Emirates to ditch in-flight magazine - changing of on-plane advertising market

Emirates have announced they are scrapping their in-flight magazine (Open Skies). Brand Republic is reporting that the magazine adds a tonne of weight to each A380 flight. They are touting this as both a green and cost cutting initiative. I refute the green part as this is an airline that has just announced showers in the A380 first class area. That is going to add a wasteful half a tonne of weight to the plane in extra water (according to Airwise news).

This tells me an interesting story about the economics of in-flight advertising. Airlines traditionally make a lot of money from in-flight magazine advertising as they have a great travelling demographic and a near certainty of circulation and readership (especially on long haul). The scraping of this magazine is probably more to do with the changing on-plane media habits of consumers. With Emirates carrying 600 channels of entertainment (that WORK my dear Qantas flying readers) they have provided the audience (passengers) with less reason to read the magazine at the advertisers with a more enhance media to utilise. My guess this is not a fuel or green decision, it is a marketing and advertising sales decision. What do you think?

Hat tip to Darren at Travel Rants where I first saw the story

thanks to erdanziehungskraft for the photo from flickr