Leading US carriers that use retailing company GuestLogix's handheld credit card readers during flight will soon begin rolling out a new service that prints advertisements on receipts issued to passengers.

Working with partner Jetera Precision Media - a provider of targeted advertisements - GuestLogix is offering 'OnTouch advertisements', which are designed to "help airlines expand their non-ticket revenues", says GuestLogix.

The destination-based advertisements will feature offers related to the passengers' various attributes and their travel itinerary. As such, they will be "timely, relevant and actionable" for the traveler, says GuestLogix.

At the same time, says the Toronto-headquartered firm, the airline will benefit "from a new source of revenue and develop a deeper relationship with the customer by providing greater value through worthwhile ads".

More than 20,000 mobile GuestLogix point of sale (POS) devices are in use today, serving nearly 800 million passenger trips annually. Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines, Southwest Airlines and US Airways are among GuestLogix's roster of US airline customers, using the devices as part of cashless cabin initiatives.

GuestLogix does not reveal which of its customers have opted to roll out the OnTouch advertisements. It says financial analysts suggest that a typical large airline today can generate at least $20 million in ancillary revenue annually by permitting third parties to advertise to their passengers.

"We are offering our airline customers an opportunity to easily and effectively grow their revenue per passenger trip, while also helping companies better advertise to their target audience and enhancing passengers' travel experience by providing them with relevant destination-based promotions and information," adds GuestLogix president and CEO Tom Douramakos.

GuestLogix's long-term plan includes integration of the new advertising service with other OnTouch services deployed on travelers' mobile devices, including smartphones.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news