Glamour in the Air
In my January/February Atlantic column, I argued that air travel has lost its glamour not just because of the hassles and discomforts it entails but because it's simply too common an experience and hence has lost its mystery and its aspirational quality.
Not so in Aspen, where I've come for the Aspen Ideas Festival, co-hosted by The Atlantic, which has its own Festival blog, where I'll be cross-posting if we can overcome some technical issues. (I'll be moderating a couple of panels.) Here, judging from the ads in local magazines, air travel has recaptured its glamour, thanks to fractional jet ownership. The images are fascinating for the way they express different ideals of travel. (Click photos for larger images.)
AEXjet, an Aspen-based company, provides the most glamorous shot, evoking effortless cruising to unknown destinations. The company's strategy is based on its ability to get in and out of Aspen when other private jets can't.
Bluestar ads another classically glamorous element, with little emphasis on the actual idea of travel. Delta, by contrast, emphasizes the destination and barely shows you a plane.
Finally, Flexjet promises to make you the perfect preppy dad, complete with soccer field right next to the runway. It's the least glamorous ad, and the most obviously calculated to make luxury spending seem like the Right Thing to Do. It's for the kids!
