PROTESTING TOO MUCH

Based on the misguided notion that consumers fly low-cost airlines because they’re fun -- which makes one wonder why they’re not referred to as “high-fun airlines” -- giant, scared competitor American Airlines steps up in tomorrow’s Boston Herald to proclaim itself a hoot.

Control the horrified recoil and simply step back slowly as an American executive babbles nervously in a badly backfiring defense of his employer:

“American recently offered a promotion in Chicago where residents could win use of a jet for 100 friends. [The executive] says there’ll be more ‘fun’ to come,” writes the Herald’s Greg Gatlin, who’s a pretty fun guy.

“’In the past, people who looked at American didn’t think as much of fun,’ [the executive] said. ‘Our bread and butter may not be in the fun department, but we have a lot of fun people. You’ll see more of that.’”

Do we get frequent fun miles? Sign me up!