Nudist travelers ready for takeoff

Miami Herald ^ | January 16, 2002 | INA PAIVA CORDLE

[HAL9000]

Clothes on the Cancún flight will come off at cruising altitude.

Miami passengers on a flight to Cancún won't be fretting about dressing comfortably. In fact, they won't be dressed at all.

A Houston travel agency specializing in clothing-optional vacations is organizing the outing, which it claims is the first nude flight.

But no hanky-panky, please.

''Inappropriate behavior is not condoned,'' said James Bailey, who owns Castaways Travel with his wife, Donna Daniels. ``This is not a Mile High Club, not a bunch of groupies or anything. It's just a fun flight.''

Castaways has chartered a Boeing 727 for up to 170 passengers, scheduled to take off May 3 and return May 10. But those onboard probably won't have much luggage.

Many will be going to the El Dorado Resort & Spa, whose 175 rooms have been leased for a nudist vacation. More than half the seats on the flight and rooms in the resort have already been booked, said Bailey, who will enjoy the trip with his wife.

The flight's crew will be professionally dressed, and passengers will be required to be attired for check-in and takeoff.

Once they reach a cruising altitude, they can disrobe, Bailey said. Each will be given an embroidered beach towel to sit on.

''Nude etiquette always requests you take a towel -- you always have a towel between you and the seat,'' he said.

Since planes are often cold, the crew will regulate the temperature for comfort. And no steaming beverages or hot foods will be served -- to avoid any painful spills.

Castaways is charging $499 round-trip for the flight, including all taxes. Bailey would not disclose the charter operator, citing concerns about passengers' privacy. Castaways is using the moniker ''Naked-Air'' to market the flight.

Robert Conser, vice president for sales and marketing for Miami Air, confirmed that the charter carrier had been approached. But he would not confirm that his crew is flying the plane.

Bailey, who has been in the travel agency business since 1984, got into the nudist market about 12 years ago. Now he books 30 to 50 nudist groups annually.

And the future may bring more nude flights -- if this one is a success.

''People are looking for stress relief,'' he said. ``In a nudist environment, everyone is the same. There's no culture shock, no hierarchy of social strata, no caste system. Everyone is on the same wavelength.''

The Federal Aviation Administration is taking a hands-off approach.

''We have no regulations pertaining to nudity on board an aircraft,'' said spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen. ``It's not a safety issue.''

[HAL9000]

"In a nudist environment, everyone is the same."

I doubt it. Suppose Helen Thomas and Brittney Spears were on the nude flight. Are they "the same"?

[upchuck]

LOL!!!!

[jammer]

What a ripe thread! "It's not a safety issue.''

Yeah? This is my pistol, this is my gun . . . might get you arrested! This thread might go on all night.

[Centurion2000]

''Inappropriate behavior is not condoned,'' said James Bailey, who owns Castaways Travel with his wife, Donna Daniels. ``This is not a Mile High Club, not a bunch of groupies or anything. It's just a fun flight.

Dr Evil voice : RIIiiiiiiiiiight.

[apackof2]

''Nude etiquette always requests you take a towel -- you always have a towel between you and the seat,'' he said.

I will never look at my airplance seat the same way again, guess I'll be bringing my own towel on future flights

[DWSUWF]

"...''We have no regulations pertaining to nudity on board an aircraft,'' said spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen. ``It's not a safety issue.''..."

LOL!

Someone, somewhere will not rest until these 'nature lovers' have been whipped into submission...

[ken5050]

The pilots, no doubt, will seek out turbulence...

[steveo]

eeeech!

[Mike4Freedom]

Since they will be spending the week at a clothing optional resort as well, they will need no luggage, just the clothes on their back for the transfers and a carry on bag with money and suntan lotion.

This could be the solution to the baggage check requirements.

[sheik yerbouty]

Not even to the blind!

[steveo]

Think Airplane!

[sheik yerbouty]

A new meaning to "Fly United".

[Billthedrill]

Of course, sliding down an exit ramp nekkid to escape a flaming holocaust...not good...my luck, it'd be at O'Hare in a snowstorm...

[ErnBatavia]

I doubt it. Suppose Helen Thomas and Brittney Spears were on the nude flight. Are they "the same"?

We'd sure as hell find out if the pilot did one of those up/down/whoop-de-doo maneuvers that simulate weightlessness. Helen would probably enjoy her new perky look for a few seconds.

[My2Cents]

"That's definitely not a gun in your pocket, because you HAVE no pocket..."

[ErnBatavia]

You make the call for choosing your seatmate....

[swarthyguy]

careful with that seatbelt buckle.

[DWSUWF]

"...Helen would probably enjoy her new perky look for a few seconds..."

Perky?

Did you ever see 'Day of the Triffids'?

(Small, naked boy to his mother, sounds of aircraft in a death-dive in the background...)

"Mother... Are the pilots blind too?"

[ken5050]

Awesome film.....it actually needs to be watched in slo-mo..for some of the sight gags and the jokes happen sooooo fast, it's easy to miss.....my fav moment is the very small bit of dialogue in the cockpit between the hero and heroine..( and BTW whatever happened to her career, whatever her name is..Julie something?) they're about to land/crash, and they're taking about how they'd like to spend their last moments, and and she says......(I can't repeat it here)

[JoeSixPack1]

What does Helen Thomas have between her breasts that Britney Spears DOESN'T????
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Her Belly Button.