What is the most useful frequent flyer blog?
#1021
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
These blogs are in business, and I have been in business all my life. I love my customers they are the reason I can eat. When I go to a restaurant and my food is not right I send it back, and they say were sorry and they fix it. I just can't understand a blogger that says if you don't like what I do go away. Name any other successful business that is run with that type of attitude,and they wonder why people don't like them.
Olive Garden and Applebees are hugely successful businesses yet find me one person on a foodie forum that think they are remotely good??
#1022
formerly known as Frugal Travel Guy
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Greenville, SC
Programs: UA Gold, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Silver, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 1,925
Great analogy
It is further complicated in our case by the tremendously grateful rookies that write everyday thanking us for the help and personal attention they get from some of the blogs.
Most of the people in the FT gang, after being here awhile, already understand the basics and want more than we can deliver on a day to day basis. And there are just sooo many bloggers now, you are underwhelmed over and over, day in and day out.
I don't want to start another contentious controversy here, but look at it from our point of view. Do we want to service those that are complaining everyday, or those that appreciate the time and effort we take. We obviously can't serve both masters successfully.
Most of the people in the FT gang, after being here awhile, already understand the basics and want more than we can deliver on a day to day basis. And there are just sooo many bloggers now, you are underwhelmed over and over, day in and day out.
I don't want to start another contentious controversy here, but look at it from our point of view. Do we want to service those that are complaining everyday, or those that appreciate the time and effort we take. We obviously can't serve both masters successfully.
#1023
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Brooklyn, NY, United States
Programs: AA, BA, UA, Spirit, Delta, PC Plat, SPG Gold, HHonors Diamond, Club Carlson Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,735
These blogs are in business, and I have been in business all my life. I love my customers they are the reason I can eat. When I go to a restaurant and my food is not right I send it back, and they say were sorry and they fix it. I just can't understand a blogger that says if you don't like what I do go away. Name any other successful business that is run with that type of attitude,and they wonder why people don't like them.
#1024
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 362
It is further complicated in our case by the tremendously grateful rookies that write everyday thanking us for the help and personal attention they get from some of the blogs.
Most of the people in the FT gang, after being here awhile, already understand the basics and want more than we can deliver on a day to day basis. successfully.
Most of the people in the FT gang, after being here awhile, already understand the basics and want more than we can deliver on a day to day basis. successfully.
BUT where I continue to take exception are the newbie blogs that mislead. For example, one "guide" focused all on getting points (benefitting said blogger) and then said something like "redeem and enjoy" without mentioning ANY of the issues or traditional advice. Contrast that with a blog like Miles Abound
#1026
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: City with Tax-Payer subsdized AA Maintance Base
Programs: Enough to Cause a Migraine
Posts: 1,857
There was a blogger there whom I will not name that didn't apparently have anything better to post one day besides post a cookie recipe and opine about Sesame Street's parody of the song "Call Me Maybe", and then tied both to frequent travel/frequent flyer miles because of airlines serving cookies on board.
That's the last day I read this individual's Boarding Area blog.
Last edited by Max M; Aug 23, 2012 at 2:37 am
#1027
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: LAS
Programs: DL PM, UA PS, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,904
Seriously!!!
There was a blogger there whom I will not name that didn't apparently have anything better to post one day besides post a cookie recipe--- yes a cookie recipe, and then tied it to frequent travel/frequent flyer miles because of airlines serving cookies on board.
That's the last day I read this individual's Boarding Area blog.
There was a blogger there whom I will not name that didn't apparently have anything better to post one day besides post a cookie recipe--- yes a cookie recipe, and then tied it to frequent travel/frequent flyer miles because of airlines serving cookies on board.
That's the last day I read this individual's Boarding Area blog.
#1028
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: City with Tax-Payer subsdized AA Maintance Base
Programs: Enough to Cause a Migraine
Posts: 1,857
#1029
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 362
They will fix the food you don't find to your liking--and even that within reason--but they will tell you to take a hike if you demand they change the menu. Yet, this is exactly what some flyertalk fellas are trying to do. Even worse, they don't recognize the rights of bloggers to make money to compensate them for the time and effort they put into their blogs. Still, if you insist on using business terminology, then any successful business will cater to the majority of their clientele without giving a lot of thoughts to few disgruntled customers.
