SparseFlyer

After 5 pages in this thread, I still don't know why having status with another airline would be better.

All I know is that a few people got upset, swapped programs, and are now happy.

ffsim

Is that what you were expecting from a thread titled "Leaving AC changed my life (for the better)"?? That might've been the case if the thread alluded to another status, but I get the impression that OP just wanted to share his liberating experience

Plumber

This is a weird thread....really...

Leaving one airline to fly another can change your life??? Really?

Some people want their 'life to change'...others do not. Why the one group has to be so critical of the other group is beyond me.

Don't like Air Canada? Fly someone else.

Don't like Aeroplan? Find a FF program that works for you.

You like Air Canada? Keep on flyin'.

While I think SOME of the posts are interesting reading and offer a perspective different from my own, I don't see myself making major changes based on what I read that some disgruntled person wrote on the internet.

I make decision based on my own experience and my own needs and wants.

Oh- and a comment on the person that has 'only been here a week'...many people read a lot of the FT threads without posting. You should not assume that just because they have not been posting that they have not been reading---possibly for years.

rankourabu

You missed the irony behind that comment, I am quite aware that poster has been reading, heck, even posting, for years

Great post btw, agree with everything you say.

Do whats best for you, everyone has different needs, different flying patterns, and derives value from different things, and yes that can include being liberated

Acting holier than thou and chastizing the poster (with a history of some great and entertaining posts btw ) for posting whatever he feels like posting is pretty funny tho. Dont click if "leaving AC" doesnt interest you. You are not the internet police.

Transpacificflyer

If I may reply to some of [QUOTE=Plumber;24954132]

Leaving one airline to fly another can change your life??? Really?
Well, it did change my life for the better as I find that the schedule and/or seat is superior so I do not arrive exhausted or in serious pain. AC still doesn't provide a seat mattress like its competitors. It wouldn't cost much, but would make a difference.

Some people want their 'life to change'...others do not. Why the one group has to be so critical of the other group is beyond me.
I find that those who remain with AC can be quite aggressive and belligerent. IMO, they do not like anyone who challenges their position.

Don't like Air Canada? Fly someone else.
That's what I'm doing and I have saved several thousand $$ in the past year.

Don't like Aeroplan? Find a FF program that works for you.
You like Air Canada? Keep on flyin'.
Some people don't have the option and have to fly AC. That's what a monopolistic and protective environment does. I don't think anyone is in love with the airline FF programs now.

While I think SOME of the posts are interesting reading and offer a perspective different from my own, I don't see myself making major changes based on what I read that some disgruntled person wrote on the internet.
Not everyone is disgruntled. I find it interesting that I am not alone in my anger or disappointment or experience. An example of this is the dismal luggage delivery service in YYZ. AC knows the service is poor, but will not address the problem. The comments on FT confirm this for me.

I make decision based on my own experience and my own needs and wants. Me too, but I have also changed my flights based on what I have read. For example, I nearly booked AC /Jet Airways connecting through LHR and BOM to BKK. After reading some of the problems, comments on FT and skytrax, I said no way, I don't need the $400 savings and booked KLM taking a good nights sleep in AMS instead. I don't hate AC, but I am not loyal to AC because it doesn't value me as a customer. That's ok. EVA does. Even Delta does.

In respect to your comment, I find that there are some AC lovers who can be quite condescending and arrogant when they voice their opinions. I appreciate that there are many people who travel frequently and they are on company expense accounts. They have different parameters. When I travel in J, I pay for it myself, In fact, I will offer up an arrogant nugget: I'm one of the people at my multinational employer who's business revenue pays for the sales and support staff to fly around. Honestly, after reading FT for some time, I have developed a disdain for some sales & IT people who are on the road. I see some of these arrogant elites in the MLL and on board. Here I am, with no status, on paid J, far better behaved and easier to deal with then some of the elite pax who demand to be treated like Mr. Fantastic. I also am probably one of their customers indirectly or occupy a position higher in the corporate hierarchy, but I don't make a fuss like they do. I have seen some of these gems typing away on FT and sometimes snickering. Some of them remind me of the kids in school who used to get super wedgies and were left hanging from a locker door. They also liked to attend medieval fairs and play dungeons and dragons.

I recognize that it's tough traveling and that the small perks extended make a difficult life for some a bit more bearable. Some have status because they really do travel alot. Unfortunately, there are or were a lot of status chasers who have ruined the MLL for others as they drink in excess and pig out on what are often limited offerings. I don't niss them when I intentionally avoid the MLL, especially the international MLL at E in YYZ. I restrain myself at times from writing how I really feel about some of these people and the fact that the revenues from people like me are paying their salaries and airline fares. And that's what bothers me about this elite status thing. I don't need the aggravation. I am in paid J so status offers me nothing. I want quality service, but unfortunately can rarely obtain it from AC. I can get it elsewhere. AC works for some. That's great. Unfortunately, AC doesn't work for me and my life is better ever since I discovered a healthy meal in the sky, excellent connection and baggage service, and a comfortable clean seat. I also like the fact that some of my alternatives provide reliable and safe travel at a superior cost.

AC says it introduced Rouge because it knows there are customers who are cost sensitive. Well, here's a news flash AC. Customers are cost sensitive in J class too. Keep playing around with fares, like today's jump to $7200+ for a RT to BKK and it won't see me on your plane again because I will be in ne of the many airlines still doing it at $5200+ If a loyalist wants to pay an extra $2000 for a mediocre product and crap schedule, good for them. I'll take the $2000 and good service.

