Bill Hough
2006-07-19 16:01:14 UTC
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This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate.
The original article can be found on SFGate.com here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2006/07/19/financial/f003541D29.DTL
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Wednesday, July 19, 2006 (AP)
US Airways to Place Ads on Sickness Bags
By CHRIS KAHN, Associated Press Writer
(07-19) 00:35 PDT PHOENIX (AP) --
US Airways wants to make the most out of a nauseating situation. The
Tempe, Ariz.-based airline plans to sell advertisements on its
air-sickness bags — those pint-sized expandable envelopes tucked
between the in-flight magazines and safety cards.
"They're in every back seat pocket," said spokesman Phil Gee. "We figure
while it's there, why don't we make it multipurpose?"
Passengers should see the new, commercialized sickness bags in September,
he said.
The ads are just the latest initiative the company has used to squeeze out
a bigger profit.
America West, which merged with US Airways last year, had the first
advertisements in the industry on tray tables, the first airline gift
cards and the first in-flight meals for sale.
"Little things like that work," said Michael Boyd, president of the Boyd
Group, an aviation consulting group in Evergreen, Colo. "Barf bags have a
lot of shelf life — people aren't barfing as much in planes as they
used to."
The new bags drew a few chuckles among US Airways passengers at the
company's hub at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
"I would honestly pay no attention to an ad if I got sick," said Nathan
Vierra, 19, a student. "But hey, if skateboarders can sell ad space on
their T-shirts, I guess why can't an airline sell ads on barf bags?"
US Airways has not decided how much it will charge for the ads, and has
only begun negotiating with companies that could be interested, Gee said.
The ads could be for anti-motion sickness medications or other products
immediately on the mind of someone who reaches for one of the bags. But
Gee said US Airways will look for a wide range of product advertisements
to put on its bags.
Boyd said the trick for US Airways is to find ads that will make them a
little cash without turning off customers.
"Some people don't want the inside of their cabins to look like subway
cars," he said. "And the jury isn't in on advertising on tray tables as a
decent way to boost revenue.
"But having an advertisement for a barf bag, especially if it's for
something like Dramamine, now that's brilliant." ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2006 AP
This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate.
The original article can be found on SFGate.com here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2006/07/19/financial/f003541D29.DTL
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, July 19, 2006 (AP)
US Airways to Place Ads on Sickness Bags
By CHRIS KAHN, Associated Press Writer
(07-19) 00:35 PDT PHOENIX (AP) --
US Airways wants to make the most out of a nauseating situation. The
Tempe, Ariz.-based airline plans to sell advertisements on its
air-sickness bags — those pint-sized expandable envelopes tucked
between the in-flight magazines and safety cards.
"They're in every back seat pocket," said spokesman Phil Gee. "We figure
while it's there, why don't we make it multipurpose?"
Passengers should see the new, commercialized sickness bags in September,
he said.
The ads are just the latest initiative the company has used to squeeze out
a bigger profit.
America West, which merged with US Airways last year, had the first
advertisements in the industry on tray tables, the first airline gift
cards and the first in-flight meals for sale.
"Little things like that work," said Michael Boyd, president of the Boyd
Group, an aviation consulting group in Evergreen, Colo. "Barf bags have a
lot of shelf life — people aren't barfing as much in planes as they
used to."
The new bags drew a few chuckles among US Airways passengers at the
company's hub at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
"I would honestly pay no attention to an ad if I got sick," said Nathan
Vierra, 19, a student. "But hey, if skateboarders can sell ad space on
their T-shirts, I guess why can't an airline sell ads on barf bags?"
US Airways has not decided how much it will charge for the ads, and has
only begun negotiating with companies that could be interested, Gee said.
The ads could be for anti-motion sickness medications or other products
immediately on the mind of someone who reaches for one of the bags. But
Gee said US Airways will look for a wide range of product advertisements
to put on its bags.
Boyd said the trick for US Airways is to find ads that will make them a
little cash without turning off customers.
"Some people don't want the inside of their cabins to look like subway
cars," he said. "And the jury isn't in on advertising on tray tables as a
decent way to boost revenue.
"But having an advertisement for a barf bag, especially if it's for
something like Dramamine, now that's brilliant." ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2006 AP