So, were I a blogger, I would look at FT feedback differently. Just like the health "nuts" were the "few disgrunteld customers" to McD's in the early 90s. So, if you broadly group feedback into two groupings:
1) Consumer feedback (add content, keep the TR trip reports and not personal vacation, etc): at some point, today's satisfied clients will likely grow seasoned enough to have the same issues. Do the bloggers want to gamble that the market of newbies will continue to constantly grow? Or, maybe take some of the feedback?
2) Consumer-rights feedback: this is my personal hobby-horse. If a blogger is going to provide a "newbie primer," then it needs to at least mention that redeeming airline miles requires planning. Don't push credit cards that benefit the blogger, regardless of what benefits the newbie (e.g., not even mentioning the USAir no spend card when the person lives in a hub and mentions not spending a lot, but pushing the CSP). The reality is that this game isn't for everyone, but certain bloggers make it appear that way. I get capitalism, but....the "me too" blogs that are clearly out to bilk this are offensive to me.
#1030
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: MSY
Programs: NW Gold and now Delta Gold
Posts: 3,072
Your work speaks for itself, Rick, and plenty of us are richer/better off thanks to your efforts. However, I wish you had not "dinged" another blogger just for posting a donation button. And the way you phrased it was guaranteed to be hurtful. Posting a donation button is NOT begging or putting a hand out, any more than any other person who works for tips is a beggar. It is perfectly fine for writers to have a way to allow fans to express their appreciation with a tip. My husband's book has been online for almost 10 years now. I can guarantee you that there are emails from fans he will never see, because of changes in his email address over that time. However, those fans who put a small tip into paypal (even though it goes to the wrong address), eventually he sees their "thank you" in his paypal account even though it never comes up in his inbox. It really makes a person feel appreciated and paypal donation button has proved to be a good way for people to find him. Everything can't be about the money, and everybody can't be a credit card affiliate or a seller of a physical product. Sometimes what you're offering IS the writing, and a donation button is a fine way to allow people to say "thank you" for a trivial price. I love donation buttons, as it gives me the option to say a "thank you" that the receiver KNOWS is sincere, yet if the budget is low, it also gives me the option to enjoy a freebie. I don't see how anyone is the loser because of a blogger using donation buttons. Compare that to adsense, which simply causes people to either install ad blockers or remove the blog from the places they choose to visit.
It is further complicated in our case by the tremendously grateful rookies that write everyday thanking us for the help and personal attention they get from some of the blogs.
Most of the people in the FT gang, after being here awhile, already understand the basics and want more than we can deliver on a day to day basis. And there are just sooo many bloggers now, you are underwhelmed over and over, day in and day out.
I don't want to start another contentious controversy here, but look at it from our point of view. Do we want to service those that are complaining everyday, or those that appreciate the time and effort we take. We obviously can't serve both masters successfully.
Most of the people in the FT gang, after being here awhile, already understand the basics and want more than we can deliver on a day to day basis. And there are just sooo many bloggers now, you are underwhelmed over and over, day in and day out.
I don't want to start another contentious controversy here, but look at it from our point of view. Do we want to service those that are complaining everyday, or those that appreciate the time and effort we take. We obviously can't serve both masters successfully.
#1031
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, DL Plat, SPG Plat, Hyatt DMD
Posts: 296
Wow,
Dozens and dozens of pages of pro and anti blogger rants, and not a single post that actually relates to the subject of the thread.
Dozens and dozens of pages of pro and anti blogger rants, and not a single post that actually relates to the subject of the thread.
#1032
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 362
I think what we need is a sticky that has blogs listed, and folks can add their pros/cons. That way it isn't page after page of lists (I like 1, 2, 3) but without any reason why. That to me would be much more helpful...but I can also see that getting out of control. And of course, in what order would they be listed
#1033
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,957
#1034
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,211
I don't read many FF blogs as the info is either taken off FT posts or ends up here soon anyway. Most are mirror images of each other with the same deals being talked about.
I'll just stick to FT thanks.
I'll just stick to FT thanks.