CommunityBuzz! - Discussion thread for the 2012 FlyerTalk Awards winners

This will be the central discussion thread for the 2012 FlyerTalk Awards winners.

www.flyertalk.com/awards

When there are program-specific threads about the winners and losers in their existing program threads, we'll link them here to have an easy way to see all the discussions generated.

Enjoy!

-The FlyerTalk team

http://www.flyertalk.com/awards/ftawards.png

I'm very confused as to how UA got the most votes but didn't win

I'm very confused as to how UA got the most votes but didn't winprobably because those votes were not 1st place votes.

I'm still wondering why it took IB a month to post the results :rolleyes: & note the timing coincided with the Freddies. ;)

On a dif note - I never noticed a lot of upgrades w/ Hiltons overseas, so a bit surprised that they took that category.

Cheers.

probably because those votes were not 1st place votes.

Correct. The rank of each vote counts a great deal, as they are weighted according to rank. Popularity and quality are separated through ranking and weighting.

Was there a Press Release with this info?

Was there a Press Release with this info?

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/flyertalk-com-announces-winners-2012-150000410.html

That's a copy of the release from today. The basic explanation of how the voting tabulation works is in the top section of the Awards announcement page www.flyertalk.com/awards.

I'm still wondering why it took IB a month to post the results.

We were waiting on the production of the first-ever batch of FlyerTalk Awards trophies, which we'll post photos of shortly! They're super cool ;)

Trophy posted now at http://www.flyertalk.com/awards/ :cool:

It was inspired by vintage luggage tags used in decades past to route baggage around the world. It also includes a few details that will be familiar nods to hardcore FlyerTalkers! Hope you like him/her/it!

I'm very disappointed the Delta Air Lines that they didn't win this year. Maybe they will try again. Oh well! :( I always though DL want to win. They didn't have a best SkyMiles program.

Trophy posted now at http://www.flyertalk.com/awards/ :cool:

It was inspired by vintage luggage tags used in decades past to route baggage around the world. It also includes a few details that will be familiar nods to hardcore FlyerTalkers! Hope you like him/her/it!

Excellent design job ^

I hope the various winners appreciate their recognition.

We were waiting on the production of the first-ever batch of FlyerTalk Awards trophies, which we'll post photos of shortly! They're super cool ;)

Not to point out 2 obvious things: but since voting started back in early February & the category process was done back in Dec '11, shouldn't you have started the award trophy process back then? I'm not buying it took until the exact day of the Freddies for the trophies to be manufactured/announcements made. And if it was only the award trophy that was causing the delay, why no update until I bumped up the thread & then the repeated not answering or saying next week with a ;).

Yes, the trophies do look cool.

And United's going to slide farther down the list next year given this year's debacle w/ the takeover, er, merger.

Cheers.

I'm still wondering why it took IB a month to post the results :rolleyes: & note the timing coincided with the Freddies. ;)

On a dif note - I never noticed a lot of upgrades w/ Hiltons overseas, so a bit surprised that they took that category.

Cheers.

Why shouldn't FT leverage their awards at the timing of their choosing?

The Freddies are not part of this community anymore, so who really cares when the Freddies are given out?

Aloga, perhaps you ought to rethink the awards name, 30 or so years ago, those letters stood for something else. Mahalo

I'm very disappointed the Delta Air Lines that they didn't win this year. Maybe they will try again. Oh well! :( I always though DL want to win. They didn't have a best SkyMiles program.

Oh well Delta...

We were waiting on the production of the first-ever batch of FlyerTalk Awards trophies, which we'll post photos of shortly! They're super cool ;)
Can't wait...:cool:

Why shouldn't FT leverage their awards at the timing of their choosing?

The Freddies are not part of this community anymore, so who really cares when the Freddies are given out?

I have no problem w/ them leveraging the awards at the time of their choosing, but IB itself was the one who said the winners of the awards were being announced in March & when asked about it in mid-April (a month later), instead of being open & upfront - hey, we'd like to have the announcement & the trophies done on the same day, kept responding w/ next week & next week with ;), and then did announce the day of the Freddies.

So presumably they care about the Freddies & leveraging. :D I don't have a problem w/ them announcing on the same day as the Freddies, btw. From a marketing standpoint, stealing a bit of thunder makes sense. I just don't like the disconnect on what we were told & what actually happened. BTW - some FTers did attend the Freddies.

FWIW - just as there's room enough in the world for more than one travel BB, there's room enough in the world for more than one travel awards. Neither the Freddies nor the Flyertalk Awards are the only industry awards out there.

