Aug 21, 2018, 8:23 am
Last edit by: yyznomad
For those of you interested only in the revised $450-million deal and related discussion, it starts on post 418:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-canada-aeroplan/1926409-update-aimia-accepts-air-canada-td-cibc-visa-revised-450-million-aeroplan-bid-28.html#post30109427
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-canada-aeroplan/1926409-update-aimia-accepts-air-canada-td-cibc-visa-revised-450-million-aeroplan-bid-28.html#post30109427
Update: Aimia accepts Air Canada, TD, CIBC & Visa revised $450-million Aeroplan bid
May 16, 2019, 3:04 pm
#766
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Body in Downtown YYZ, heart and mind elsewhere
Programs: UA 50K, refugee from AC E50K, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 5,132
AC Loyalty Program job posting
I came across a job posting for AC which I share for obvious reasons of general interest. Personally I find the "all-new" and "digital-first" bits interesting.
Air Canada is creating an all-new, digital-first loyalty program that will transform the way it engages with its customers, promising to create more rewarding relationships. This investment is a key step forward as we build upon our strategy to become a global champion. As part of this effort, we're building a new team, with the spirit of a start-up, within the broader Air Canada family. Our mandate is to re-envision the entire end-to-end loyalty and customer lifecycle experience. We are looking for great people who will thrive in a highly-collaborative, innovative, fast-paced environment and bring this vision to life.
Air Canada seeks a proven leader to drive loyalty research and new concept creation, working closely with other areas of Strategy and Planning to develop solutions to emerging business gaps and opportunities. The Senior Loyalty Product Development Manager will prioritize business needs, conduct or oversee research (in collaboration with vendors, where required) to understand root causes, and develop, test and evaluate emerging concepts. This will include assessing viability and financial impact of proposed solutions and supporting execution of successful concepts, in collaboration with the Loyalty Product team and key airline stakeholders. This role will include both long-term product planning as well as near-term product acceleration.
This position will be based in Toronto and reports to the Director of Research and Development.
Senior Loyalty Product Development Manager / Chef principal du Développement des produits de fidélisation
Air Canada is creating an all-new, digital-first loyalty program that will transform the way it engages with its customers, promising to create more rewarding relationships. This investment is a key step forward as we build upon our strategy to become a global champion. As part of this effort, we're building a new team, with the spirit of a start-up, within the broader Air Canada family. Our mandate is to re-envision the entire end-to-end loyalty and customer lifecycle experience. We are looking for great people who will thrive in a highly-collaborative, innovative, fast-paced environment and bring this vision to life.
Air Canada seeks a proven leader to drive loyalty research and new concept creation, working closely with other areas of Strategy and Planning to develop solutions to emerging business gaps and opportunities. The Senior Loyalty Product Development Manager will prioritize business needs, conduct or oversee research (in collaboration with vendors, where required) to understand root causes, and develop, test and evaluate emerging concepts. This will include assessing viability and financial impact of proposed solutions and supporting execution of successful concepts, in collaboration with the Loyalty Product team and key airline stakeholders. This role will include both long-term product planning as well as near-term product acceleration.
This position will be based in Toronto and reports to the Director of Research and Development.
- Engage with a broad team of airline and loyalty stakeholders to identify new product opportunities and refine and improve product recommendations based on understanding the airline’s operational, financial and commercial objectives & realities
- Lead qualitative and quantitative customer research to inform strategy and product decisions
- Collaborate with Loyalty Strategy team on long-range planning and business opportunities to inform future product development
- Develop financial models in collaboration with Business Management and Finance teams to assess viability of product opportunities
- Regularly prepare executive presentations and lead meetings with airline leadership to facilitate strategic decisions
- Nurture relationships within the Loyalty team and extended stakeholders to execute prioritized concepts and ensure successful launch
- Oversee third-party vendor engagements, including defining and managing scope, monitoring progress and socializing outputs
- Closely monitor loyalty industry trends to identify emerging opportunities as well as potential business threats in the interest of delivering creative action plans
- Oversee and mentor direct reports, where applicable
May 16, 2019, 7:35 pm
#768
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Halifax
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite. NEXUS
Posts: 4,569
Or the person doing that with AE isn't coming over. Retiring, or recognized for what they are and ordered to cosplay as a MAX.
Sometimes ones hand is forced hiring senior talent just as much as needing random warm bodies in the trenches.
Sometimes ones hand is forced hiring senior talent just as much as needing random warm bodies in the trenches.
May 17, 2019, 9:43 am
#769
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto, Ont., Canada
Programs: Aeroplan; Marriott Platinum; IHG Platinum; Best Western Diamond
Posts: 2,165
How long ago did AC announce they will have a brand new Attitude program to replace ae? Did they not have someone to develop that at the time?