Plumber

Thanks for the clarification! I did miss this irony, but I get it now.. ^

Plumber

Thanks Transpacificflyer for your comments. In the end, I think we largely agree.

For clarification on the above section, I said that I would not make major changes based on what I read here...I find many tips and tricks on FT that can make my flying better, or faster, or more comfortable etc....My point was that because a group of people leave AC and refuse to fly them, I will not follow in their footsteps just because I have read their posts here. I would leave AC if they are not meeting MY needs and expectations.

While I appreciate the posts that are insightful, both pro and con of AC, the constant bashing by one side and the love-in with the other side becomes tiresome.

KenHamer

Now that's condescending... well done!

drvannostren

"The Leavers" sounds like the title to a Stephen King book

I think if you try and stay loyal to any program, you'll find that it's not as rewarding as you'd like it to be. As with anything the grass is always greener on the other side right? You can see people in this thread complain about certain things, compare them to somewhere else, then go to that forum and see them complaining about the same thing.

If you can fly paid J all the time, that's the goal. Because then BASICALLY you get all the benefits while being only loyal to your wallet. But I think for most people that's not realistic. So is there an advantage to being loyal? Sure, you get whatever is included in the program and being a serious member for only about 3 years now, I think it's a pretty decent program. Obviously I hated the eUpgrade changes and such, also I wasn't a member when the program was really awesome, but I know my choices for flying are fairly slim, so I'm better off being loyal, be it to AC or WS. Since I don't like flying WS, AC gets me by default. But as I said in other posts, when it's leisure time, I NEVER blindly buy AC. 7/10 times I'll end up on UA, simply because it's cheaper, the mileage ends up being almost a saw off since Tango earns so little, and the J is pretty cheap on UA sometimes. I prefer AC, but I'm loyal to my wallet and to the alliance in general because it behooves me to do so.

I think other loyalty programs don't seem to face the amount of scrutiny airline ones do. Maybe it's because flying takes up lots of your time and money? But they can cut the Save-on-foods program all they want, I don't care, I won't switch programs, nor will I ever worry about it. I've voiced my opinion to the clubs, but if they devalued the Whitecaps/Canucks loyalty programs, I'd be bummed since I'm a season ticket holder of both, but ultimately, I'm paying for the event not to be rewarded with anything other than wins. When Subway stopped giving out stamps (and I was working there at the time) it was suggested they'd be transferring it to digital with a card collecting points, never happened. People were mad they stopped getting free subs, but I don't think many people stopped going to Subway in protest. People certainly didn't switch to Quiznos out of spite.

My point is, do what you want, and while you won't always be happy or satisfied, you have choices, or you can continue to be loyal and get back what's being given to you when realistically no airline has to do this. Tomorrow all the majors could scrap the programs and everyone would be up in arms, but would EVERYONE switch to the one airline that didn't? Probably not.

Tedgrrrr

Until recently, I thought that one HAD to be a member of an airline alliance to make travel enjoyable. The post of this thread is to show that flying whichever airline suits my needs on a particular day has made my life far more enjoyable. I am by no means avoiding AC and still fly them. But I also fly AA, Delta, WS, and UA now. So I've gone from flying two airlines in the past (AC/UA), to flying five airlines and it has made a huge different in my life. If AC and another airline are priced similarly (which is pretty rare), I would pick AC any day.

The second point of the thread was to show that between credit cards and Nexus, one can get many of the benefits that were previously reserved for those with status.

Again, I spent years flying only AC/UA/US (until US left the Alliance), and I never considered simply quitting airline alliances until I actually did it, and figure others may be interested in my experience.

To be fair, I have not dealt with IROPS since leaving AC, and losing status, so maybe my mind would change a bit after going through that, but for now I am thrilled to be flying whomever I want.

CloudsBelow

While I haven’t read this one in particular, these types of threads always amuse me. The posters eager to come back to the AC forum to loudly proclaim they left and don’t miss AC at all.

I remember having a Honda Accord as a kid. I sold it for a newer, faster, sharper car. I never dropped by Honda dealer lots to look and chat with Honda owners, I never thought of old times in my Honda – never crossed my mind. I was happy, I had moved on.

I remember having a lousy job and quitting when I was hired by a better company with better pay and benefits. I didn’t go back to my old job, never thought about it – never crossed my mind. I was happy, I had moved on.

I remember having a girlfriend I was head over heels about. Relationship was a blast. She decided there were other suitors out there she wanted to explore and ended it. I was devastated. I thought about her all the time, though, I was sure to tell anyone who would listen that I was happier without her.

canadiancow

This post made my day. I agree. ^

vernonc

IROPS may not make a difference as AC is not very good with IROPs. At other things, yes, but perhaps not IROPs. And the new SE/Concierge line was not very impressive when I had to call them. Some of us will miss your entertaining posts though.

vernonc

So......did you finally get over her. Or did you marry her
I don't mind these threads. Read them if you want too. Or skip them. But it is sometimes informative to know what happens on the grass is greener side.
And perhaps your car analogy is not the best. Your Honda was a product with dealer engagement perhaps twice a year. The airline industry involves product+service+program with constantly changing dynamics - pricing, destination, aircraft, service, class of travel, etc.

24left

I have actually enjoyed all of the comments in this thread. Some are enlightening, some are entertaining, and overall the thread is a relatively cheap form of therapy. The only actual cost to be here is your time. Also no one is forced to read any of it or post here.

I don't think we shouldn't be so harsh toward our fellow FTers, longtime members or new ones. There is always something we can learn here to make our travels easier.