US Airways is set to sell advertisements on those expandable pint-sized bags stuck in the seat pocket that airline passengers hope to never have to use: air-sickness bags.
Of course, the handy little bags get used for plenty of things other than their true purpose: crayons, Legos and other kids toys; carrying home a little goodie bag of extras from the snack service; wet washcloths from cleaning dirty hands. So, they do get eyeballs beyond those passengers nauseous enough to grab for the bag.
Passengers could likely see ads beginning this fall on the carrier’s 700 aircrafts with an average 100-plus seats per craft, said Morgan Durrant, a US Airways spokesperson.
“It’s a way to boost revenue to keep fares as low as we can,” he said.
Durrant said the airline is currently in discussions with a number of possible advertisers.
America West, which merged with US Airways last year, was the first in the industry to place ads on tray tables, the first airline gift cards and the first to offer in-flight meals for sale, according to news reports. A sure sign that ads on air sickness bags are likely to be offered on other carriers as well.
The Tempe, AZ-based airline hopes to add a little cash to its bottom line with the initiative.