Jay Honeck
Touchdown! Greaser!
With the economy in the dumpster, I fully expected our "Lovebird Flights" to go over poorly this year. These flights (the only ones that I know of nationwide, BTW) are part of our "Ultimate Valentine's Day" packages at our aviation theme-suite hotel, the Alexis Park Inn & Suites. We've been doing these since we opened in 2002, and the package includes a night in an aviation themed hot tub suite, champagne, Godiva chocolates, a delivered breakfast, a dozen roses -- and a 30 minute "Lovebird Flight" over Iowa City at sunset, all for just $300 bucks.
Prepared for the worst (our business, like everyone elses, is way down since the meltdown in October), imagine my delight (and surprise) when we broke all sales records and conducted seven Lovebird Flights -- matching our previous best! (Remember, we're very small, with just 30 suites...) We ended up turning some couples away for these packages because we were sold out -- something I NEVER expected this year.
It turns out that -- even in a terrible economy -- love is blind, and the romance of General Aviation isn't gone yet! And they all reported having a great time. (And, of course, I had great fun taking their portraits...)
Best of all (and this is my ulterior motive, as we don't add a nickel to the cost of the flights) I think we may have hooked a couple of them on the idea of taking flight lessons. We're gonna need all the help we can get over the next few years, if we want to keep our FBOs and other support systems viable -- so let's hope some of these lovebirds follow through and get their tickets...
Ah, yes -- young love. See more pix here: http://www.alexisparkinn.com/valentines_day_flights.htm
:smile:
Prepared for the worst (our business, like everyone elses, is way down since the meltdown in October), imagine my delight (and surprise) when we broke all sales records and conducted seven Lovebird Flights -- matching our previous best! (Remember, we're very small, with just 30 suites...) We ended up turning some couples away for these packages because we were sold out -- something I NEVER expected this year.
It turns out that -- even in a terrible economy -- love is blind, and the romance of General Aviation isn't gone yet! And they all reported having a great time. (And, of course, I had great fun taking their portraits...)
Best of all (and this is my ulterior motive, as we don't add a nickel to the cost of the flights) I think we may have hooked a couple of them on the idea of taking flight lessons. We're gonna need all the help we can get over the next few years, if we want to keep our FBOs and other support systems viable -- so let's hope some of these lovebirds follow through and get their tickets...
Ah, yes -- young love. See more pix here: http://www.alexisparkinn.com/valentines_day_flights.htm
:smile: