Scribble a romantic poem on a sick bag and you could win two flights with this airline

Is there anything more romantic than travel? What about poetry? What about a passionate love poem composed in the sky and scribbled on the back of a sick bag? Yes, that last part is a bit strange, but it’s actually part of a new competition that has been launched by British budget airline easyJet in the run up to Valentine’s Day.

Called the “Love Sick” poetry competition, the unique campaign has customers in long-distance relationships in mind, and sees the airline challenging passengers to pen a few romantic lines for the chance to win a pair of flights to anywhere within easyJet’s network. “Distance is said to make the heart grow fonder, but long-distance relationships are always hit with some light turbulence. We are challenging our customers to challenge their inner Byron, Keats and Wordsworth and pen some romantic lines on the back of our passenger sick bags,” said Tina Milton, Head of Cabin Crew with easyJet.

Sound unique, if not a bit strange? The competition was actually inspired by passengers who have been increasingly using the sick bags for this very reason, leaving them in the seat pockets for the next passengers to find. On a recent flight from Paris to London, a cabin crew found one such note written in both French and English, sending love and sympathising with anyone that needed to use the bag for its intended purpose. In order to win, entrants need to share their creation on Twitter or Instagram, tagging @easyJet and using the hashtag #LoveSickSonnets. Once submitted, entrants can take their masterpieces away with them.

The entries will be judged by Daisy Goodwin, the best-selling author of eight poetry anthologies and writer of the ITV drama, Victoria. “Who hasn’t felt sick with anticipation travelling to see the one you love? It may be a short flight but emotionally its long haul – poetry is the perfect way to calm that turmoil and arrive with a heart full of such loving words,” Daisy said.

Running until 28 February, the competition was also inspired by data showing that 29% of easyJet’s Flight Club customers are in long-distance relationships and approximately 250,000 couples are expected to fly to romantic mini-breaks during the Spring.