Southwest Airlines Unveils New Gay Travel Page on Website

A good friend and longtime PBB subscriber, who also just happens to be gay, and who also just happens to be  a flight attendant for Southwest, sent me a note last night with a rather short and eye-catching subject line. It read, “OMIGOD!”

The thing that caused him to utter such a profound comment?

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The fact that Southwest Airlines has debuted a new Gay Travel section of its website. Complete with pictures of Southwest employees celebrating  at the DC Pride event in 2006.

While American Airlines has been a consistent corporate donor to gay events and AIDS-related causes — this marks the first time that a U.S. carrier has been so “open” in its support of the gay community and its travel needs that I know of.  And, I might say, of their own gay employees.

Kudos to Southwest.

Too bad the Rev. Jerry Falwell is no longer with us. I’m sure he could have easily linked the airline’s falling fuel hedge advantage, or Prudential analyst Bob McAdoo’s recent downgrade of the airline’s stock  to the fact it has now put a gay travel section on its website.

In fact, the more I think about it, the more I would have liked to have seen an arm-wrestling match between Jerry and Herb over the issue.

Now, you have to admit.  That would have been great theater.

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