I am a relatively new member of the FT "community"; however, I have been a very active "frequent flyer" since 1988. As I am sure is the case with many of you ivolved with this site I became an "AC person" essentially by default as a result of the demise of Canadian. But c'est la vie! Things change in life and surely this transition needs to be kept in perspective. For the most part, it's the "game" and not the derivative monetary reward that drives us and sustains our affliction. So what's my point already? May I suggest there is often an imbalance on this site between constructive criticism and the desire to exchange useful information in a community of interest context relative to perhaps excess negativity, demeaning references to AC personnel and the occasional rants. Please don't get the impression that I am an unqualified cheerleader for AC. It's probably closer to the opposite; but my personal perception is that a lot of very astute people could direct their efforts in a much more positive fashion. Very rarely are there references to the unsolicited upgrades, waiver of fees, or other "rules" that are bent to accommodate us when we either screw up or haave an unforeseen problem. I would surmise that they are just not "newsworthy. I invite you to check out the Alaska Airlines Board. The blood pressure level there seems to be a lot lower! I'm not suggesting the AC Board is a complete downer-it's not, but maybe some of you might conclude that there is some merit to my observations. Thanks.

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