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Monthlong trip is joint media tour with AirTran
By Betty Lin-Fisher
Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Saturday, Jun 27, 2009
Mark Malkoff's flight from Tampa to Akron-Canton's airport was delayed by about 45 minutes.
But should that really matter to a guy who has spent the last 26 days living on AirTran Airways planes and flying around the country?
Probably not.
Malkoff is on a 30-day adventure living on a plane to get over his fear of flying.
The trip is a public relations jaunt for the comedian and AirTran.
During his 30-day trip, Malkoff has been staying on the planes or getting off on the tarmac to meet the media. He doesn't enter any airports and sleeps by himself on a plane at night.
Akron-Canton Airport used Malkoff's stop to an
nounce that AirTran was bringing back two seasonal Florida destinations on Nov. 4: Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers.
Malkoff entertains the passengers and said he's constantly on the Internet, using social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to keep in touch with his fans. (Malkoff's trip is coinciding with AirTran's announcement that it will be the first airline to offer Wi-fi service.)
During a brief stop on Akron-Canton's tarmac Friday afternoon, Malkoff's plane was directed in by ground crew using blue and white pompoms.
Malkoff got off the plane and was met by Jackson High School cheerleaders, AirTran operational crew members carrying foam fingers and Anthony Munoz, the Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Cincinnati Bengals star.
Munoz, who was in town as Thursday night's keynote speaker for the International Federation of American Football Junior World Champions at the museum, put Malkoff through some paces in a mini-training camp.
''This is the most physical activity I've had in a month!'' Malkoff said as Munoz had him make some offensive and defensive moves.
''What do you think is harder — playing in the NFL or living on an airplane for a month?'' Malkoff asked Munoz.
''I'm going to say living on an airplane for a month, and I'm glad you're doing it,'' Munoz quipped back.
Malkoff said he felt surprisingly good for being on a plane for 26 days.
''I feel like I'm on vacation, other than the fact that sleeping is difficult, and I don't smell good,'' he said. Malkoff sometimes has a business class seat and other times, a coach seat.
''Last night I slept in Row 22,'' though he said he wanted to sleep in an overnight bin one night before he gets off the plane in four days.
He got over his fear of flying about a day and a half into the trip.
''Over 100,000 miles flying 14 hours a day will quickly get you over your fear of flying,'' he said.
For those wondering, Malkoff doesn't get any showers. He uses baby wipes and washes his hair in the airplane bathroom. (Unless you count the ''shower'' he got from the Flint, Mich., fire department during a stop there on the tarmac, he said.)
When he gets off the plane in four days, Malkoff said he'll give his wife a kiss (she has flown with him on the weekends) and, ''I'll take a long, long shower.''
''My next video may be about a guy who sleeps in his own bed for 30 days.''
Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at
330-996-3724 or blinfisher@
thebeaconjournal.com.
Mark Malkoff's flight from Tampa to Akron-Canton's airport was delayed by about 45 minutes.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Antioch, Fl
Posted 05:16 AM, 06/28/2009
Is Akron really so dead that this is among the biggest news stories?
I heard that a guy drove through town on his way from Iowa to Va. Where's the interview?
WADSWORTH, OH
Posted 07:20 AM, 06/28/2009
I drove from Orlando to Wadsworth in 15 hours pulling a ranger bass boat,telling jokes and playing a ton of rock CD's all the way
no story in the ABJ on that was there??
