Originally Posted by yyznomad
parnel, are you saying that we should be easy on AC just because others have screwed up just as bad or worse?
I don't know about the other messups that you mention, but all I can say is that the "perception" isn't good with the release of the new website, despite what I'm pretty sure are the hard efforts of those who released it. I'm sure they had their reasons for releasing it when they did and perhaps not catching all the bugs, but it sure doesn't make them look good...
Not at all, just suggesting they be given a little slack;hell I could not book my simple one way flt on AC.com because the site kept freezing up and so I booked it on Destina..no big deal.
The perception will change immediately when the thing starts to function more or less as it should,and it will. The FT crowd is pretty unforgiving but also pretty quick to jump on bandwagons.
AC having just come through a very tough period over the last couple of years is not going to be given a lot of rope by some consumers until they prove themselves to be viable longer term..which is crap as far as I'm concerned because they have a great balance sheet right now,their planes are full, business is growing,and there is even some pent up demand for their services to new destinations.
Maybe they came out of the blocks too quickly on this upgrade but they are anxious to get new products and easy to understand fare structures out there so they secure the business that awaits them.
I'm willing to give them the slack because they have shown as they came out of CCAA that they are putting the customer in focus again after two or so years of having to survive and worry about their own jobs.
Their business model is right for the markets they serve and in just a few short months they have quickly put WS on the defensive domestically,gaining back pax they had lost, which shows the marketing power their brand has.