The first flight of the Vatican's new charter airline landed in Lourdes, France yesterday (think it was Lourdes).

Meant to ferry pilgrim groups around to Europe and the Holy Land's Christian pilgrim venues, the planes are provided by Italian freight carrier Mistral Air (owned by Italian post office and Vatican itself as a minority stakeholder)

The whole journey is meant to whip up the pilgrim fever en route to the site. Mass is said before take-off - inspiration sayings on the seat covers and religious DVDs on the in-flight screens. Holy water is served in lieu of booze.

The airline promises to be super safe - everyone praying and presumably the Lord will watch over it.

The first plane is a Boeing 737 with 150 seats. The airline expects to eventually transport 150,000 pilgrims a year.

But experts warn that the Vatican may find tough competition from the likes of Ryanair, who currently offers 10 euro fares Rome to Santiago de Compostela

Ryanair issued a statement that said: "Ryanair already performs miracles that even the pope's boss can't rival, by delivering pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela for the heaveny price of 10 euros"

The airline plans flights from seven Italian cities to places like Lourdes, Fatima, Santiago d Campostella, Madjejore (sp?)Czestochowa, Poland. Previously the targeted clients would take long tour buses or special chartered trains to the European pilgrim meccas.

Contrary to reports pilgrims will not have to kneel the whole way and actually have seats.


But, according to the BBC report i heard, the airline is asking for suggestion for names from the public.

Ones that have already been rejected were Virgin Air and Spirit Air (both taken) and the Immaculate Connection.

So let's have some creative name suggestions we can forward onto the Vatican:

My choices:

Holy Airlines
Hail Mary Airlines
Air Jesus

any ideas for the name?

I liked two names that I saw mentioned on another message board:

Ratzingair
Beatifly

Wing & A Prayer Air

Here's a shovel, Pal...dig that hole you made a few days ago even deeper.

Do you think Mrs Doyle is a trolley dolley?

"oh go on, go on, go on,"

Poor Vatican has to make a few bucks by reducing income ( and jobs) from other airlines who already fly the same routes.

How unholy!

I know what its slogan should be:

"Air Vatican - We're Second To Nun!"

"elevate with the celebate"

OR:

"Flying with Air Vatican can be Habit Forming"

Maybe "elevate with the supposed to be celibate"? After all those child molestation happenings you know....

Maitatim: Great lines!

Air Vatican slogan

"God is our co-pilot"

not original but works

St Joseph of Cupertino is apparently the patron saint of pilots and air passengers, and Our Lady of Loreto is the patron of flight. I'm surprised they haven't named it after one of them.

I'm sure that a flight with them will be simply Heaven!

Domin-Air-Vobiscum

BC

Farther Ted

Luftfooter

Bookchick: excellent.

My daughter has called my Birkenstock sandals Air Jesus's for years. I have heard others call them that too, inspired, I guess, by Air Jordans.

So I don't vote for that one.

Bookchick reminds me of what we kids used to mutter at mass:

Dominic pass the biscuits
And the butter tooo

Airbourne again.

Pilgrim's Progress

(Even though that's PP Airlines for short)

PP i love that!

Breaking news from Vaticano:

"All signage on the new yet-to-be-named airline will be in Latin only - therefore passengers are advised to brush up on their Latin before boarding"

Sincerely,
Father Guido Sarducci, Vatican Minister of Communication"