American Airlines is hoping to attract more women travelers with a new website “for women”. “We obviously have a vast interest in women,” said Peggy Sterling, AMR vice president of safety, security and environmental. “There is an untapped resource.” The new “women’s” site mentions women friendly things like “girlfriends” and “book recommendations.”
From the site:
Check the latest carry-on regulations, find advice on travel safety and wellness, and pick up tips for a stylish and efficient travel wardrobe.
Psssst. Women like clothes. Mention that on the site. This is awesome. They’re totally going to fly our airline now. Make the search box pink, and get rid of all those “tools,” women hate tools.—MEGHANN MARCO
AA.com/Women
American Airlines Seeks More Female Fliers [CNN]
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I can think of some tools I hate right now . . .
Oh, too many menus on the Man Site! Menus are so scary! Hold my hand, American Airlines?
Ugh.
So, who will be the first one to sue them for not making one for men? And who will be the first woman sueing for “discrimination” and sexist commentary? “All women knit and join bookclubs.” Right. That’s going to go over well.
And on that note (since I’ve already protected myself by saying something pro-feminist): “I have a vast interest in women myself.”
If you use the “women’s” search, the results take you to the “man’s” search with all the masculine search tools… or is that because their website is so smart, it knew I was a man using the women’search?
Diabolical!
The woman’s search manages to be hysterically funny and unbelievable offensive at the same time. ^5, American Airlines!
Simply amazing!
Aw . . . now this is priceless!
So that’s why I’ve been asked by flight attendants to sit next to and babysit unattended children on about 5 different flights! As a woman, I naturally want to!
Oooookay. I’m a woman, so I should be stuck with a crippled form missing most of the options, but that’s OK because IT’S PINK?
I hated American enough already because of what they did to St. Louis (they said they wouldn’t lay off TWA personnel, then they gutted TWA and laid off experienced TWA crews while keeping rookie AA crews, for example, then proceeded to gut the flight schedule here at STL) but this just reinforces my decision to not give them any business. (Which I haven’t done for years).
Not a bad idea to design a site tailored to women travel needs, but the “easier to use” search is just going to get them sued by some feminist.
Ah, the untapped market–women travelers! Who would have thought?
I don’t know why, but I am thinking of Slashdot’s “OMG!!! PONIES!!!” April Fools redesign from last year..
They have a director of Women’s Marketing? Wouldn’t it just be easier to hire a marketing person who was good enough to market multiple ways?
I hope American decides to give me a call when they need a director for Hispanic, Single Men or Baseball Fan Marketing.
Great. Just great. Now my three year old daughter and I have to make reservations separately based on our genders. And perhaps I won’t be able to get a seat right next to her as she tugs on my sleeve asking for Cheerios and juice and her books and her stuffed puppy dog, whining when we take off and land and when we’re in the air!
On second thought, I’m beginning to like this idea…
i think if you book using the woman search you get to fly on a 737-F, which has lipstick holders and no overhead flourescent lights. also cooking tips and scented candles and shoulder pads.
This is ridiculously silly and mildly offensive. I would have killed to have sat in on the focus groups they no doubt conducted to reach this goofy conclusion.
Simplicity in form and function should be for all – not just for us not-so-smart silly females. *snark* Gee, maybe they’re telling me I should leave travel decisions up to my husband since he’s the only one who’s smart enough to figure out a travel website.
@VA_White: Unbelievably offensive? Grow some thicker skin.
also, the planes take off from runways 10% closer to the destination and are marked by red windsocks.
and although flights technically have the ability to be “slam-dunks” in terms of on-time arrival and customer service, they usually are more elegant and collaborative with other flights.
(sorry, couldn’t help it. i’ll stop now)
two things: how will a woman navigate to this site? there is no link on the main home page.
also:
in the press release (I mean CNN story) they mention, “AMR has two other dedicated Web sites that cater to Spanish speakers and to gay and lesbian travelers. One airline expert said he expects more airlines to follow AMR’s example as a means to bolster ridership.”
Can we see those links please!
Women don’t fly because they don’t have kitchens on airplanes! Duh!
Seriously, what the hell are they thinking?
@tvh2k: I don’t even know what my “different travel needs” would be. Honestly. I’m more likely to read US Weekly on the plane than a man… other than that, nothing.
Reminds me of when iVillage or someone marketed “the internet for women.” I was like – the internet I’ve been using all this time is for men?
Am I being a stupid woman, or was April Fools two weeks ago?
@flyover: I thought the same thing!
@BMR: I need to see what the gay American site looks like. Fabulous!
@BMR: Well, at least Spanish speaking makes sense and would actually reach consumers they may not have gotten to before.
I’m extremely interested in that gay and lesbian flight site.
It’s really sad when big companies treat a whopping 50% of the population as a minority that needs special treatment.
I guess when we’re not baking, cleaning, or popping out babies, women need to ride planes too.
