YYC Guy

YAAAYY!!

Here's the update from Air Canada's Twitter account:

Air Canada iPhone App Update v1.2 submitted to App Store. Hopefully it gets approved soon for everyone to enjoy. Release notes coming soon.

They just posted this message to Twitter this morning. Hopefully they got all of the bug fixes to the app right, plus started on some of the improvements and enhancements that we've all been hoping for!

Fingers crossed!!!!!

Can any AC lurkers here provide us with any advance information about the update?

aircanadacsp

Hi Everyone,

Air Canada CSP is now on FlyerTalk! We are looking forward to continuing the conversation with you all regarding the iPhone App (and more).

So to kick things off I thought I�d address some �house keeping� items.

App Feedback
While I don�t want to discourage posting on the forums, the best way to send us feedback is at [email protected] and [email protected]. We have a dedicated person managing these addresses, capturing ideas, answering questions and investigating issues.

Air Canada CSP Twitter (http://twitter.com/aircanadacsp)
Right now this is our main source for posting news. This will likely expand in the future but for now the best way to stay updated is on Twitter.

FlyerJ & YYC Guy
Wow! You certainly have a lot of ideas and passion for the App! FlyerJ, it will take me some time to digest your �longest FT post ever� but I will definitely take the time to review and respond to both of you.

The App
We know there are many features that you all want to see come to the App and a lot of them were in our original vision (and will be coming to reality). I cannot go into all the reasons why features are implemented a certain way, order or not present yet but what I can say is that we are listening and capturing what you have to say and are committed to making this the very best App for you.

We have a big roadmap for 2010 and still have some work left to do for 2009. As YYC Guy noticed, we have submitted iPhone v1.2 to App Store for review. While �.1� updates are not typically big we want to bring new functionality and fixes to you as soon as we can. So while we are hard at work on bigger items (AC iPhone 2.0), you will tend to see smaller �.1� updates along the way.

iPhone v1.2 will include a few fixes and enhancements (see below). We are also trying to squeek in a v1.3 before the end of the year (more details to come).

Fixes
- Resolved issue related to Check-in communication error.
- Resolved issue related to screen layout when call status or Internet tethering bar is displayed.

Enhancements
- Added link to Air Canada Delayed & Cancelled Flight Service in More section
- Added link to Information & Services resource pages in More section
- Optimized city list background downloading process (resulting in faster download speed)

That�s about it for our first post. Once again if you have any questions there are a number of channels available to you.

- Post here on FT
- PM us on FT
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- http://twitter.com/aircanadacsp

Air Canada Customer Service Platform Team, eCommerce

tcook052

http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/e...s.asp?id=55218

Air Canada iPhone app, Coors Light campaign nominated for Canadian New Media AwardsRecognizable brands such as Air Canada, Doritos, MTV, and Coors Light are among those named for innovative mobile marketing efforts over the past year at the 2009 Canadian New Media Awards. Air Canada is the first North American airline with an iPhone app, and Coors Light thought of a cross-platform approach to its billboard campaign.

propofol

That it should even be up for an award is (at this point in its development) absurd!

InTheAirGuy

Despite all the criticism we have had for the iPhone App, I think we should take this singular post as an indication, perhaps, of Air Canada finally beginning to reach out in a substantive way. Maybe there could be more of this. This could be a good sign!

Most companies continue to be afraid of their customers. Lots refuse to get engaged in any meaningful way. Etc etc. We all know the score.

So let's give them credit!

And challenge them further -- when will Colin come out and start a customer engagement blog, vis a vis what the CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises is doing:

http://www.nationofwhynot.com/blog

Granted, he's wimping out a bit with a lot of guest-host posts, but it's a real CEO, with a real company, willing to really engage with customers, online, and use that in a constructive way. (Some of the posts are fascinating and are, in a weird way, like reading FT, except, he answers back)

We might see this, when? 2015? Next year? Next month? Anyone for bets?

So:

-- the outreach by AC on this thread is indicative of a great move -- at least, by the e-commerce team

-- on the other hand, it's a baby step

-- and third, it truly is a marvel, because the totally bilingual Twitter feed mentioned above is a marvel in and of itself!

