The Wall St. Journal has a long and interesting article about whether or not airlines will allow advertisers to promote their products in the cabin. It’s been happening off and on for a long time, but many airlines are worried that it could hurt their brand image. However, in some cases it may be a powerful opportunity for someone to rescue the airline’s customers.

WSJ: Advertisers Find A Captive Audience: Travelers on Planes by Brian Steinberg and Melanie Trottman (subscription required)

MasterCard International is providing complimentary snacks, movie headphones and puzzles and games aboard nearly 600 flights of AMR Corp.’s American Airlines during the holiday-travel season. The expectation is that more than 85,000 travelers will benefit from this largesse, which is publicized onboard by the flight attendants. Given the state of flying coach these days, MasterCard ought to come off like Santa Claus.