Grounded Mexicana Stewardesses Raise Funds by Debuting Sultry Calendar

Aeromozas Mexicana Facebook

Flight attendants from a bankrupt Mexican airline have chipped in to produce a calendar featuring themselves clad in bikinis or skimpy versions of airline uniforms.

After 89 years in business, Mexicana Airlines suspended service in August of this year after competition from newer low-cost regional carriers, disputes with labor unions and a US$125 million debt caused it to file for a Comercia Concurso (the equivalent of Chapter 11 bankruptcy). Negotiations are underway to resume limited service and bring back about 30% of the Mexicana employees next month.

10-year Mexicana veteran Coral Perez came up with the idea of the calendar in the hopes that the publicity would help revive the grounded carrier (one of the world's oldest international airlines) and cover their expenses since Mexicana ceased operations at the end of August. She and nine other former co-workers posed for pictures and planned to release about 1000 copies of the Calendar. The first run had sold out even before they were released last week, prompting the 'aeromozas' (flight attendants) to release a 2nd edition of 3000 additional calendars.

The high-flying Latina calendar girls have even set up their own Facebook page (in Spanish) as well.

"We're not models, we don't have perfect bodies, but we want to keep going," said Rozy Arcos, one of the stewardesses who presented the calendar late Thursday.

Despite Sra. Arcos' insistence that she wasn't a model with a perfect body, I wasn't exactly cringing and averting my eyes upon first glance at the calendar.

I'll let you be the judge, however.

[Hat tip: Wyatt Earp]