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Talk of the bay

Airports careful in announcing arrival of Hooters Air

By STEVE HUETTEL
Published April 11, 2005

Airports like nothing more than trumpeting the arrival of a new airline.

But two airports - our own St. Petersburg-Clearwater International and Lehigh Valley International in Allentown, Pa. - had to lay out the welcome mat gingerly last week for Hooters Air. Yes, Hooters, as in that Hooters.

The chicken wing and beer joint where the food plays second fiddle has plenty of critics ready to take pot shots: feminists who say Hooters exploits servers wearing tight T-shirts and clingy shorts; parents who think the atmosphere is less than wholesome for kids.

For its part, the company says Hooters Girls - two ride on each flight - are as socially acceptable as the Radio City Rockettes. While families aren't its target market, Hooters says 10 percent of parties have children with them.

Last week, the board overseeing the Allentown airport voted to let Hooters Air take over flights to St. Petersburg-Clearwater International from Lehigh Valley.

"The big question for anyone is: How will Hooters be received by the public in the Lehigh Valley?" board member Donald Wieand told a reporter from the Morning Call, Allentown's morning paper.

St. Petersburg-Clearwater International issued a press release calling the development a positive one for the airport. The wording that described the crew of Hooters Air planes was neither delightfully tacky nor unrefined, as the restaurant chain likes to call itself. And not very descriptive.

"All Hooters Air flights are operated with a standard flight crew plus two additional restaurant employees who assist with hostess and food/beverage functions."

[Last modified April 9, 2005, 07:10:29]