Comments on: American Airlines: Separate but lavender http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/ Living the first class life -- at coach prices Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:45:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: MSS http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-16618 MSS Wed, 03 Oct 2007 02:04:03 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-16618 There is some b.s. in the air.... There is some b.s. in the air….

]]> By: BlogZinger » American Airlines Stirs Things Up Online With Their New Site Targeting Women http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-15002 BlogZinger » American Airlines Stirs Things Up Online With Their New Site Targeting Women Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:21:37 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-15002 [...] the site’s color-scheme. The color has since been changed–tag lines such as “Separate but lavender” were arguably not the sort of attention the airline was hoping would spread across the Internet in [...] […] the site’s color-scheme. The color has since been changed–tag lines such as “Separate but lavender” were arguably not the sort of attention the airline was hoping would spread across the Internet in […]

]]> By: infrequent flyer http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-14893 infrequent flyer Fri, 01 Jun 2007 06:14:51 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-14893 I don't think that a company marketing to a specific gender will work, particularly an airline. It's not cosmetics. With airlines I think marketing has to be a little more subtle. Hooters Air couldn't quite stay aloft, and they basically marketed to intoxicated men with scantilly clad waitresses. You'd think that would have been a money maker. I don’t think that a company marketing to a specific gender will work, particularly an airline. It’s not cosmetics. With airlines I think marketing has to be a little more subtle. Hooters Air couldn’t quite stay aloft, and they basically marketed to intoxicated men with scantilly clad waitresses. You’d think that would have been a money maker.

]]> By: Upgrades and Downgrades — April 12, 2007 — American’s website, more stranded passengers, wine and spirits, and more » Upgrade: Travel Better http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11827 Upgrades and Downgrades — April 12, 2007 — American’s website, more stranded passengers, wine and spirits, and more » Upgrade: Travel Better Fri, 13 Apr 2007 16:37:52 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11827 [...] Lavender Update: The controversial and lame American Airlines website for women got a minor redesign, as Meg at the Consumerist noticed. See [...] […] Lavender Update: The controversial and lame American Airlines website for women got a minor redesign, as Meg at the Consumerist noticed. See […]

]]> By: Kenneth http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11804 Kenneth Thu, 12 Apr 2007 02:11:10 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11804 Mark, Agree completely. We've also posted a critical note about this -- giving both a male and female perspective -- on http://howtotravelamerica.blogspot.com . It's totally a marketing gimmick, with no real apparent value to women OR men. Mark,
Agree completely. We’ve also posted a critical note about this — giving both a male and female perspective — on http://howtotravelamerica.blogspot.com . It’s totally a marketing gimmick, with no real apparent value to women OR men.

]]> By: Wendy Perrin http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11802 Wendy Perrin Wed, 11 Apr 2007 20:27:44 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11802 I'm with you, Benet! Mark, you ask what women travelers want. I just posted an entry about AA's Web site myself, with a couple of suggestions for what AA can do if it REALLY cares about women: http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/blogs/perrinpost/2007/04/american_airlin.html#more Hope you enjoy it, Wendy I’m with you, Benet!

Mark, you ask what women travelers want. I just posted an entry about AA’s Web site myself, with a couple of suggestions for what AA can do if it REALLY cares about women:
http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/blogs/perrinpost/2007/04/american_airlin.html#more

Hope you enjoy it,
Wendy

]]> By: Mark Ashley http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11799 Mark Ashley Wed, 11 Apr 2007 17:33:26 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11799 <a href="http://consumerist.com/assets/resources/2007/04/americanforwomen.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://consumerist.com/assets/resources/2007/04/americanforwomen.jpg"></a><p> My wife, who is too <strike>lazy</strike> busy to comment here herself, just pointed out to me that the ladies' booking box features an AA plane peeking in. "Seems awfully phallic," she said.

My wife, who is too lazy busy to comment here herself, just pointed out to me that the ladies’ booking box features an AA plane peeking in. “Seems awfully phallic,” she said.

