Flying SkyHigh

04-23-2006

Looking for some offbeat vacation ideas?

How about Chain Gang Fantasy Camps, escorted tours through the finest penal colonies in North and South America?

Or Cumulative Four Star vacations, travel packages consisting of your choice of one-star accommodations, attractions and eateries, organized by a one-star airline? Maybe you'd prefer to sample Free Range Airfares, exorbitant rates and fiendishly outlandish itineraries determined by "Poulet-ulator 1000," not a computer but a chicken pecking on a calculator? A recent routing proposed a 26-hour, 56-minute journey from Brainerd, Minn., to St. Georges, Del., with two stops en route for a mere $3,363 round trip, on a bench-class fare.

These are just some of the wacky and darkly ironic options offered on the Web site of SkyHigh Airlines, www.skyhighairlines.com, the low-cost carrier that claims to pursue "Excellence Through Compromise" and offers sales slogans such as "Flying is expensive. Let us cheapen the experience," or "We've got our heads in the clouds."

Even considering the steady erosion over the last few years of such quaint notions as customer service and in-flight amenities on most domestic airlines, no carrier could survive for very long offering features like these.

Of course, SkyHigh has one major advantage over the competition. It doesn't actually exist.

The "unnovative" airline and Web site were created three years ago by Wong Doody, a Seattle advertising agency, as part of a parody campaign for Alaska Airlines. Backed by radio and TV spots, the campaign ran in West Coast markets.

According to Kari Connor, Wong Doody account supervisor for Alaska Airways, the site has been visited by 1,202,383 people since it went up and still gets 15,000 to 20,000 visitors each month. "The climate for travel was pretty grim post 9/11. We wanted to reinforce the idea that Alaska treats its passengers better, and SkyHigh gave us a great foil."

There have been some updates, and a mock in-flight catalog "Nice-ssities" was added, presenting "products inspired by real customer complaints." It won a Golden Lion award at Cannes Festival last year.

Although the ad campaign ended, the SkyHigh Web site keeps providing plenty of lift. Even a brief visit will amuse any air passenger who's endured a grueling flight or shoddy service. Ditto for online travel searchers frustrated negotiating with arcane fare regulations and flight options.

For example, nine short SkyHigh audio spots tout such concepts as "friend-maker fares," which let passengers meet new seat mates at every stop on its many-connection itineraries. How about the "Gate Change Workout" or innovative ideas like "virtual first class," special goggles that let you imagine you're dining on fine food and wine.

The site even pokes fun at airline executives. Howard Barium, SkyHigh's imperious CEO and chairman, whose duties include "making even more arbitrary yet unquestioned decisions." In short, SkyHigh Airlines is a creative, insightful effort, and a hoot to boot. It's worth a visit, even if you can't make a booking.

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