Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Salmon Thirty Salmon

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web
Paid for with your tax dollars....

Alaska Airlines takes flying fish to a whole new level

$500,000 grant from federal funding pays for custom paint job on company's passenger jet
By WESLEY LOY
Anchorage Daily News
Published: October 2, 2005
Last Modified: October 2, 2005 at 03:07 AM


So, you landed a big king salmon this summer? It can't compare to the colossal king Alaska Airlines plans to land this morning in Anchorage.

The Seattle-based carrier has painted nearly the full length of a Boeing 737-400 passenger jet as a wild Alaska king, or chinook, salmon. The airline has dubbed its flying fish the "Salmon-Thirty-Salmon."
It's a bold promotional move to celebrate wild Alaska seafood and also the carrier's role in hauling millions of pounds of fresh salmon, halibut, crab, shrimp and other seafood out of the state each year.
The fishy paint job was done on a grand scale, company spokesmen said. A team of 30 painters and airbrush artists used more than 140 gallons of paint and took 24 days to render the lifelike chinook -- triple the time normally needed to coat an airliner.
"There's no question, at least in my mind, that this is the finest airline art ever conceived," said Bill MacKay, the company's Anchorage-based senior vice president. "People will just be amazed at the detail."
A local nonprofit agency, the Alaska Fisheries Marketing Board, gave Alaska Airlines a $500,000 grant to paint the jet. The money came out of about $29 million in federal funding U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska and his congressional colleagues have appropriated to the marketing board, created in 2003, to promote and enhance the value of Alaska seafood. The senator's son, state Sen. Ben Stevens, is chairman of the agency's board of directors.
The state's commercial salmon industry has struggled for years due to competition from foreign, farm-raised salmon, but the promotional dollars are helping the industry make a comeback, said Bill Hines, the marketing board's executive director.
Many commercial fishermen and industry boosters have dreamed of seeing an Alaska Airlines jet emblazoned with a fish, Hines said. Alaska Airlines approached the marketing board with the idea, and the board awarded the grant.
 
PHX767 said:
The money came out of about $29 million in federal funding

I wonder why there is talk of general aviation users fees, in addition to the gas tax we already pay? I thought some of our tax dollars were supposed to be spent on keeping the airway system safe, not on pretty paint jobs! I can't fault Alaska for taking the money, but come on people, this is a little nuts. I like to think of myself as a fiscal conservative (from MA!!), and a lot of recent spending, espcially by elected republicans is really starting to get on my nerves. BTW, I love the paint job (obviously pissed that I paid for it) !
 
Let's see. A $500k grant from the Alaska Fisheries Marketing Board that was part of a $29M federal funding provided to the board...and YOU paid for it. I'd like to know just how much WAS your contribution?

BTW, could you send a little my way? I have 2 kids in college. I'm "pissed" that you spent all your money on this paint job and have none left for my kids' college.
 
Don't touch - It's my money!

$500,000/250,000,000 US tax payers (rough guess) = $0.002

Yes, not a ton of money......

$pork,pork,pork,pork,pork/250,000,000 US taxpayers = a $hitload

Personally, I see a disturbing trend of ELECTED officials not seeming to remember where their yearly budgets originally get funded. You know the answer. :erm:

Again, I like the paint job (see, I'm not totally off topic). :D
 
money well spent

You are missing the point. Yes, these are federal dollars, but big govt didn't buy a paint job, they gave a grant to a struggling business (alaska fisheries) to help make them more competative against foreign sources (farmed salmon). The alaska fisheries simply chose to advertise in a unique and eye catching way. I think it's great and am happy to chip in my $0.02
 
How's that $250 million Ted Stevens bridge coming along? Is the $250 BBBBBillion GRANT for LA going to get approved (I hope not). Don't get me wrong, I'm all for helping out folks that can't CURRENTLY help themselves. Bootstraps, initiative, yada yada yada........

Signed,
Scrooge :)
 
Geronimo4497 said:
I wonder why there is talk of general aviation users fees, in addition to the gas tax we already pay? I thought some of our tax dollars were supposed to be spent on keeping the airway system safe, not on pretty paint jobs! I can't fault Alaska for taking the money, but come on people, this is a little nuts. I like to think of myself as a fiscal conservative (from MA!!), and a lot of recent spending, espcially by elected republicans is really starting to get on my nerves. BTW, I love the paint job (obviously pissed that I paid for it) !

You voted for the numbnuts who approved this so what are you complaining about?
 
dispatcher121 said:
FLAIM BAIT!

It only makes sense that these two organizations promote the fishing industry in Alaska. Both industries represent the state of Alaska...and they do it with pride.

That's funny, here I thought that they exploited the people of Alaska just to make a buck.
 

Latest resources

Back
Top