It was bound to happen. Some Southwest Airlines customers are not happy with the newest addition t
o the carrier’s fleet.
They don’t object to the Boeing 737 itself, but to the giant bikini-clad image of Sports Illustrated cover model Bar Refaeli painted on the fuselage. The photo of Refaeli on the plane is part of a promotional deal to tout the magazine's annual swimsuit issue.
The carrier's blog is full of comments pro and con. Some labeled the image as pornographic, "hardly the epitome of the friendly, down-home airline I’ve grown accustomed to," one customer blogged.
Another said it was "a true sign of marketing genius. This is Southwest being Southwest, having fun, not taking themselves too seriously, willing to take risks."
Whatever. The paint job is temporary and will be removed within a few months when the promotion ends.
-- Gay Nagle Myers
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