Southwest 'Porn Plane' Too Edgy for Some

By Eric Young, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Southwest Airlines, which for years has boasted of its "unique corporate culture and family-friendly environment," has been getting a lot of flak over the past month since the unveiling of a not-so-family-friendly plane.

SI One, the Boeing 737 wrapped with a temporary decal featuring Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Bar Refaeli, was revealed last month after much speculation and was touted by the airlines spokeswoman as "absolutely beautiful."

"This definitely seals the deals on Southwest Airlines' fun and edgy factor," exclaimed Christi Day after the unveiling of SI One in New York's LaGuardia Airport.

Southwest may have, however, moved on an edge that many parents don't feel comfortable taking their children on or even near.

"What were you thinking Southwest? I am shocked that a company with your values would stoop so low as to plaster their plane with a barely dressed woman," wrote mother and frequent flyer Carolyn Dunham last Monday on Southwest's blog website, blogsouthwest.com.

"I fly Southwest several times a year with my four children and would stop cold turkey if we were ever made to board that plane. It objectifies women and confused (sic) children," she continued. "You have lost your 'family friendly' status with this and I, for one, am deeply disappointed with a company that I've long admired."

Many have also found the recent move ironic, given the last time Southwest came under fire.

In July 2007, a Southwest employee pulled aside 23-year-old Kyla Ebbert as she was preparing to board a plane departing San Diego for Tucson and told her she was dressed too provocatively to fly.

Ebbert's objectionable attire included a white, tight-fitting shirt, a green cropped sweater, and a white denim skirt cut high on her thighs.

"Southwest Airlines was responding to a concern about Ms. Ebbert's revealing attire on the flight that day," the airline said in a statement. "As a compromise, we asked her to adjust her clothing to be a little less revealing. She complied and traveled as scheduled."

Later, however, Southwest chief executive officer Gary Kelly apologized to Ebbert, who went on to pose for Playboy magazine.

"We searched for the naked truth, gotten down to the bare facts and she kind of caught us with our pants down," Kelly stated. "So we're apologizing and we're going to move on and hope we keep her as a good and valued customer."

With the 2007 incident still fresh in mind, Southwest admirer Jim Dawson said he found it ironic that "they (Southwest) don't seem to mind offending their passengers from the outside of the aircraft" but did inside.

"I am a twenty-something male, and I would not want to have to watch this plane pull up to the gate traveling with my young child, or mother, grandmother, etc.," Dawson wrote on Southwest's blog, calling SI One "tacky and somewhat offensive."

"I know Southwest is known for its fun, laid back qualities but this is just completely inappropriate to plaster all over the side of the plane," he added.

"The whole thing is in poor taste, and I'm actually sort of let down that Southwest, a company I really admire, would stoop this low."

Notably, however, there have also been many who have rallied in Southwest's defense, arguing against opponents of what some conservatives have labeled as "the porn plane."

"This is far from porn, grow up. There is really no reason a child can't see a person dressed in a bikini, this is not the 1920s," exclaimed Marla Gorena of New Mexico on Wednesday.

"It won't influence me one way or another," added Chris Baker in Southwest's blog. "I fly an airline because of the service and the price I get. I couldn't care a less what their planes look like."

Earlier this month, Southwest was named for the 13th consecutive year as one of the top 10 companies in Fortune magazine's ranking of the world's most admired companies. In addition to ranking No. 7 on the list of the 50 Most Admired Companies in the World in the Mar. 16 issue of Fortune, Southwest also ranked third in the list of the World's Most Admired Airlines.

Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has more than 35,000 employees systemwide.