AC still has to fix the existing ae that's not showing any availability from YYZ to anywhere in Europe (as someone reported), or TPE late this year or early next year (what I'm experiencing).
AC still has to fix the existing ae that's not showing any availability from YYZ to anywhere in Europe (as someone reported), or TPE late this year or early next year (what I'm experiencing).
May 17, 2019, 10:14 am
#770
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
How long ago did AC announce they will have a brand new Attitude program to replace ae? Did they not have someone to develop that at the time?
AC still has to fix the existing ae that's not showing any availability from YYZ to anywhere in Europe (as someone reported), or TPE late this year or early next year (what I'm experiencing).
AC still has to fix the existing ae that's not showing any availability from YYZ to anywhere in Europe (as someone reported), or TPE late this year or early next year (what I'm experiencing).
A final option, could be that AC kicks the can down the road and announces the Altitude program in 2021, after they've hired this Senior executive and to quote a sitting president, "figure out what the hell is going on!". Again these are interesting times for Aeroplan with many having the feeling that they should burn their points for known value versus keeping the points now and taking a gamble at what the future value will be. I, for one, would be disappointed the most if AC removes the 2 free stopovers on international award tickets. That is one benefit that no airline has really matched.
Safe Travels,
James
May 17, 2019, 10:50 am
#771
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,305
If one was a betting person,
Would you bet that
a) Aeroplan charts will be gutted in June 2020, new earning/redeeming structure introcuced
or
b) They wont be ready and the enhancement will not happen until Jan.2021 or perhaps later
Talking strictly earning/usage of points, not status or other Altitude related things.
Would you bet that
a) Aeroplan charts will be gutted in June 2020, new earning/redeeming structure introcuced
or
b) They wont be ready and the enhancement will not happen until Jan.2021 or perhaps later
Talking strictly earning/usage of points, not status or other Altitude related things.
May 17, 2019, 11:05 am
#772
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
Perhaps history could provide us guidance on how AC/Aeroplan makes changes like these? For instance, I've always found that Aeroplan provides 1 perhaps 2 weeks notice of accrual changes (PQM and RDM) for partner airlines. How much notice was given to Aeroplan elites of the AQD requirement? Was it done towards the end of the calendar year or mid-stream so to speak? Maybe these new changes will buck the trend but I suspect it will rhyme!
Safe Travels,
James
Safe Travels,
James
May 17, 2019, 12:11 pm
#773
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YQB
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,139
Perhaps history could provide us guidance on how AC/Aeroplan makes changes like these? For instance, I've always found that Aeroplan provides 1 perhaps 2 weeks notice of accrual changes (PQM and RDM) for partner airlines. How much notice was given to Aeroplan elites of the AQD requirement? Was it done towards the end of the calendar year or mid-stream so to speak? Maybe these new changes will buck the trend but I suspect it will rhyme!
Safe Travels,
James
Safe Travels,
James
May 17, 2019, 12:21 pm
#774
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,305
Dont really care about Altitude details - but historically, how far in advance have chart devaluations been announced? Not that this is even the same case now, because this will not be just a devaluation, but a complete gutting, but would be nice if it was not 6/2020.
May 17, 2019, 12:28 pm
#775
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,331
There won't be any significant devaluation. Too many contracts with banks preventing it, in addition to some financial matters that change the accounting on redemptions.
May 17, 2019, 12:45 pm
#776
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto, Ont., Canada
Programs: Aeroplan; Marriott Platinum; IHG Platinum; Best Western Diamond
Posts: 2,165
Unless AC comes out to state publicly they are not gutting the program, people need to be prepared for the worst, and burn the points before June/2020.
May 17, 2019, 3:15 pm
#777
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,331
The contracts with the banks are 1:1 transfer of the points from ae to the new Attitude program. AC didn't say what the Attitude program redemption would be.
Unless AC comes out to state publicly they are not gutting the program, people need to be prepared for the worst, and burn the points before June/2020.
Unless AC comes out to state publicly they are not gutting the program, people need to be prepared for the worst, and burn the points before June/2020.
Last edited by tcook052; May 17, 2019 at 5:07 pm Reason: tone
May 17, 2019, 4:17 pm
#778
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,305
Contracts with banks specify that a J roundtrip to Europe will remain 110,000 miles? Or that 2 stopovers will be allowed? Or what all 30+ partner airline fares will earn in the new program? Or that there will be no YQ charged on all partners?
May 17, 2019, 5:05 pm
#780
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto, Ont., Canada
Programs: Aeroplan; Marriott Platinum; IHG Platinum; Best Western Diamond
Posts: 2,165