MasterCard’s latest recently published patent allows the company to estimate with some accuracy the height and weight of its customers (by analysing the size of their shoe (from which height can be determine) and clothes purchases). MasterCard can then pass this information onto airlines which can use the information when passengers attempt to book airline tickets to allocate seats to passengers. The idea is that it would make travelling more comfortable as it would avoid to heavier strangers sitting next to each other.
The application noted that Mastercard might need to obtain consent from card-holders before sharing their personal data with airlines. Airlines could just ask passengers their height and weight but history shows that consumers tend to lie by often underestimating their weight and increasing their height.
Source: http://bit.ly/2i6BRIl
