FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - The Future of Frequent Flyer Programs: What Should We Do?
Old Mar 7, 2003, 9:43 pm
  #13  
Don
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 893
Gaucho100K --

we frequent flyers need to learn to manage our expectations.

That message is concise, sensible, insightful, accurate and refreshingly honest .... so it's hardly surprising that a lot of FTers tuned it out.

Truly, for this past year I've begun to doubt the fundamental sanity of some of our fellow FT community members. God knows, they'll deny this vehemently -- but it's as if they're genuinely blind to the business realities of 2003. I've never before seen seemingly educated, coherent people so widely ignore facts while continuing to hammer away on outdated slogans.

"We're your most loyal and faithful customers," "We'll vote with our feet," "My airline should be increasing elite benefits and F service!!" ....

... meanwhile, in the real world, AA continuesto lose $5 million a day, NW hits $1.2 billion in losses for '01 and '02, UA is maybe a half-inch out of the grave & US is even closer, CAL stock is selling around $5, DL can't seem to lay off or attrition away its staff fast enough ...

A fair number of FT folks are in a serious disconnect to reality, and getting more ironclad-defensive about it every day. So that's a long way of telling you, Gaucho, that I agree with your assessment -- but doubt that it will genuinely sink in with some folks until the first major heads-up.
(For anyone keeping score, my bet is that heads-up will come the day UA sinks into Chapter 7, with no competitors jumping in to buy up their routes or equipment. A lot of folks in UA's East WallaWalla-style markets may quickly realize that there are worse fates than stricter upgrade rules or diminished F wine choices).
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