Wednesday, November 18, 2009

AirTran Slapping Ads on Seats For Your Viewing Pleasure

AirTran proudly announced plans to outfit all of its 138 Boeing 737s and 717s with seat-back advertising. Actually, the headline on the statement said "unveiled."

Come on, folks! I know everybody needs to boost revenue, but is this really customer service -- or just more ads in your face?

From AirTran's unveiling announcement:

"During the next two weeks, each seat will be outfitted with a 2 1/2 [by] 1/2 x 9 inch, easily-changeable, full-color, advertisement. Mother Nature Network is the first advertising partner, offering a chance to win a seven-night, deluxe cruise on board Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas.

"'We are pleased to be able to offer exclusive deals and other promotions to our customers through this unique medium," said Tad Hutcheson, AirTran Airways' vice president of marketing and sales. "We have gone to great lengths to present these advertisements in a tasteful, unobtrusive way that we believe customers will enjoy.'"

"This new advertising forum will increase ancillary revenue for the company and joins existing onboard advertising, including: GO, AirTran's award-winning in-flight magazine, seat pocket advertising, advertising on catering items like napkins and flight attendant announcements.

"Unlike other in-cabin advertisements, these messages will be fully visible to passengers throughout the boarding, taxi, takeoff, landing, and deplaning phases, offering companies a unique opportunity to reach consumers for periods ranging from a minimum of approximately 40 minutes to several hours depending on the length of the flight," AirTran's announcement said.

I guess.

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