 Pushing Pineapples On Runway One…
I know, dear reader, these columns seem to have got stuck in a Gatwick-centric orbit lately. In mitigation you must excuse a chap for being worrying about his future prospects at that establishment. However, I shouldn’t have worried quite so much because almost as the ink was dry on last week’s Watts In Britain my phone started a-ringing. Oh, the power of the press!
You may remember that I’d filed my report on how rumours of future operations were circulating the airport. Well, that rumour moved into the realms of scheduled airlines switching to new locations. Maybe British Airways would move entirely to Heathrow. And maybe, the re-location of easyJet and Ryan Air might quickly follow. It would be a disaster for Gatwick jobs.
Now, as I took pains to point out last week, I personally thought those rumours to be pie-in-the-sky but once started they gather into an unstoppable force. Like that of an easyJet hurtling down the runway. “Why easyJet, Wattsie?” Well, I’ll tell you. Upon reading last week’s RTN their UK regional manager Paul Simmons phoned to say that his company’s commitment to Gatwick and scheduled services was secure and on going. As I say; the power of the press…
Paul indicated easyJet’s commitment with the news that a new route from London Gatwick to Agadir in Morocco, was due to be launched on Wednesday 4th November. The airline will provide a twice-weekly service (with prices starting from as little as £30.99 one-way, including taxes, folks!). This is one of 25 new routes easyJet has announced as part of its winter schedule. The airline will continue to offer a range of high frequencies to key city airports, including – of course – Alicante!
Hang on a mo, just a sec; this is stating to sound like an easyJet ad here… Well it sort of is but it kind of links in to Benidorm. You see, for the launch of this new service to Agadir the company secured the services of ex-Benidorm resident and Black Lace star, Dene Michael. Yes folks, soon all over our televisions we’ll be hearing the easyJet’s advert-version of Agadoo, or rather Agadir! And on Wednesday I met Dene during a break from Black Lace staging an impromptu gig at Gatwick Airport. It was good to catch up with him and we both shared fond memories of life on the Costa Blanca.
Dene told me that easyJet had carried out a survey of its passengers to find out which was the Brit’s all-time number one cheesy holiday hit. Well, as you might have guessed Agadoo came first with 54 per cent of the votes. Paul Simmons, of easyJet explained: “When the survey revealed that Agadoo had stormed the Brit’s cheesy holiday hit chart we got in touch to see if they’d come onboard to help us launch our brand new route to Agadir with a cheeky re-recording!”
And so it was on Wednesday morning at five o’clock, much to the surprise of thousands of holidaymakers, Black Lace burst into song in the busy departure lounge with a special re-recording of their 1984 smash hit. Dene told me: “We thought the idea was hilarious – we had to get involved and have a bit of fun! The response we got was awesome – which has fuelled our confidence as we’re about to kick off our comeback bid. This won’t be the last you see of us yet!” Dene laughed, “I was amazed to see how many people remembered all the dance moves – the departure lounge was awash with holiday makers all joining in. It was quite a sight and hopefully got everyone in the holiday spirit!” And guess where most of the people in that departure lounge where going to. Yup, Alicante, Barcelona and Murcia so this might not be news to you folks in Spain.
In total 1,023 UK passengers from across the UK took part in the easyJet survey to find the Brits all-time number one cheesy holiday hit.
The results were:
- 1) Agadoo by Black Lace - 54 per cent
- 2) Macarena by Los Del Rio - 21 per cent
- 3) Mambo No 5 by Lo Bega - 13 per cent
- 4) Saturday Night by Whigfield - 8 per cent
- 5) Superman by Black Lace - 4 per cent
Watts in Gatwick, on the perimeter - pushing pineapples and shaking trees
|
