Posted February 26, 2008 by Heather Gilbert
Quick, when I say “fashion,” what do you think of? Mr. Giorgio Armani? Marc Jacobs? Icons like Grace Kelly and Katherine Hepburn? Flight attendants? Umm, what? The navy polyester-clad crew who dutifully bring us Diet Cokes and show us how to strap on oxygen masks? I don’t think so. Well, The Museum of Flight is looking to change that. Their new exhibit, Style in the Aisle: The History of Fashion in Flight, features flight attendant uniforms from the 1930s to the 1990s. And let me tell you, the goods are hot. For example, when Alaska Airlines introduced charter service to Siberia in 1970, the flight attendants were in Cossack costumes (think big furry hats). And when Hughes Airwest flew to Mexico, you were guaranteed to have a flight attendant decked out in a cheery pastel poncho (and knee-high boots, for whatever that’s worth). Not to mention that Emilio Pucci designed all the unis for Braniff. Ah the days of flying as a glamorous endeavor. If only we still had it as good!
Posted February 22, 2008 by Zak Patten
With the phenomenon of Second Life and other virtual worlds now
mainstream, it was only a matter of time before an airline created an online avatar
of its own.
Enter Jenn, Alaska Airlines' virtual assistant, the
first of her kind (species?) to "live" on a U.S. airline's website. I checked
in with Jenn to see if she was, you know, cool. I feared she might be stiff and
robotic (not to mention criminally unhelpful) like my electric company's
virtual phone assistant.
The big difference between the two of them is that Jenn's
the only "person" you'll find on Alaska's website, while Electric
Company Lady is a gatekeeper for the live humans who might actually be helpful
to people like me. Given this reality, I'll take Jenn any day. She may not be
animated, but her face is pleasant enough, if immobile. And she seems like she
genuinely wants to help. I typed in several sample questions and she instantly
typed back responses, and followed up by reading them to me in her always perky
voice.
Oh, and Jenn always maintains her professional demeanor,
even when you throw her a curveball like, "Where do you live?" Her
reply: "Right now, it appears I live with you…but don't worry, I won't
overstay my welcome! How can I help you?"
I'm not sure she's ready to mix it up with the residents of
Second Life, but if Jenn represents the future of airline customer service,
we're in good hands.
Quick, when I say “fashion,” what do you think of? Mr. Giorgio Armani? Marc Jacobs? Icons like Grace Kelly and Katherine Hepburn? Flight attendants? Umm, what? The navy polyester-clad crew who dutifully bring us Diet Cokes and show us how to strap on oxygen masks? I don’t think so. Well, The Museum of Flight is looking to change that. Their new exhibit, Style in the Aisle: The History of Fashion in Flight, features flight attendant uniforms from the 1930s to the 1990s. And let me tell you, the goods are hot. For example, when Alaska Airlines introduced charter service to Siberia in 1970, the flight attendants were in Cossack costumes (think big furry hats). And when Hughes Airwest flew to Mexico, you were guaranteed to have a flight attendant decked out in a cheery pastel poncho (and knee-high boots, for whatever that’s worth). Not to mention that Emilio Pucci designed all the unis for Braniff. Ah the days of flying as a glamorous endeavor. If only we still had it as good!
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