I'd be more interested in how they came up w/ some of the items that the various programs were being voted on. As one person in the Marriott forum said, Marriott does have a # of strong points, but the one that was up for voting was actually its weakest & had the Marriott FTers scratching their heads. Must have been FT newbies who suggested that one. LOL

And my bet is that next year UA will be farther down the list, given the mess post-merger.

Cheers.

I don't have a problem w/ them announcing on the same day as the Freddies, btw. From a marketing standpoint, stealing a bit of thunder makes sense. I just don't like the disconnect on what we were told & what actually happened. BTW - some FTers did attend the Freddies.

FWIW - just as there's room enough in the world for more than one travel BB, there's room enough in the world for more than one travel awards. Neither the Freddies nor the Flyertalk Awards are the only industry awards out there.

Cheers.

This is the first time out for the FlyerTalk Awards so we should give them some leeway. However, the point of so many awards is valid and I think the FlyerTalk Awards should try to differentiate themselves to stand out. Perhaps some quirky or fun ones - I've long argued for a hall of shame category. That would get some pick-ups in the press.

On a dif note - I never noticed a lot of upgrades w/ Hiltons overseas, so a bit surprised that they took that category.

Cheers.

If by "overseas" you mean "outside the US", I (HH Gold) have been upgraded in nine times out of ten when I've stayed in a Hilton property outside the US at least since the beginning of 2011.

Oh well Delta...

Yeah, I'm very disappointed. :( Maybe they will try again for next year or so.

Pleased to see that BA did well. Makes up for the failure in the Freddies!

Hoping for better turnout for Asia category next year.

This is the first time out for the FlyerTalk Awards so we should give them some leeway. However, the point of so many awards is valid and I think the FlyerTalk Awards should try to differentiate themselves to stand out. Perhaps some quirky or fun ones - I've long argued for a hall of shame category. That would get some pick-ups in the press.

Yes. Like the Deer in the Headlights Award that a certain HPN based hotel company was given by me when they failed to show up for their traditional wins. ;)

IBobi, Speaking on behalf of interested readers of this thread, Flyertalkers enjoy attending events. ;)

IBobi, Speaking on behalf of interested readers of this thread, Flyertalkers enjoy attending events. ;)
As some members the BA Board are on their 3rd in 3 days … what can I say? :D

Sat: A trip to JER
Sun: A gathering at LHR Sofitel
Mon: A visit to the 787 at BA's LHR Maintenance Base

I only managed one of those … I'm old, and have to pace myself ;)

IBobi, Speaking on behalf of interested readers of this thread, Flyertalkers enjoy attending events. ;)

We will keep that in mind :)

I'd have loved to do an actual ceremony this year, but there just wasn't time to plan it on this first go-round.

Actually we've got an awesome idea for next year, so hopefully we can work that in.

Actually we've got an awesome idea for next year, so hopefully we can work that in.

Cool!

UA still probably won't win ;) :p :D

Cheers.

Cool!

UA still probably won't win ;) :p :D

Cheers.

The support is definitely there for UA... we'll have to wait and see what a full year of the merger does for their rep/quality score with FTers. Never know where they'll be in January!

Many of my choices made it so I am pleased ....although a hyatt gp diamond for years ?...my several stays at Hiltons really impressed ....ESP more so as I am just an ordinary status level at Hilton .

Disappointed with hyatt ESP last year ....didn't use any of my suite certs ...not one ...cos of timing and that I preferred some rooms better than suites in some hotels !!

Oneworld did well!

The support is definitely there for UA... we'll have to wait and see what a full year of the merger does for their rep/quality score with FTers. Never know where they'll be in January!

They're lucky they've got the year because right now their score would be in the toilet given the total mess everything is post-merger! :p :D Of course the way Marriott's going, they're headed in the same direction.

Cheers.

probably because those votes were not 1st place votes.

Not surprising to see MileagePlus slip given the changes in the program since merger. Now lower-middle tier frequent flyers and million milers have had perks reduced I suspect it could drop even lower in the next round. United only seems to care about the top tier frequent flyers now.

Exciting discussion … unsubscribed :rolleyes:

Exciting discussion … unsubscribed :rolleyes:

About as useful as telling someone you're now on their ignore list. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Hi, all. For the benefit of those who aren't au fait with the long-haul lexicon, could you please add the terms MFU and UUA to the FlyerTalk Glossary. The FlyerTalk site and community are wonderful resources, so when you commend BA's "MFU/UUA/Avios upgrades," I want to know more! Might I suggest you add some explanation to the press release as well. Thanks!