Here's to progress!

FlyerJ

While it's a bit disappointing that this update is only a "0.1" update instead of a "1.0", it is great to see AC being so open here.

Congrats AC -- and thank you for communicating with us here. Big kudos to your app team for doing so.

(I'm still not fond of the app, but I now have hope that we really will see something good in the not-too-distant future.)

Sopwith

When can we expect it to be available fom Apple? I just checked, and it reports V1.1 is "up to date".

aircanadacsp

Hi All,

We submitted v1.2 to App Store on November 6 and according to Apple "Based on the current volume of app submissions, 96% of applications are being approved within 14 days".

So fingers crossed it should be out soon!

Customer Service Platform, eCommerce

PreferBulkhead

Thanks for the update and for your contributions here on FT!
I am awaiting corp approval to use the iPhone and then I will be happily using this app!

getaround

The update is released.

Flight pass option still
unserviceable.

FlyerJ

Just downloaded it. No noticeable change other than a couple of additional web links in the "More" section.

Note to the developers: I really don't want to seem ungrateful, and I know you were very clear that this was just going to be a "0.1" minor release . . . but I don't think it's right to call adding links to web pages "enhancements".

In an iPhone app, if it ain't native functionality, it ain't technically part of the app in my book. And linking out to web pages is not the hallmark of a good app anyway, since the iPhone already has full browser capability -- and native functionality can offer so much more over what web pages can in terms of capabilities and value to the user.

And please don't cross my request for a lounge guide off of your list as "completed" now. Beyond my point above -- the lounge listing web page that the app now links out to is so rudimentary that it really adds no value. It only shows AC MLLs (but it's not exactly groundbreaking to find out that there is a lounge at YYZ). It does not even show their locations within terminals (which would be helpful). More importantly, I want my app to tell me, for example, if there's a lounge available when I'm flying AC out of DCA (hint: it's not an AC lounge, nor is it even a UA RCC).

Keep at it though guys. We're all waiting with baited breath for the next "1.0" enhancement to this!

phedre

My thoughts: this is a free app for us, and as such I do appreciate the effort. However, I find myself not using it at all. It's just easier to open gmail, click the link, and check in via the website. My perception is that this application is lacking in usability and functionality. But again, it's a good effort for a first release, and I look forward to future releases!

Here's my top wishlist as an AC E/iPhone app user:

- Expanding on the lounge list idea above, integrate that with GPS. If I'm in an airport, I should be able to turn on GPS and have it point me towards the nearest lounges that are open to me.
- Integrate with my Aeroplan number. Let me log in using the same username/password I use on AC.com and Aeroplan.com.
- Integrate with the flight tracker on AC.com. I've got three upcoming flights all booked via AC.com, they show up on the website, they should show up on my phone without all the searching! At the very least, it should be able to pull up the data via the booking reference number.
- Allow me to change my seat via the app, much like I'd do on AC.com now.
- Built in airport guides, hot linked via the flight info. If I'm departing from YUL, let me click on a link from that booking that pulls up a guide to YUL including where the AC gates are, the lounges, amenities, etc.

It's nowhere NEAR as extensive as the other lists posted, but these features IMO would go a long way towards improving the usability of the app. And I do know a thing or two about usability

MinEng

All good ideas! I especially like the notion of looking up my reservation using the booking reference, much like I can do on the website, and requesting seat assignments, etc.

The GPS idea probably wouldn't work, though, as GPS generally does not work indoors. A terminal map, however, would be fantastic!

aircanadacsp

Hi getaround,

Was just able to do a Flight Pass booking with our test account. Can you please email [email protected] so we can look at this further.

Regards,

Air Canada CSP

phedre

GPS works anywhere you have a signal. While it might not direct you within the airport itself (it's not that specific on the 3G, though the 3GS has some impressive capabilities in that direction, check out the NYC subway app for an extremely impressive app that uses the camera function to display pointers to the nearest subway locations), it can easily extrapolate "here is the nearest airport, and here is the information related to that airport", much like applications such as Yelp will take your current location and point you towards restaurants with their ratings.