Wow, I’ve always wondered what it would be like if the 1950s image of women reared its head on a business website. Well, no, I’ve never really wondered that but this is quite a thing anyway.
Coming up next: the American Airlines website for black people!
I don’t know whether to laugh my butt off or be absolutely offended by this. What’s worse, what if we see other airlines imitate this…Hell, Maybe United or Delta will create sub-airlines dedicated to women…all pink?
Why are these women even flying and not in the kitchen making me a sammich? The regular search is there if you need it, just like.
They are catering to soccer moms who watch Oprah and play bejeweled all day. They like clothes and pink, the majority of which are also females. Chill out.
Now be a doll and go get me a beer, k?
On NPR, they said that as a result of their research into women’s travel needs, they were going to add “purse hooks” to the backs of seats in business class. I still have to put my purse under the seat when we take off or land, though, right? And it’s just going to be hanging there, swinging in my way during the flight?
I really can’t think of anything that would improve my flying experience as a woman rather than affecting all genders (i.e. more legroom). Could they arrange it so that I don’t have to sit next to skeezy and/or smelly guys?
Oh my God. It gets better. Ask and ye shall receive:
http://www.aavacations.com/Rainbow/
http://www.aa.com/hispanic
It makes me sad that AA decided to spend money on this alterna-site rather than giving me a bag of snack mix. I miss those 3 pretzels, 5.2 bagel chips and those unidentifiable crunchy twigs.
Wow, I never thought of segmenting the travel market along gender lines. Sure, hair dye, deodorant, and razors, was an easy way to make extra money. But I never thought of airline bookings. If you start seeing light bulbs for women, remember that I thought of it first!
You know, Orbitz has done a good job of marketing gay-friendly travel, so it is possible to do what they think they thought they were doing. They just f-ed it all up.
The least they could have done was make the Hispanic site in, you know, Spanish.
Here’s a copy of my complaint I submitted.
Are you joking with the new “Women” section on your website? Did it occur to the Marketing Department to make a “Men” section with trucks, tools, beer and dirt? No, so why do you think this is an appropriate way to draw women to your site? Would you consider doing one geared towards minorities with the stereotypes that are attached to them? When will you understand that this is only driving away customers and enforcing the stereotype that all the decision makers in the corporate world are white males, with no idea how to relate to others. The Bankers Pen used in the WaMu commercials is intended as a parody, you have taken something that should have been laughed out of committee and put it up as a representation of women. I notice through your lifestyle section under “Girlfriend Getaways” there is not a listing for business travelers. Perhaps because in your business there are no females that need to travel. Keep up enforcing the gender inequities in the world and we’ll keep boycotting your airline.
The hispanic site has the simplified search box as well, but in white. Hmm…I guess they are trying to say that women and hispanics are too dumb to use those scary tools…
Hopefully, the next step is Childfree travel. Make it easy for me to book a trip on a plane where there are no children under the age of 10.
Orbitz:
http://www.orbitz.com/gaytravel/
I thought it was going to let me search for Women. Talk about bait and switch…
Love this: “We obviously have a vast interest in women,” said Peggy Sterling, AMR vice president of safety, security and environmental.
Hooray, AA and I have something in common!
At least they’re proactive with their “vast interest in women”, whereas I’m just leeringly creepy. ;p
The Web site states that this is ‘an example of American’s commitment to the growing women’s market.’
Right, there’s a new trend now where women are starting to fly on planes! Never saw that before.
I don’t see what’s wrong here. Clearly AA simply eliminated the options women would find unnecessary. A woman doesn’t need to worry about finding an airport in a particular area, since she shouldn’t be driving to it anyway. The number of adult passengers is clearly 2, since what man is going to let his wife fly alone? He’s already putting a burden on her fragile woman-mind by asking her to reserve airline tickets! Similarly, a woman doesn’t need to worry about schedules or fares – after all, women who earn their own money are either prostitutes or nurses that nobody loves!
American Airlines is trying to take America back to a simpler time, a time when the liberal media hadn’t fooled the masses into thinking women could handle the same complex tasks men can! I for one am proud, proud to see American Airlines taking back American values.
United targeting women is nothing new. Check out their 1968 commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5P-S_cz0Y8
@BMR here are the other sites:
http://www.aa.com/espanol
http://www.aavacations.com/Rainbow
I had to google them. I couldn’t find any links from their main site.
They need a new tagline for the site:
“Created by Playskool — Approved by June Cleaver”
@tvh2k:
You have a remarkably cartoonish perception of both feminism and the American legal system.
The “Chick-friendly search” is simplified because unlike men, if they get lost using it, they will just pick up the phone and ask for assitance.
@spanky: Thank you, spanky. I was going to sue tvh2k, but you’ve talked me down.
funny, the gay website does not have a booking box – what are they trying to say?
How about a site for seniors with really large fonts and another simple search box. Because, you know, old people are just as stupid as girls and hispanics.