HOUSTON, Texas (Jan 6, 2003) -- Jim Bailey and Donna Daniels specialize in arranging travel for people who like to vacation at nude beaches and resorts. As part of their Castaways Travel business, they also book flight reservations. So it seemed only natural that they would offer a clothing-optional flight for travelers who want to get naked as soon as their vacations begin. The Houston-based travel agency has chartered a Boeing 727-200 for a round-trip flight from Miami to the renowned scuba diving destination of Cancun, departing May 3 and returning May 10, for 170 passengers, most of whom will be headed to the El Dorado Resort & Spa for a nude vacation. The Castaways contingent must wait until the flight is under way to disrobe and must dress before de-planing. The captain and crew will remain dressed for the flight, which costs $499 round-trip and is believed to be the first of its kind. The crew will adjust for the nudist passengers. Airline cabins are notoriously cold but will be kept at a warm temperature. To avoid dangerous spills, no coffee will be served. Clothing must be kept in the overhead bins or underneath a seat. In the interests of privacy, Castaways is providing the flight information and name of the charter provider only to registered passengers. Otherwise, it's known as "Naked-Air." Though the flight is open to anyone, most passengers will be heading to the El Dorado Resort & Spa, an upscale, all-inclusive property near Cancun. Like the charter plane, the resort will be available to nudists for the first time, with the Castaways contingent filling all 175 rooms. | | Participants in the PADI nude specialty scuba diving course learn to evaluate conditions... Nudist-related travel is one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry. The American Association for Nude Recreation has 275 resorts and more than 50,000 members in North America. Bare Necessities Tour & Travel, an Austin, Texas, company, charters nude cruises, including a March trip out of Los Angeles aboard the 2,052-passenger Carnival Ecstasy. Castaways Travel organizes regular group tours to clothing-optional destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico, with its clients sometimes accounting for nearly an entire commercial flight. For years, Bailey and Daniels figured they could fill a nude charter if they could just find a carrier willing to provide the clothing-optional opportunity. They were turned down by several when they began searching last summer, but were surprised that it took relatively little time to find a taker. "In this economy, everyone has to be a little creative," Bailey said. THE NAKED FACTS At press time, there were seats remaining on the "Naked-Air" flight from Miami to Cancun on May 3, returning May 10. Round-trip fare, not including connections to and from Miami if needed, is $499. SOURCE - Naked News |
