If your holiday shopping is getting you down, here's a little stress reliever. Just remember Israeli super model, actress, and former girlfriend of Hollywood idol Leonardo DiCaprio, Bar Refaeli, who is frequently featured in the Sports Illustrated annual swimsuit issue, and took the coveted cover in 2009, while also having herself painted on a Southwest Airlines (WN) Boeing 737-7H4, registration N922WN, while wearing a bikini.
The Dallas based carrier, which recently announced a merger with AirTran Airways (FL), had painted one of its 550 all Boeing 737 fleet in a special livery to celebrate Ms. Refaeli's cover status, as part of a promotional deal with Sports Illustrated to tout the magazine's annual swimsuit issue.
The special livery was controversial. Some passengers complained that they're being forced to board an aircraft plastered with soft pornography. "Many women do not enjoy having their husbands exposed to explicit pictures or explaining to young children why the lady on the plane is 'showing her boobies'," wrote Chris and Sharon Kraemer of Midlothian, Texas in a letter to the airline. Beauty, it seems, is in the eye of the beholder.
Another passenger wrote, "Does anyone else find this kind of trashy for Southwest? Having a woman in a bikini on the side of the plane hardly seems like the epitome of the friendly, down-home airline I've grown accustomed to."
According to the airline's spokesperson Brandy King, "About 25% of the feedback have been negative, while nearly three-fourths of the comments have been supportive. As with anything that's different and unique, you do hear from some people who disagree."
The work of art was intended to be temporary. By June 16, 2009 it had been painted over in full canyon blue, not as eye catching, or provoking as many complaints.
Southwest has tried other special liveries. They have honored some of the 35 states which they serve, including California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Maryland, and others. Some of their most popular aircraft paint jobs included homages to baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan, the NBA, Shamu of Sea World fame, and Tinkerbell, all more family friendly.
Ms. Refaeli has continued her modeling and film careers. Next year she will star in a psychological suspense drama-thriller called "Session", scheduled for release on May 8, 2011. She is also active in charitable work, including Project Sunshine, a non-profit organization providing free services and programs for children facing life-threatening illnesses.
While her relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio was said to have ended in 2009, there are rumors that their romance has been rekindled, and that they are still seeing each other.
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Comments
Yes, we hear Bar raf has coverted to satanisim, denouncing judisim in order to get in her underware in pubilic photos . Good thing that nice man Leo was intelligent enougph to be rid of her at last !
Comments originally posted on LinkedIn AviationLink Group on 19 December 2010 at 11:58 AM PST:
OK - maybe this wasn't the smartest move that Southwest could have made, but they have always been a little bit different. I think people need to grow up and not get their feathers ruffled;after all, anyone of the Southwest passengers can see the cover of Sports Illustrated standing in line at the grocery store! Do they stop going there are raise a fuss. Finally, I look at (1) service, and (2) profitability. Does Southwest perform on both of these counts? The answer is "YES" ---- they do the job and they are profitable. How many other airlines can say this?
Comments originally posted on LinkedIn AviationLink Group on 19 December 2010 at 12:03 PM PST:
Lets see...9.8% unemployment (14% or more in some places), hyper-inflation thundering down upon us, 20% rise in the cost of a gallon of gasoline looming, Iran and North Korea probably have the "bomb," political correctness overwhelming common sense, etc., etc., etc. Now this! OMG SWA! How could you do this to us? Shame on you, SWA, for adding a 10-30-second smile to most of our faces, ingenuity in keeping your business alive, and your employees working.
Bravo to both David and Bob. I often wonder what is so threatening about a beautiful woman wearing a bikini that people get so bent out of shape over it. Is it an indication that their lives are so perfect, that they have nothing else to complain about? Or do they feel so morally offended, that they must impose their values on the rest of us? It is fascinating and puzzling. I would suggest that they try vacationing on any southern European beach, with their children, and watch other families enjoying themselves, many of them topless, and without shame or guilt. Oh, my fellow Americans, maybe we need to grow up someday, if that will ever be possible!
Thank you again for your words of wisdom.
Cheers and Happy Holidays,
Joel
Joel Siegfried
National Desk - Airlines/Airport Examiner
Email: ecto@cox.net
Examiner Home Page: http://www.examiner.com/airlinesairport-in-national/joel-siegfried
Portfolio Page: http://members.cox.net/joel.siegfried
Little did she know at the time she was sporting the only attire approved by the TSA!
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