]]> By: Benet Wilson http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11798 Benet Wilson Wed, 11 Apr 2007 17:01:35 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11798 Good lord - this makes American sound like they've just discovered women travelers. Pam makes a good point -- you can't just lump us all together because we're women. I mean, I am a frequent business traveler, but I'm also a mother who flies with her 16-month-old baby. That means I have different needs for my flights. I remember back in the mid-1990s, the second (or third - who can keep up) incarnation of Midway Airlines came up with a similar marketing program. They dedicated one lav just for women, and put in a larger mirror and flowers. Forget that - I need more room for my laptop!! Good lord - this makes American sound like they’ve just discovered women travelers. Pam makes a good point — you can’t just lump us all together because we’re women. I mean, I am a frequent business traveler, but I’m also a mother who flies with her 16-month-old baby. That means I have different needs for my flights.

I remember back in the mid-1990s, the second (or third - who can keep up) incarnation of Midway Airlines came up with a similar marketing program. They dedicated one lav just for women, and put in a larger mirror and flowers. Forget that - I need more room for my laptop!!

]]> By: tom http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11793 tom Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:10:37 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11793 This is the silliest thing I've ever seen. I'm a man, so I guess I don't get anything personalized, but...for real...what the heck is that site? A purple search box? Some generic information? Lame. If you can't do something right, don't do it at all. And yes, I'm an American Airlines frequent flier. This is the silliest thing I’ve ever seen. I’m a man, so I guess I don’t get anything personalized, but…for real…what the heck is that site?

A purple search box? Some generic information? Lame.

If you can’t do something right, don’t do it at all. And yes, I’m an American Airlines frequent flier.

]]> By: Mark Ashley http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11790 Mark Ashley Wed, 11 Apr 2007 14:05:16 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11790 Thanks for your comment, Pam. Some readers might not be able to click that link you provided, so here it is again: <a href="http://blogher.org/node/17958" rel="nofollow">http://blogher.org/node/17958</a> (A technical note: For some reason, active links are not working in comments if you're reading this site in Firefox on the PC. I'm trying to figure out why. If anyone has any ideas, please drop me a line via the "<a href="http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/contact/" rel="nofollow">contact</a>" link at the top right.) Thanks for your comment, Pam.

Some readers might not be able to click that link you provided, so here it is again:
http://blogher.org/node/17958

(A technical note: For some reason, active links are not working in comments if you’re reading this site in Firefox on the PC. I’m trying to figure out why. If anyone has any ideas, please drop me a line via the “contact” link at the top right.)

]]> By: pam http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11789 pam Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:54:20 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/04/10/american-airlines-separate-but-lavender/#comment-11789 I am not a makeup wearing very girly girl. But good lord, on the flight I want a little moisturizer, some lip balm, a little elbow room in the bathroom to wash my face. An airlines that's listening would make sure I have access to those things - they'd have found a way to work within the TSA regs that make me question the tube of toothpaste I've tossed into my carry on. I want some kind of reassurance that the guy next to me will not turn in to a slobbering or lecherous or racist drunk. (All real experiences, though I get that this is not up to the airlines, really.) I want airlines to figure out the damn seats because a smallish person, I almost always lose the armrest to a bigger, pushier guy. And I want not to be lumped into some bucket with moms, who have totally different travel needs than I do. Or with biz travelers, who have totally different travel needs than I. Or aging grans, who have totally different needs than I... A-hem. You see where I'm going. It looks like marketing madness to me. I hope it's okay for me to drop a link to commentary on this by fellow BlogHer contributer Suzanne: <a href="http://blogher.org/node/17958" rel="nofollow">AA: Helping Us Clueless Women Fly to Spas. </a> I am not a makeup wearing very girly girl. But good lord, on the flight I want a little moisturizer, some lip balm, a little elbow room in the bathroom to wash my face. An airlines that’s listening would make sure I have access to those things - they’d have found a way to work within the TSA regs that make me question the tube of toothpaste I’ve tossed into my carry on.

I want some kind of reassurance that the guy next to me will not turn in to a slobbering or lecherous or racist drunk. (All real experiences, though I get that this is not up to the airlines, really.) I want airlines to figure out the damn seats because a smallish person, I almost always lose the armrest to a bigger, pushier guy.

And I want not to be lumped into some bucket with moms, who have totally different travel needs than I do. Or with biz travelers, who have totally different travel needs than I. Or aging grans, who have totally different needs than I…

A-hem. You see where I’m going. It looks like marketing madness to me. I hope it’s okay for me to drop a link to commentary on this by fellow BlogHer contributer Suzanne:

AA: Helping Us Clueless Women Fly to Spas.

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