Air New Zealand
is hoping to woo the gay market with a special
themed flight that will feature drag queens, pink cocktails,
and a cabaret performed by the flight crew.
The destination
for the airline's one-time ''Pink Flight,'' scheduled to
depart San Francisco International Airport on February 26,
is the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney, one of
the world's most well-attended gay events, said Jodi
Williams, an Air New Zealand marketing director.
''We are looking
at tailoring the in-seat entertainment and having
gay-friendly movies and contests and different music and
things like that,'' Williams said. The airline also
plans to throw a ''Get Onboard, Girlfriend''
going-away party for its passengers, who will pay an average
of $1,000 round-trip.
The flight will
be modeled after an Auckland-to-Sydney trip Air New
Zealand made this year for the gay Mardi Gras, according to
Williams. Before that full flight, the crew put on
pink feather boas and sang for its 200-plus
passengers, she said.
''Even the pilot
was wearing fairy wings and got into it,'' Williams
said.
Since it takes 14
hours to get from San Francisco to Sydney, the airline
also plans to schedule some downtime during the overnight
flight.
''We had to think
about keeping people entertained while knowing they
will want their beauty sleep,'' she said. (AP)