SJS Press April 2011

When Frontier Airlines announced aircraft deliveries this April, the traveling public was curious to see which animals would grace the tails of these new airplanes. Frontier has a long tradition of naming these animals with clever names such as Knut the polar bear and Bubbles the chimpanzee. However, this times around, Frontier let their passengers choose and name the animals as they came on line. With the latest jet arrival came overwhelming support for ToiletDuck, the pilot message board animal. The Press takes you on safari.

As an airline that never seems to grow and continuously skirts the edge of insolvency, Frontier Airlines needed a way to generate a buzz about its brand. Unable to stand out from other terrrible, low service brands with dirty airplanes and unruly front line employees, Frontier wanted to try something different than just lying about providing a quality product at a terrific price. In its quest to be a Whole Different Animal, Frontier stumbled upon airline pilot message board guru ToiletDuck. ToiletDuck, known for averaging 4.6 posts per day on internet aviation forums, was voted to be part of the livery of Frontier's latest aircraft. Frontier CEO Bryan Bedford was ecstatic. "When I found out that 'The Duck' won our contest, I knew things were going to start to turn around for us." Apparently subsidies from several of its regional partners had not been enough to help Frontier become a profitable business. The board of directors of Frontier's parent company denied Bedford's request to paint all new aircraft tails with ToiletDuck. "I thought that the ToiletDuck image would make us profitable, but like my requests for improved pay and work conditions for our employees, that request was denied."

Whether or not Frontier will become a successful enterprise using ToiletDuck as one of its new spokesanimals will be seen in future months. One thing is for certain. Frontier got 'The Duck'.

ToiletDuck has been sought after by several aviation communities and businesses. Not all of them have been successful as Frontier Airlines in using his celebrity. One group unsuccessful in recruiting ToiletDuck is The Team at shinyjetsyndrome.com. The SJS Host explains "We've been on the hunt for ToiletDuck for nearly two years, but this guy is as elusive as Usama Bin Laden." Unlike the hunt for UBL, whose trail has gone cold in the cities of Pakistan, there have been several tip offs to ToiletDuck's whereabouts. A passenger aboard an airliner claimed to have seen him during a late winter flight this year. ToiletDuck was thought to be on one of his routine chemtrailing missions. Miracle on the Hudson pilot, Captain Sully Sullenberger, swears that 'The Duck' can be found on Manhattan's west side. Another sighting places ToiletDuck in the jumpseat of several jetliners as he travels like a playboy from one hotspot to another. ToiletDuck may be in a perpetual migration, but the SJS Team has been tightening the noose as of late. The Team has taken leads on additional sightings and has gone even further by hiring private investigator Tim Martins to find ToiletDuck's secret nest.

The SJS Host pleads "ToiletDuck is on the forefront of aviation phenomenom, especially when it comes to SJS; Shiny Jet Syndrome. We created an SJS message board inspired by his postings. We did not like any of the other web hosts censoring the thoughts of ToiletDuck. We know 'The Duck' has the facts straight when it comes to the issues concerning aviation and the airlines. ToiletDuck will always have a home at The Boreds at shinyjetsyndrome.com." As seen by one of his posts at the end of this article, the SJS Host is correct in professing the knowledge and prowess ToiletDuck carries.

Indeed, ToiletDuck is held in high regard by members of this site as well as by those on lame aviation forums. The Press can only join the SJS Host in wishing for the arrival of ToiletDuck to The Boreds. We ask all fellow SJSers to keep their eyes peeled for 'The Duck' and encourage him to share his knowledge with you. For now, the hunt continues.

SJS PRESS