What’s next for the airlines? Captive advertising
Air travelers no longer complain much about bad airport food since there’s so little of it but what will their reaction be as seat-back ads are placed in all 128 of Air Trans’ Boeing jets?
”The new advertising plan, announced by AirTran Airways, a low-cost, Florida-based airline, is the latest in a trend among recession-battered airlines to increase revenue by charging for extra products and services such as onboard wireless Internet, snacks, drinks and pillows,” said the AP.
Over the next week or so, AirTran Airways plans to outfit all of its Boeing jets with seat-back advertisements, measuring about 2 1/2 by 9 inches.
The advertisements are placed at eye level, so passengers can’t avoid them, except by lowering the tray tables.
Though other airlines have experimented with in-flight ads, AirTran appears to be the first American carrier to put ads on every seat back of every plane in its fleet. The ads are placed in a see-through holder fastened to the back of the tray table, making it easy for ads to be replaced as desired.
Ryan Air, based in Ireland, and Easyjet, based in England, have already tested seat-back advertising.
US Airways places ads on the tops of its tray tables, though not on every plane or at every seat.
The first ad on the AirTran seat backs will be for Mother Nature Network, a Web site devoted to environmental issues that is promoting itself by running a contest for a seven-night cruise.
By David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive