The Gordon M. Bethune Ship
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA (formerly New Haven, CT)
Programs: US Gold, *A Gold, SPG Gold, ex-CO Gold
Posts: 396
The Gordon M. Bethune Ship
Yesterday I flew on a 777 that apparently has been dedicated/named in honor of Gordo. I first noticed a silver plaque across from the big bathroom with his picture, describing his service to CO in the past tense (e.g. "...Bethune retired on December 31, 2004"). Then as I left the plane I saw that they had painted his name on the front of the ship and I took a photo. I don't know how recent this was done but I hadn't heard about it, and I know that unlike KL or VS, CO doesn't name their ships. Anyone know more about this?
#2




Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Nashville
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 2,265
Glad to see the employees admire him a great deal (as a customer I certainly do).
#3
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Sometimes Houston, Sometimes London.
Programs: CO Gold Elite, BA Blue, for the moment - Hyatt Gold Passport, Priority Club, Marriott etc etc
Posts: 2,126
What route was that on? I'm flying IAH-LGW in a couple of weeks and want to know if I might have the pleasure...
#4
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: CLE
Posts: 9,816
And Ship 001 none the less! I believe the 777s are undergoing scheduled heavy maintenance, so they probably went ahead and did these updates at that time. I think it is a nice gesture for a guy who has done a lot of good for CO, all my occasion grumblings aside. At least they didnt paint his face on the side like ANA did for the japanese baseball player! "Peter Max" is one thing, but I dont know if a giant smiling Gordo would do a lot for me...
#5




Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Southwest Desert, under a rock, watch out! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<" You can get there, but it's gonna cost you!
Programs: Previously NonePass, now UA 1K (*Enhanced*)
Posts: 4,248
Gordo ain't the first of Continental's fearless leaders to have a plane with his moniker on it, # 006 has got Robert F. Six's name on it.
Last edited by snake; Nov 4, 2004 at 4:46 pm Reason: fix url
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA (formerly New Haven, CT)
Programs: US Gold, *A Gold, SPG Gold, ex-CO Gold
Posts: 396
Originally Posted by ElkeNorEast
What route was that on? I'm flying IAH-LGW in a couple of weeks and want to know if I might have the pleasure...
#7

Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Land of 10,000 Upgrades
Posts: 9,459
The Gordon M. Bethune Ship
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA (formerly New Haven, CT)
Programs: US Gold, *A Gold, SPG Gold, ex-CO Gold
Posts: 396
Originally Posted by UpgradeMe
Is it sinking?
#9
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 1,439
Originally Posted by jaguar
Glad to see the employees admire him a great deal (as a customer I certainly do).
Thank goodness it's his name and not his picture.
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA (formerly New Haven, CT)
Programs: US Gold, *A Gold, SPG Gold, ex-CO Gold
Posts: 396
Originally Posted by Paulo
Many customers did...before he started lying to our faces.
Thank goodness it's his name and not his picture.
Thank goodness it's his name and not his picture.
one FA mentioned as i was reading it that he was really nice to his employees...especially the ones who wore skirts.
#11
Moderator: Coupon Connection & S.P.A.M




Join Date: May 2000
Location: Louisville, KY
Programs: Destination Unknown, TSA Disparager Diamond (LTDD)
Posts: 58,133
Better names
Exxon Valdez II
Titanic II
Not Paying Enough
Titanic II
Not Paying Enough
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Currently in Bloomington, IN, but Normally NYC, CDG, and even POZ or wherever FT takes me.
Programs: Northwest Airlines. MTA pay-per-ride Metrocard; zero-balance Oyster card.
Posts: 14,083
UA will name a ship after you if you're a two-million miler (or maybe more, I'm not sure of the details). Butt-in-seat miles, of course.
#13




Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Southwest Desert, under a rock, watch out! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<" You can get there, but it's gonna cost you!
Programs: Previously NonePass, now UA 1K (*Enhanced*)
Posts: 4,248
Heres an idea for the marketing wizards an NonePass: Your name on a COEX Jungle Jet for only 1,000,000 NonePass miles!
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA (formerly New Haven, CT)
Programs: US Gold, *A Gold, SPG Gold, ex-CO Gold
Posts: 396
Originally Posted by snake
Heres an idea for the marketing wizards an NonePass: Your name on a COEX Jungle Jet for only 1,000,000 NonePass miles! 

those birds are small enough....how about door-to-door chauffeur service?
And for those getting 1 or 2 million butt-in-seat miles, you should first start thinking about your lumbar/lumbosacral back surgery that will not only be necessary but truly commemmorate your spending so much ungodly amounts of time sitting in an airplane seat! And if you're flying enough to even be considered a 1 MM or 2 MM, why not just become a FA? You already know the drill better than Chavon, you'll fly for zilch, and you can sit with all the other non-rev up in front on the BF flights!! Or just buy a friggin' plane?!
i'm just playin. i'm envious that this is even a possiblity for some of you. if any of you ever feel charitable with your miles or need company on a MR, ((hold on, gotta put on my puss-in-boots sappy face)) please, oh my dear please, have some pity on "financial aiders" (yeah, my bank account is looking worse than US Air's) and donate to my "residency interviews travel fund".
If you can wait for six years when I'm done, I would gladly pay you back in botox injections ;-) (ok ok, i'm doing reconstructive surgery, please don't jump to conclusions like everyone else!)
#15
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 1,439
Press release out today - the EMPLOYEES dedicated the aircraft to Gordo.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041109/datu019_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041109/datu019_1.html

