Airlines Now Selling Ads on Boarding Passes

Beginning this week, most major U.S. airlines will begin showing advertisements on the boarding passes that passengers print out from home.  Yet another method to that the bleeding airline industry is using to offset fuel cost.  Well…. At least it’s creative… I’ll give them that.  Most importantly,  it’s a measure that is not costing ME the passenger, more money.

Delta will begin implementing the ads on Tuesday for flights to Las Vegas.  Northwest, United, US Airways and Continental have signed on as well.  Customers will be able to choose to print out their boarding pass without the advertisements and all boarding passes with OR without ads will print out to no more than 1 page in length.  Sojern, Inc., the company selling the ads, is splitting the revenue with the airlines.  Although they are being tight-lipped about the amount of revenue that is forecasted to be earned, Northwest says that 40% of their passengers check-in online.  A number that adds up to over 30 million customers a year.

Truthfully, I long for the “good old days” of air travel.   If there ever was a “good old days”.  However, I understand that these are difficult times and I am willing to “take one for the team” and print out that boarding pass WITH the ads.  My hope is that in time,  the airlines will regain some ground and be on a more sound financial course.   Do you think they’ll go back to letting us check in that first bag for free?  

Probably not.

Technorati Tags: airline fees, airline revenue, airline industry

 

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