AC says Elites "cheapen" their business class
 

I thought it's important to highlight this statement. I will refrain from adding too much commentary but would like a) people to know it's been said and b) ask how you frequent fliers making use of your E-ups feel about being told that when you do you in fact cheapen AC's product? Comment on please...


In my case it literally makes me feel dirty. Combined with "Ac is not a charity" it makes me feel sort of like I am knocking on a homeless shelter door whenever I upgrade now. Now I have to think how the reverse is true: AC's filthy pods physically make me dirty. And I start to think of AC as homeless spaceships they are. Loyalty is all in the head. Once an emotional set point has been established it's incredibly difficult to reverse. kwong no doubt would have something to say about it.


I have had many question why I started this thread. I want to demonstrate that comments grow legs and how distant the AC executives are from the realities of Twitter, sound bites and the social media 101 basics.


I found this blog which was written about Electrinics Arts botched product launch but equally fits this AC botched Altitude update: 10 tips to avoid Alienating your Customers.


http://jonbains.wordpress.com/2013/0...our-customers/



posted originally on The Drum

There are many well-documented reasons why apparently solid businesses find themselves disrupted in the modern age. How you handle it is a crucial test of character in the eyes of the customer.

Alas, for some inexplicable reason, businesses have a tendency to abuse their online customers in ways that they would never imagine elsewhere.


It is obvious that the highly paid executives at my most beloved airline (ok now that's an exaggeration) haven't got a clue about talking to their customers.

Ya know, I have written posts that I could probably have phrased differently at least once in my life... well, more than once. You?

Sorry, you mean to say my posts are boring? Irrelevant? Or am I not understanding what you mean? It's not clear.

What exactly is that AC statement? The offending quote please.

direct link to the post:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23733955-post1158.html

You can search for "We're not a charity" as well within the thread

Sounds like a reasonable thing to say in a business context. I find his post a lot offensive then when elites say things like lounge access for the level below them devalues the product.

I agree. At least some people here derided the marketing-speak used in the past and have praised the AC reps for their straight-talking style. Perhaps "cheapens" isn't the most PC choice of words but if you consider the content of the post, I don't think it's intended to be offensive. Frankly, paying anything less than full price to sit in J arguably "cheapens" the product, whether it be upgraders, people on Aeroplan tickets or staff upgrades.

I'm not saying I agree with the changes to the Altitude program but I think the post is being blown out of proportion.

+1. See: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23737496-post1577.html

I think you're reading the wrong definition of "cheap" here. I think the point being made was that if people believe they can get into the J cabin when paying the Y fare, then there is no reason to pay the J fare. So the price people are willing to pay to get into the J cabin declines. Under certain circumstances, that would mean the more Y fares in J on an overall basis, the lower the price that can be demanded for a J fare.

See my post #1570 on this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...015-a-105.html


I have read the post - if one takes the sentence in isolation, one could come to the conclusion that one is denigrating the passenger who upgrades. But I have read the whole post, and I see that he is explicit in the earlier part of the post in stating (my interpretation of his sentence, not a direct quote) he values and respects all AC Customers.

So I feel that he is criticizing the process of upgrade, not the person who is successful at the upgrade. I suspect that he is saying that if any passenger can upgrade now, more power to him/her - but I think he is saying by using the word "cheapen", that the current upgrade model does "cheapen" or diminish the J class product.

However, I do agree with those posters, that whatever the context the word "cheapen" was used, it is considered more pejorative than the word "diminish" when used in the context of decreasing the value of the J class product by upgrades compares to purchased tickets.

Cheapen (as well as we're not a charity) should not be used by a professional talking to customers in a public forum. Period. No matter the context.
Especially unfortnate when speaking to an angry mob of customers, even if some clearly have inflated egos about their 'importance' to a company.

We live in an age of tweets and sound bites. Context is irrelevant.

I understand and agree with Ben's comments. Look at the quality of domestic F in the US, no thank you. If you want guaranteed J, pay for it. If you want to take your chances, use an upgrade instrument. If you don't like the rules, go elsewhere, if you can.

AC needs to make money, it's a business. I'd rather have a better quality J product, competitive price, and fewer upgrade Ys and employees in J. The PY cabin of today is very similar to J of 20 years ago. Good for AC for rationalizing the products and their upgrade access policies.

I agree with your statement.

I was just stating that if the context used in the statement whereby the word was used in terms of the process, rather than in terms of the customer, it has been interpreted by you and others in this and the other thread as being directed to the passenger who upgrades, and obviously in that sense such people will feel insulted.