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Probably the most fascinating club in the history of clubs and interests, the Mile High Club, has been around for as long as men first flew. For those acquainted with its existence, that will be no surprise. For those who hear about it for the first time… well, don’t feel welcome to the club, yet.
It’s all got to do with flying and with sex – vibrating, adrenaline-pumped sex in the skies. The club used to be highly exquisite and applications were rarely accepted till the 1970-s, while till 2019 it was only exquisite. At the moment, unfortunately or… luckily (depending on your point of view) joining it is utterly impossible. Social distancing, few flights, strict rules. The whole concept seems rather fascinating to me, as is to most of the members and all those who seek ways to spice up sexual experiences. Is it legal? Not quite and it depends. Is it punishable – not quite and it depends. However, let me tell you the story about something which started out of pure boredom and turned into a goal for many open-minded people.
The Mile High Club is not a building where you go and apply to complete a training. It’s a concept, but it originated in an actual club – the Betting Book Club at the Brooks’ in London. The aristocracy had very little to do in those times and with so few sources of entertainment, they were ready to bet on anything. One day, far back in 1785, Lord Cholmondely challenged Lord Derby to get into a woman’s knickers 1000 yards (approximately 900 meters) above the ground. The challenge was accepted, the stakes were high – 500 guineas (about 500 pounds nowadays and at that time it was a lot of money). According to the preserved records, Lord Derby bought a hot-air balloon and got on it with a woman who was down to accepting any offer. What happened in that balloon, the records don’t say in detail, but the amount was paid out to Lord Derby in full after and presenting evidence. That makes him the first ever honorable member and founder of the Mile High Club.
Later, in 1903, the Wright brothers after years of dedicated word, finally nailed it – they managed to build the first plane which actually flew. Yes, people had wings now and different excitement and more adrenaline (let’s not talk about the usage of planes in wars, not today). Another cornerstone is the invention of the autopilot in 1914 by the American pilot Lawrence Sperry. That meant one thing – hands free at any given time for whatever else they were needed. And pilots used that opportunity wisely and not so wisely. Few years after his invention, Sperry took Synthia Polk for a training flying session, but soon their plane got diverted by who knows what and they were sought out and discovered stark naked, treading the waters of a lake where the plane had landed who knows how. Pilot Sperry explained that during the impact, their clothes had got ripped off by some mysterious force and the lady’s shoes had flown somewhere, too. The tabloids never put an end to it, coming up with most juicy titles, barely hiding the fascination of the public and the journalist at the wet story. “Areal Petting Ends in Wetting” is a prize winner, I think.
Later, in the 30-s, Pancho Barnes, a stunt pilot, on many occasions stated: “Flying makes me feel like a sex maniac in a whorehouse with a stack of 20 dollar bills.” I really can’t imagine how he felt, because I travel economy and I’m no pilot and I don’t frequent whorehouses ☺ Anyway, at that time air travel was way too expensive and Mile High Club was a privilege for the few. In the 80-s, however, flights became cheaper and applications started piling up.
Well, here comes the questions how and why. How? Well, if you travel coach, it is almost impossible unless it’s a long night flight and people around are sleeping. But then comes the question with space. We all know how you have no space for your feet and elbows, but statistics show that enthusiasts manage somehow. Also, toilets provide a secluded nook for sexual activities. Most members of the club state that the experience is much stronger because of the vibrations, and the imminent threat of being caught adds to the adrenaline. Well, we all know how small the toilets are, and if you prefer to have your head banged against the walls or the sink, that’s entirely up to you. Probably it’s a great way to kill time without being obvious. According to statistics, many people do it with their partners, but there are some who enjoy these “lavatory” encounters with strangers, too. It seems absurd in nowadays reality, so it’s kind of endearing talking about daring and adventure at times when not every single thing revolved around health and safety.
In 1992, Mark Lee and Jan Davis went on a NASA mission during their training and got secretly married. They kept it quiet for some time and later both promised that nothing had happened. But had it not, really? How do they know that space sex is a serious business if they hadn’t carried out any experiments?
British Airlines and Singapore Airlines introduced first-class two-person suits with a massive bed, champagne, chocolate, all extras and the pictures of couples lying in these beds suggested nothing else, but intimacy. Singapore Airlines soon realized their mistake and banned sex on their flights on the grounds that “the mile high club is becoming a worrying trend, which should be stopped”. After the first few flights, they discovered that the suits were not sound proof, either. How did that happen? Go figure.
As worrying as it was presented to be, sex on the plane did not lose any of its appeal. In 2007 a flight attendant, who gave numerous interviews, was fired from Quantas Airways for having sex with Ralph Fiennes. Yes, the “English patient”, the Dark Lord Valdemort, also “He-Who-Must-Not-Be- Named” lived up to his name.
In 2019, Tommy Lee – Motley Crew’s notorious drummer and ex-husband of Pamela Anderson, was caught coming out of the toilet with his girlfriend. Tabloids went on about it forever, but there was no evidence, just speculations. I presume, he was just trying to fix her bra.
Nothing has happened since then.
Is sex in the skies legal: it depends on the company policy and on the country.
Is it unpleasant for the other passengers? I guess what you do in the bathroom is entirely your business. After all, some people put their 5-year old kids’ pots in the middle of the isle and the smell is not always nice.
What about the general opinion? Well, if you are concerned with it (as you probably should), there are the ever so friendly services of Flamingo Air, launched in 2013, and Love Cloud, launched some years later in Las Vegas, who offer a private heavenly bliss for something in the range of 425 to 800 dollars. A bit dear, I would add and probably, when travel is back, people will still opt for the unpredictable and spontaneous excitement of something not planned in advance.
However. Let us not go ahead of ourselves. 2021 has been quiet so far.
In the meantime, you can check Mile High Club website, re-watch: “The Wolf of Wall Street”, “Catch Me If You Can”, “The Hustle”, “Rush”, “The Bucket List” – all featuring Mile High Club members.
Honorable members: John Travolta, Ralph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, Ellen DeGeneres, Liam Neeson.
Before you jump into it… or shall we say fly into it, make sure you have the money for a bail out, a not so loud partner, and a discrete flight attendant. You can get away with a smile or end up in handcuffs – it all depends on how secretive you are and how badly you want to join the club. Do not forget – the members listed above have all the money in the world to get sway with a club application and approval. Most of us don’t. ☺
– By Geri Decheva
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