Avoid Bag Fees by Wheeling a Billboard Around the Airport
Jeff Edwards September 25, 2015
Orion Mobile Luggage Billboard at Orlando Airport (PRNewsFoto/Orion Travel Technologies, Inc.)
An Orlando-based firm has a proposition for passengers desperate to avoid ever multiplying bag fees.
Entrepreneur Gary German, the founder of Orlando-based Orion Travel Tech, may have found a way to turn annoying baggage fees to his advantage. German’s company plans to offer free luggage and pay the bag fees of millions of passengers who are willing to tote corporate advertising around with them on their journeys. German is betting that sponsors will be willing to pay a premium for rolling advertisements that have the potential to be seen by millions of consumers and will literally spread across the globe in a matter of hours.
Not only will passengers who agree to become traveling billboards earn a free set of TSA-approved luggage complete with advertiser messages and logos; the volunteer brand ambassadors will also have all bag fees reimbursed for a set period of time. Depending on an advertiser’s need, campaigns will require between 10,000 and 1 million sets of luggage moving through airports around the world.
“With the invention of hard-shell luggage, it is now possible to approach advertisers and promoters with a whole new set of eyes combined with personalization,” German explained. “What’s unique about this luggage, it literally can go worldwide in a day and it comes with its own salesperson.”
The company, which has filed for patent protection for the advertisement-ready luggage, says that it expects to gear the rolling advertising campaigns to everything from car rental companies to political candidates. Orion is also planning to bring its unique advertising medium to cruise ship, train and bus passengers.
[Photo: Orion Travel Technologies]
After scouring the company page and its Facebook page, I had to log in to Globe Trotter Nation, its members-only site to learn that the company has bitten off more than it can chew. Orion is no longer offering the baggage fee program, claiming that advertisers are reluctant to go forward until they've seen that other aspects of the program are fruitful. After posting my disappointment on FB that the Orion would advertise a program that wasn't set in stone, the company responded that it would "remember comments like [mine]" when the program is up and running. Strangely, the company doesn't allow the public to see posts to its FB page. Seems like a bunch of disorganized kids to me.
Because 1. You still have to pay the fees upfront and get reimbursed. If cash flow is an issue, then you could be screwed. And of course if there are any issues with reimbursements, e.g. disputes, company bankruptcy, etc. you may not get your reimbursement 2. It's for a limited time.
Is it deceptive? You be the judge. Thus far it appears that all the attention Orion Travel is getting is based on posting a single news release to PR Newswire. The news release link doesn't indicate that they have actually signed up any advertisers, this looks like a trial balloon pending some big company being willing to pay for the luggage and the advertising. Kind of a chicken and egg thing, he has to convince a big company that it is worth funding this concept, and he has to have an army of people ready to travel. And you have to join the Orion Travel Club to participate, first 6 months free and $19.95/year thereafter.
"the volunteer brand ambassadors will also have all bag fees reimbursed for a set period of time." So how is it deceptive?
According to the story, you do NOT avoid the bag fee. You still have to pay it. Another deceptive post.