Originally Posted by
Sean Peever
I'm pretty logical.
I expect to be rewarded with awards (free upgrades etc) in relation to how much they ask me to spend with them.
For example, if the price of flex, latitude etc goes down, and the AC metal requirements go do, I expect to get less.
If the price of flex goes up to 2-3x of tango and the ac metal requirements go up, etc etc, then I expect to get more.
Basically: If you want me to spend more with your company, I expect more in return.
+1. I expect a loyalty program to extract as much $ as possible from me - furthermore, I expect that a loyalty program causes me to make irrational decisions - such as performing a mileage run (at lowest cost possible OR not.) which I have done so in the past (random YYZ YVR flights) to hit the next rung of status.
I also expect a loyalty program to incentivize me to want to hit the next tier of status - something that AC has failed to do for me this year as I will shortly hit E35K and then all bets are off and I don't care after that.
As our colleague Braiski just posted, I expect the program not to be devalued year over year and definitely not using the word "enhancements" when in fact it's just marketing spin.
A good example is the SPG program. I actually go out of my way to spend money with them. If the hotel is farther than where I need to be, I still stay with SPG. If the hotel is worse than a Fairmont, Hilton, Marriott, I still stay with them (albeit I stay at the other properties a LOT too enough to hit top tier by way of nights of promotional programs).
What AC is trying to do today is what Fairmont is trying to do. I know they have a worse off loyalty program but I still choose to stay with Fairmont (at times when I want to splurge) because the overall product is MUCH better (aka the Palliser vs the Westin/Sheraton in YYC).
So I get the concept, but the Fairmont program still rewards me with a LOT. AC is trying to be the Fairmont while being a scrooge.
All in all, the key takeaway is that for me, a loyalty program should make me want to spend more and encourage me to make stupid decisions to give that company more money. Altitude 2015 has made me spend less and make me not want to give AC more money than I have to. So AC loyalty program = fail.
