mkjr

AC has for years, spun negative stuff as it relates to their FFP in a way that would make us all sound like we won the lottery. What's the big deal about picking up on words used and perhaps twisting or manipulating them around and using it against AC? I'm glad places like this and other forums exist. AC censors their FB page. They can't censor here. If people went over the line, report the post. People do that to me all the time.

To call people bully's was a little surprising to me at least.

superangrypenguin

I did not call people a bully in my post (try ctrl - f). This is a bit...outside of the premise as to why I made this post.

LockheedElectra

Well said SAP. I am as upset as anyone about the changes, and yes, I may have crossed the line into sarcastic , but this is not personal, it is business. I also feel a bit guilty, as it was one of my posts where Ben made one of the fateful cheapening quotes. Sorry about that Ben, in war emotions run high. I have calmed down a bit, but will repeat that I will leave, and wish AC all the best. I will still fly them, but with not nearly the religious fervour I have in the past. We are all just trying our best to make our travel lives easier, and at the end of the day, these are 1st world problems. Nothing to see here, either move on, or quit whining. I'm moving on.

MrMacko

SAP I think your sentiment is genuine but wondering if the AC reps shouldn't be a little embarrassed that you and others feel the need to defend them.

Are we really that concerned that a few over zealous, self important posters could make them shrinking violets?

I am not taking any side. I'm just surprised that everyone is so desperate to interact with these guys that they are afraid they be so offended as to take their ball and go home!

These guys are professionals and if they have made any mistakes in my estimation it is that they choose to engage those who use inflammatory language to get a reaction.

There is nothing that validates these people more. I am not defending them at all - but I don't think I want to apologize on their behalf either.

AC gets something out of this interaction. Don't sell yourself or the rest of us short.

Good on these guys for participating - a couple missteps over the weekend I think but nothing on either side is unrecoverable except retreat from the conversation. That is inexcusable and requires an apology.

mkjr

I know that. Ben S used this word. That was what I was referencing. I read rather well. In fact, hundreds of pages a day.

airbus320

There have been some very cogent arguments made to challenge the changes in Altitude 2015. It was a spirited debate with pointed questions to the AC reps. It was the AC forum at its best.

Unfortunately strong emotions overwhelmed reason for a very very small minority on this forum and the noise to good signal ratio increased.

I notice that AC has been quiet in their activity in the forum. Either they have decided to wait until the strident tones calm down to re-engage the forum to a more productive discussion or.....that it for now.

LockheedElectra

AC has pulled out. Ben S stated this quite explicitly as he thought Ben L was betting bullied. Not sure about that, but it is their prerogative.

airbus320

That is unfortunate.

LockheedElectra

I agree, it is not every forum that has that level of access. I'm not quite sure what they expected with the level of change proposed. Would have been better to have the mods more aggressively delete offending posts, as they have a lot of making up to do here.

24left

Agree.

It would be extremely naive to think that AC reps (the known and the unknown participants here) did not anticipate there would be a vocal discussion on this board, whether it be in reaction to the 2015 changes or other issues.

AC is a massive corporation that has millions of customers and suppliers. It would seem to me that FT is a great giant focus group. In my experience, looking at it as a marketing tool, and watching with clients from behind the glass wall, you may not like everything you hear, but if the participants are honest, you as the client may learn a lot more than anonymous or limited scope surveys.

It would be unfortunate if the reps chose not to return, but even if the mods did not delete enough of the nasty comments, the AC reps should be skilled and professional enough to read past those and still consider the value of what is being discussed, positive or otherwise. IMHO.

LockheedElectra

+1, said much more eloquently than my post

canopus27

I agree. That said, it's unfortunate that a small handful of people chose to attack the messenger & his choice of words. There is plenty of reason to discuss & debate the substance of the changes ... the attacks that seemed to focus on the words that were chosen to describe those changes, were (IMHO) just an unnecessary & inflammatory distraction.

airbus320

+ 2

I think Ben Smith can handle himself in the fray......

ridefar

Totally agree with this.

I would also say that the SPG forum frequently gets mentioned as a shining example of how to do social media right by a big corporation. The "SPG Lurker" team chimes in frequently, genuinely listens, and in turn receives invaluable feedback from their customers. I thought AC was making a similar attempt, but if the silence over the last few days really represents a "take my ball and go home" behaviour that would be really unfortunate. And their loss as much as ours.

I know in my business, as much as I dislike unhappy customers, I recognize the opportunity for service recovery and engagement. Making a happy customer out of an unhappy one is an incredibly powerful tool within the customer relationship, and that newly happy customer will often be more loyal and more vocal than the "average" happy customer. I have almost always found it worth the extra effort to convert unhappy customers into happy ones. And running away is never, ever the solution to the problem. It will only get worse with time.

ffsim

You like unhappy customers in your business?????