (slightly more than competitors' average fares) whether you buy six minutes or six weeks before departure, a perk Hooters hopes will lure the last-minute golfer. A $99 introductory fare is available through April 6.

The stats on Hooters girls

Fifteen thousand Hooters Girls are working in 335 Hooters Restaurants in 43 states and 10 countries.

Nearly 200,000 women have been Hooters Girls since 1983.

In 1995, Hooters Girls from across the USA marched on Washington to protest the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's efforts to force the company to open their ranks to men. The agency rethought its position and today the Hooters Girl position is still just for, well, girls.

Source: Hooters

"The Hooters Air motto is 'Easy to Buy, Fun to Fly,' " Hooters vice president Mike McNeil says. "We're adding two Hooters girls to each flight, just to bring that added element of hospitality."

The launch of Hooters Air coincides with Hooters' year-long 20th anniversary celebration.

The jets are painted in the restaurant chain's signature orange and white. Onboard Hooter girls wear their traditional orange short-shorts and white tank tops.

Only one plane will operate at first. A Newark, N.J.-Myrtle Beach route through Atlanta will be added March 20, and it also will offer one flight a day.

Why Myrtle Beach? Because Hooters has four restaurants along the resort town's 30-mile stretch called "The Grand Strand," an area populated with dozens of golf courses.

Hooters Air retrofitted 737s with 112 midsize leather seats for more legroom in the plane. On board will be two pilots, three flight attendants and the two Hooters girls.

Related items

David Grossman: Can Hooters save the airline industry?

The girls will distribute material about restaurant promotions and assist the flight attendants with beverage service.

"The whole thing is for show, of course," says Michael Boyd of the Boyd Group, an aviation consulting firm in Evergreen, Colo. "They're not going to be carrying the deacons of the Baptist Church anytime soon, but that's OK."

Hooters chairman Robert Brooks promises, "We will offer a level of comfort and service unlike anything in the air today."

Maybe, but the Association of Flight Attendants has its reservations.

"Our concern is the dual role might be confusing to passengers in an emergency situation," says Dawn Deeks, an association spokeswoman. "Safety and security is our main focus."

Reservations can be made at www.hootersair.com or by calling 888-FLY-HOOT.

[url] http://www.usatoday.com/travel/vacations/destinations/2003/2003-02-28-hooters-air.htm[/url]

Aubs · Motorboat Queen Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9167

oh are u kidding me?

ohsix · Posted: Feb 28, 2003 1:36 pm Post subject:

i heard about this a while back. i thought they bought out an old airline company though. maybe united or us air?
why only 1 flight a day?

wake152 · Posted: Feb 28, 2003 1:44 pm Post subject:

im booking a flight today Smile

Jeff Royal · Outlaw Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 125

It's true....book your trips now.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/vacations/destinations/2003/2003-02-28-hooters-air.htm

nick e[V]ans · Posted: Feb 28, 2003 2:40 pm Post subject:

hahaha thats funny as, what kind of sad man would bother paying the extra for that, i mean seriously dude, go buy yaself a porno

Jeff Royal · Outlaw Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 125

What's funny is, the flights are $129 whether you book months or hours ahead......they're going to make a killing on golfers.

matt 4 · Posted: Feb 28, 2003 3:19 pm Post subject:

im gonna wait till vivid video has a jet

nick e[V]ans · Posted: Feb 28, 2003 3:54 pm Post subject:

haha matt, now thats sounding a little more reasonable

DaveBrowning · Posted: Feb 28, 2003 7:01 pm Post subject:

How 'bout them Reef Girls. DAMN!! I just can't get enough of 'em! I'm gonna be a pilot for 'em!! Make tons of money, hang out with freakin' Hooters® girls, travel all over... that has to be the most awesome job in the world!!