Ads Coming to Your Local Baggage Carousel

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

See recent posts by Carl Unger

USA Today reports that passengers will begin seeing advertisements on baggage carousels in airports around the country. And by on baggage carousels, I mean on the actual conveyor belts that ferry your luggage around and around.

As a sign of the economic times, this trend certainly stands out. After all, while a group of people waiting for their luggage tends to be intensely focused on the baggage carousel, that same group also tends to be A) exhausted from their flight, B) anxiously wondering where on earth their bags are, or C) very much eager to get the heck out the airport and start their vacation. Is this really a solid target audience for advertisers?

At any rate, the ads are already in place in Chicago (O’Hare and Midway), Kansas City, Albany, and Gulfport-Biloxi, with Seattle, Boston, and Philadelphia forthcoming.

What do you think about baggage carousel ads? Will they be a nuisance? Will you simply ignore them? Leave a comment below with your thoughts. Thanks!

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