lin821

If that's the logic TB will use w/r/t creating new fora, maybe TB should revise the current criteria for forum creation first?

IIRC, what you have in mind is NOT listed in the current guideline (how are new forums considered?).

aztimm

According to that file--

(bolding mine)

So I'd assume the TB will be evaluating the existing Flyertalk forums soon--or maybe has already--as we're already into February. Is this correct?

Is this report available to the general population of Flyertalk after the TB review takes place?

I'd also assume this covers the questions I posed upthread regarding the existing airline forums that may not have sufficient activity to keep open.

kipper

Perhaps they should consider revising it. I've never been one to think that we should keep doing something because we've always done it that way, when it seems that perhaps there's a better option out there.

Rojo

NK keeps making the news. Yesterday they applied for an exemption to fly DFW-TLC

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documen...2012-0021-0001

People don't discuss about NK because there is NO "NK Forum" to discuss about NK.

Prospero

In my humble opinion, I'd rank Spirit Airlines pretty low down the list of airline FFPs deserving of their own forum. An opinion arrived at purely on the basis of topic quantity and diversity relating to Spirit.

Out of interest, how many US based scheduled carriers are there left without their own forum on FT?

lin821

If that's the case, there wouldn't be any thread about Spirit on FT, would it?

A standalone forum is NOT the absolute condition for energetic discussion on FT. The truth is, even without a standalone Spirit Forum on FT, those who want to talk or discuss about NK still do. They do it in Other North & South America Frequent Flyer Programs Forum and wherever else Spirit leads them. The problem is whether there are enough passionate FTers who are and/or will be engaged in Spirit discussion on FT. For whatever reason, there weren't enough in the past.

If Spirit Airlines deserve a forum on FT, please make good arguments for it. Without faulty logic, of course. Maybe some good lessons can be learned from how Virgin Australia Velocity made its case here and here not so long ago? @:-)

RichMSN

No idea. I'm not sure why you're asking the question, though.

Prospero

I was just pondering

If followers of those smaller North American airlines (Spirit, Porter et al) felt crowded out by the discussion of Central and South American airlines (or vice versa) then perhaps the proponents of a Spirit forum might be happy with a generic forum that focuses on other North American FFPs. In other words split the current ONSAFFP forum into two: Other NAFFP and Other SAFFP.

Rojo

Already made them... try reading the entire thread

gkbiiii

If this was true in real life, than the airlines here could be placed together, without the need for their own forum? If LAN was so happy in the North/South America Forum, why are they not still there now?

Many of the arguments made with the Virgin Group, have been made for spirit here. Over the past half decade there has been a decline in US based airlines with a forum. With AirTran soon to join Southwest and AA's future still unknown, perhaps even fewer forums for US airlines, in the future.

1. Spirit is an important airline over much of where it flies. There is no comparable airline, no Southwest (Southwest is a low cost, VS Spirit being ultra-low cost) in many of the Americas: the Caribbean, Central & Northern South America, where it flies.

2. Spirit does have a complex flyer program that does have partners and a credit card option. I should note that miles from spending count, in the FF program tier qualification.

3. The $9 fare club is a unique savings attribute to this airline. The savings in both fares and fees can be substantial.

4. Like the majors, Spirit does have a travel agency for booking vacations and cruises.

5. Spirit has one of the newest, growing, fleets in the Americas.

6. There should be crossover potential from the US forum due to the past opinion of Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza.

7. I predict much continual heated discussion on Aviation Visionary, Ben Baldanza based on his past & future actions.

8. Spirit reminds me of a much disregarded airline of my youth, America West, both survived and prospered against the odds. In my Youth America West had a ad campaign about the "new respect" the employees were having toward their customers. See US has attempted many similar things to Spirit and by most accounts the US forum is a successful place.

Reviewing the Virgin Down Under forum, I believe that Spirit is equal to their application for forum membership. Furthermore, there should be SPECIAL CONSIDERATION based on the 6 year period, of Spirit Purgatory, with Talkboard. No other airline experienced this, some like JetBlue were given instant membership.

gkbiiii

1. There is a strong likelihood that Spirit DID pass the vote in 2006 for it's own forum.

2. For this reason, there is a strong probability that it was shelved for six years as a direct result.

3. Spirit did have its own forum, which was revoked and removed without the notification & consent of the Flyertalk Community.

4. The combined actions of the prior (2006) Talkboard, had never been administered in such a manner, to any airline, at any time, in the history of Flyertalk.

5. There are former Flyertalk members whom were Expelled, as a direct result of their involvement in the controversial & confrontational 2006 Talkboard actions.


Based on these five areas that occurred in 2006, by the Talkboard, I request that special consideration be given, due to the above stated events.

tcook052

I don't believe the consent of the FT membership as a whole is or has ever been required to open or close forums.

Ancien Maestro

FlyerTalk is a website for airlines.. To be comprehensive with detail, a Spirit Airlines Forum, or at least a subforum would make sense.

Spence1097

Activity in these forums you mentioned is very limited. I believe that certain members of TB have an agenda as any good politician does. This also extends to certain usually longtime members. They see the old guard airline standards where they have long-term elite status or other perks and feel that is good for them so it should be good for the FT community as a whole.

When I first came to FT (discovered this place) it wasn't because I was searching for an airline frequent flyer forum, it was become I was becoming sick with the standards of aviation security ie the TSA. But once I found those security forums I quickly branched into other forums mainly Delta my preferred airline, but also a few other forums where I lurk and just poke around and read. I don't have a million posts like some here, but I check FT daily. One thing I have always thought was lacking is an airline I occasionally fly and my parents fly quite a bit, Spirit.

Call them what you want and I have called them some crazy things because of their crazy policies but they do have people on FT that both fly them even if once in awhile, and either love them or hate them or fall somewhere in between like me.

The forum where they are currently at even I don't think to go into that section of FT regularly to "read and check" to see if there is something new going on and I've been a member for a few years. I have been in that forum as I've started NK threads and posted in them, and not recently either so you can verify that statement. They do make news for instance I just read yesterday they are starting TPA-DFW and going head to head with AA. I thought about posting it but I almost think it's pointless in the current forum they are in. I am very sure they would get more traffic, threads and posts, if they had a dedicated forum with the other guys.

I know they would become a regular section I would be checking out even though they are in no way my preferred airline. I'm not a huge fan of them personally but I need to know their policies, procedures and just like knowing what's going on with them as I have family that are fans of them.

Just because certain TB or longtime FT members won't ever fly them or think their program is garbage is no reason to prevent them from moving to the next step with FT so to speak. NK is controversial, controversy would create views from the main airline page and make people think to check them out and see what they are up to next. They will get more views then some of those forums listed above. Change needs to happen, stay relevant and fresh or slowly die.

RichMSN

Thanks for the post. I think Spirit is garbage and would likely never fly them, but I voted for the forum. My opinion of the airline has nothing to do with what i see of my role as a TalkBoard member. The route network and their growth seems to demand a place for them. I also don't think a forum is only for the FF program - it's a place to discuss the airline, it's policies, it's fees, etc. I also think that judging a potential forum by its performance in a buried "miscellaneous" forum is, well, not the best way, to be as diplomatic as I can.

As you may be able to tell, I have some disagreements with the Guidelines for forum creation. Thank goodness they're merely Guidelines and not requirements. But there aren't 6 of me, so it may mean this doesn't get the vote of the whole TalkBoard.