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Leading Questions. The worst was yet to come. A London scandal sheet reported that the firm tentatively contacted —but not actually hired—to do the "scientific" matching was a fly-by-night, husband-wife outfit operating out of a one-room office next to a fish-and-chips shop, apparently without even the benefit of a computer. The firm's "managing director" offered samples of questionnaires he had used in previous matchmaking schemes. Typical inquiries included: "Do you consider yourself sexy?" "Do you consider sex important?" "Have you a very strong sexual urge?" "Are you against premarital relationships?" "Is your physical shape good?" (Not to be confused with, "Are you in good health?"). The reason for such leading questions, he explained to a reporter, was "to separate the dolly birds from the school ma'ams."
The answers were apparently quite revealing. "We've got a lot of swinging dollies on our books who'll be only too delighted to welcome the Americans with open arms," boasted the managing director. Unwisely, as it turned out.
Completely undone by the unexpected publicity, BOAC last week abruptly canceled the controversial flights. It was all just as well. Despite attractive advertising, only two Americans had signed on to swing with the beautiful people in London, the airline admitted, and both of them were women.