ANC RED-EYE

I totally disagree, for the record. The use of satire is an appropriate means of commentary on the situation at hand. Everyone should have a sense of humor...and everyone who reads this board should also read it critically. There are complete fallacies frequently posted on this forum; sadly sometimes they are actually mis-represented as truth (unlike this case where it was rather clearly presented as satire).

If you really read this and thought AS was going to offer Hot Pockets and an ounce of coke on flights...well, then you should be able to accept your mistake at this point and laugh.

Seattlenerd

Funny, I was thinking of Swift's A Modest Proposal when I penned my post as an example of one extreme (which your original post clearly did not approach). And the bluff-the-listener news stories on NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me at the other extreme.

I've written a fair number of satirical and other essays for publication. I think the key to the reader not feeling cheated (or having it considered a hoax) is to have something in there, usually near the end, that makes it clear it's a put on without undermining the point you're trying to make.

It's tough to do without changing the tone, and probably that kind of strong hint not being in there was why so many here were fooled. That, or they didn't read it carefully enough. Or found the scenario a bit too plausible.

So I don't accept your "modest reproach." Unless you accept writing critiques, of course.

ANC RED-EYE

You mean like saying that you will be able to enjoy one ounce of coca-cola complimentary on each flight?

Seattlenerd

Too easy to overlook where it was in the sentence, and it would have been a better punchline at the end. For example:

In response to customer input, Alaska Airlines will commence serving Hot PocketsŪ onboard all flights of a three hour duration or longer, starting March 1. Northern Bites service will cease on that same date.

“The customer is always right,” says Steve Jarvis, Alaska Air Group vice president of marketing, sales and customer experience. “Hot PocketsŪ is on-the-move food for people on the go: our frequent flyers demand quality food to go with a quality in-flight beverage.”

Alaska will offer Hot PocketsŪ Calzone Pizzeria Pepperoni & Three Cheese Calzone for a $7 fee. Hot PocketsŪ will replace the the Northern Bites Country Breakfast Skillet, Deli Turkey Sandwich and U.S. Certified Angus BeefŪ Cheeseburger; and the Northern BitesŪ Picnic Packs will be replaced with a selection of quality product offerings from the Frito Lay Corporation, including BAKEN-ETSŪ, FUNYUNSŪ, and MUNCHOSŪ.

For beverages, Alaska will now provide complimentary Coca Cola, diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Sprite and diet Sprite Zero in the new, space-saving and tray-table friendlier single-ounce serving size.


Even that could be better. But let me end this unrequested FT writing clinic now, while I still can. And before someone starts editing me.

402Fanatic

I have no problem with a joke and I actually found it funny. I didn't agree with using an actual employee's name. If I found my name on a message board where clearly not everyone understood that it was satire or a joke, I might be a little upset. That's all.

BillScann

Steve,

The lanolin-treated hankie's in the mail.

-Bill

Eastbay1K

If his name in the release was Jeeve Starveus it would have been much funnier, and true, on that sad sad day, when the pocketus hottus starts flying down the cabina.

BillScann

Bwa ha ha. Alaska Cabina has the hottest pockets north of Expected. (or was that Havana?)

maokh

I thought it was funny, thanks for the laughs bill!

United757

You know why I didn't believe this? There weren't warmed pop-tart "pastry" items available on board for purchase in the main cabin on flights over 3 hours. Can't just have hot pockets all day, ya know?

jackal

Ditto.

(It was the single-ounce serving that gave it away for me, though I didn't catch that detail until the second reading...)

CMK10

I was just thinking how good the Northern Bites breakfast bowl on Seat 2A's Trip Report looked too