United Airlines mulling using passenger data to sell targeted ads - WSJ

Investing.com -- United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) is mulling leveraging its trove of passenger information to help brands serve targeted advertisements to its customers, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Citing people familiar with the situation, the WSJ said some of these ads could appear on the carrier's in-flight entertainment system or on its app that passengers use to book and manage flights. United has yet to make a decision on the matter, the paper noted.

According to a presentation viewed by the WSJ, customer data could be harnessed to allow advertisers like entertainment companies to suggest specific movies to passengers who have traveled near their theme parks or have purchased their merchandise with airline miles.

Executives at United are attempting to gauge how they can roll out personalized ads without annoying or alarming customers, unnamed sources told the WSJ, which added that passengers will be able to opt out of receiving these ads.