I'm assuming that as this is the first time, the awards may develop more categories in the future. To me the value of a program does not rest in its upgrades, elite status perks, and similar benefits that don't pertain to me. It lies in my ability to accumulate and use miles and points to take great trips. The award selections seem to be based very heavily on the former, which is fair enough if that is type of traveler that most of the voters are. However, I would also like to see recognition for those programs that have great flight award availability for low mileage cost, great online booking sites, great range of beds at reasonable redemption rates, generous stopover rules - that sort of thing. Again, I'm not saying it's a bad thing to recognize those things that many voters seem to take seriously, but I'd also like to see a broader range of values taken into account.

I'm assuming that as this is the first time, the awards may develop more categories in the future. To me the value of a program does not rest in its upgrades, elite status perks, and similar benefits that don't pertain to me. It lies in my ability to accumulate and use miles and points to take great trips. The award selections seem to be based very heavily on the former, which is fair enough if that is type of traveler that most of the voters are. However, I would also like to see recognition for those programs that have great flight award availability for low mileage cost, great online booking sites, great range of beds at reasonable redemption rates, generous stopover rules - that sort of thing. Again, I'm not saying it's a bad thing to recognize those things that many voters seem to take seriously, but I'd also like to see a broader range of values taken into account.

That's more than fair; it's part of the reason we have Best Program as well as Outstanding Benefit; what you're talking about definitely falls into the area of Best Program, where everything is to be considered -- certainly ease of use, value, etc.

That said, the FlyerTalk Awards will certainly evolve over time. Suggestions about how to improve them while strengthening their relevance, specifically within the FT community, are always welcome!

I'm assuming that as this is the first time, the awards may develop more categories in the future. To me the value of a program does not rest in its upgrades, elite status perks, and similar benefits that don't pertain to me. It lies in my ability to accumulate and use miles and points to take great trips. The award selections seem to be based very heavily on the former, which is fair enough if that is type of traveler that most of the voters are. However, I would also like to see recognition for those programs that have great flight award availability for low mileage cost, great online booking sites, great range of beds at reasonable redemption rates, generous stopover rules - that sort of thing. Again, I'm not saying it's a bad thing to recognize those things that many voters seem to take seriously, but I'd also like to see a broader range of values taken into account.

^^

Hi, all. For the benefit of those who aren't au fait with the long-haul lexicon, could you please add the terms MFU and UUA to the FlyerTalk Glossary. The FlyerTalk site and community are wonderful resources, so when you commend BA's "MFU/UUA/Avios upgrades," I want to know more! Might I suggest you add some explanation to the press release as well. Thanks!

Miles for upgrade
Upgrade using avios
Avios upgrade

To me they all mean the same thing, the ability to use Avios (what were called miles) to upgrade the class of travel, I don't believe they are available in all fare classes.

Media coverage of the awards on Dallas Morning News:

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/05/american-airlines-aadvantage-p.html

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-airlines-aadvantage-program-named-best-rewards-program-at-first-ever-flyertalk-awards-150000695.html

However, I would also like to see recognition for those programs that have great flight award availability for low mileage cost, great online booking sites...

Thus stacking the deck against DL's SkyMiles.

Man, no love for my favorite programs, UA and IHG. You want to know why I love UA? Because the other choice out of LNK is Delta. Delta is absolutely horrible. (From the discussions I've read many of you agree, so I wonder how they could win, place, show or whatever name you give fourth place--why is this out to four places?) I never fly AA. They don't fly where I need to go and UA does. I lament that pre-merger, UA had a decent website. It seems they took Continental's website and put UA stickers over the Continental logos and called it good. I also lament that while I have upgrade status, it only works when I'm flying to places like MCO or LAX and not the leg from OMA-ORD or LNK-ORD because those are flown with Embraer craft with tiny, tiny storage bins. Even with that inconvenience, I don't have to pay for upgrades or checked bags. What am I missing here?

For hotels, I stay at IHG first then fill out the year with HH properties. I never stay in Starwood properties because there aren't any on my regular trips except ATL. Given there is an IHG property next door to the Starwood I don't stay there. I get complimentary upgrades every time I stay at a Holiday Inn property, so I don't see how the HH properties get so much love for upgrades. What am I missing here? Also, in my experience Hyatt made a huge move up in places where I have no say where I stay (i.e. conventions).

I must be clueless about something to be so far wide of the mark so anything you can do to give me an epiphany would be appreciated!