This question has been on my mind for the past months.

At a time of profound turmoil in a company, retention of your best customers becomes a priority. The last thing AC needs is to lose its Prestige, Elite and Super Elite flyers. Yet, I have yet to see any sign of a strategy to retain the loyalty of its best customers.

AC is so preoccupied with financial,labour, contract, leasing issues that they seem to have put their best customers on the back burner perhaps hoping that these customers would hang around.

AC has never been adept at communication with its core customer base save a few small initiatives. The silence dealing with its core flyers is now deafening.

Albeit anecdotal, various posts on FT seem to indicate that some good customers have migrated elsewhere. Does AC care if people leave?

I am really baffled with their strategy.....

Not sure what you mean by this. When AC entered CCAA they sent out emails to all their elites -- at least those for whom addresses were available -- explaining it was business as usual. They have just launched a status mile promo that benefits those who fly most, i.e. requiring segments, rather than one that just adds another 25% to the COS bonus. This helps us retain status if we are looking to be short.

There have been more flexible domestic fares, which are quite good compared to previous fare levels, albeit these will now lose status miles credit. However, Latitude fares will be upgradeable. And AC's core FFers already benefit from getting more upgrade certificates than most other programs, 2 more at every 10K. True these fares are higher than comparable ones for US airline upgrades, but the core of AC's FFers still fly on such fares.

And didn't AC permit better upgrading for Elites and Prestiges on intercontinental flights?

From posts here, and an item in one of the papers today, some of these FFers have been invited to Montreal to assist in the evaluation of AC/STAR's next generaion of aircraft.

There has been a new AC e-newsletter launched. SEs get enRoute Magazine posted to them each month.

So, I say that I wonder what you had in mind?

Are you sure about this??? For 2004?

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Prestige

SH: The gist of my post is simple: Since CCAA, do you as a FF feel valued by AC? Has AC courted you to retain your business?

The initiatives that you describe are general and at large. They apply to any flyer who qualifies. I say that Elite flyers have not been targetted by AC for retention.

Sorry for the confusion here. EMPRESS posted elsewhere that LATITUDE fares now use the M fare/booking class and thus will be upgradeable since Ms can be upgraded under current rules.

"And for those wondering, the reason why M won't earn 125% miles anymore is because M will be used for LATITUDE fares instead of FREEDOM effective 01OCT.

"What this means is that LATITUDE fares will become upgradeable if the booking class is 'M'.

Previously, FREEDOM fares used Y and M, according to the May insert we received. This would mean that FREEDOM fare are left with C and Y, which are upgradeable [at least Y is].

Just read the other thread so edited original question.

On airbus' original point AC's current managemnt is soooo unfocused on its customers, are you really surprised? Remember, if there are no customers think how low costs will be - not a single lemon to be purchased

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Saturday nights should be spent with family.


[This message has been edited by Tractor Boy (edited 09-03-2003).]

I believe that AC's best customers have been lost in the shuffle. AB320 is correct management has been so focused on cutting costs irregardless of the consequences of their actions. Upgrades are not that important to me, I pay full freight for J, almost always fly AC metal versus *A, in other words AC makes good money off me and I expect a high level of service in return. Yet I am now being asked to arrive at the airport earlier as they have cut check in staff. I now have to use the regular security check at T-1 and double back to the MLL at T-1 and get to fly A319's and A320's on 5+ hour flights. Small things to some but look at what I am paying (there has been no reduction in the fares I pay) and I am being asked to accept these reductions in service. Offering me more useless AP miles does not do a thing for me. Giving Elites back instant KK without surcharges would be a giant step in rewarding the core customers of AC for their patience. Kinda funny how giving someone something back that they once had makes them happy.

Maybe, just maybe, that's part of the plan (assuming they have one)?

Rien.

It looks like Elite will be getting "Instant" KK with surcharges, so we will get a "bit" back of what we had. Anyhow no idea when, but thats the gossip. I would prefer easier upgrades rather than instant KK

Nada. Absolutely, nada. Oh wait, I stand corrected. I had a wonderful Aeroplan lead agent that was able to give me a valid Aeroplan routing that the website wouldn't provide without charging the $25 fee. My Elite membership has been worth $25 plus GST thus far in 2003.

Wow... lucky you. I got an illegal routing and paid $25. Not that I'm complaining or anything -- in this case, I'd rather pay the $25 instead of another 25k points or something along those lines. Though I'm having second thoughts on why I didn't fork out 40k for J... I guess the student's mind in motion...

Ah yes, the perfect retention strategy. I'm sure those SEs who didn't immediately cancel their free subscription await their copoies with bated breath.

Academic...

It seems so absurd to mail the magazine to the most frequent travellers. If they travel the most, they would be able to read this highly prized magazine on the planes...

I used to get mad when AC did something like what they've now done; now I simply no longer care. They are, step by step killing themselves. As if there weren't enough reasons to desert AC, they just come up with more and more - amazing. 50% miles seems like a plenty good penalty to me without yanking the status as well. People should just not fly AC period and perhaps some day they might, possibly, get the message.