An introduction from Seat Amigo
Jun 11, 2019, 12:48 am
#76
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,617
Please, no more seat saving discussion. We can do that in 100 other threads. This one is about the app, which as nearly as I can tell will not promote saving of non-middle seats. In the real world nobody complains about saving ordinary middle seats.
Jun 12, 2019, 4:31 pm
#77
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: The Event Horizon
Programs: Flying Colonels, Go-Getters, WorldPass, Amerikat Expositors, Ephemeralizers
Posts: 82
With baited breath we anxiously await the news as to whether or not AA is going to block two rows or three rows for amigoization.
And that Southwest API. The super-secret one they won't give to google.
And that Southwest API. The super-secret one they won't give to google.
Jun 12, 2019, 4:41 pm
#78
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: The Event Horizon
Programs: Flying Colonels, Go-Getters, WorldPass, Amerikat Expositors, Ephemeralizers
Posts: 82
Jun 13, 2019, 2:01 pm
#82
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,983
Perhaps we were a bit too harsh on him. While the PII concerns are extremely significant, he's already invested a considerable amount of money in the venture, and I always respect entrepreneurial endeavors.
A few more thoughts:
1. Relying on WN only seems like a limiting factor to me; as others have suggested, if they decide to block him, it's game over
2. A "dating" app/site focused on travelers (flights, hotels, trips) might have legs
3. The legal disclosures should be solid as a rock (since Seat Amigo is an attorney, he definitely gets this point)
In closing, Seat Amigo has been polite to us in all of his posts, so I hope we can cut him some slack. He might not have started his venture with the "Tinder for travel" idea in mind, but this has more legs than relying on WN IMO. I actually don't use dating apps myself because I prefer meeting people at restaurants, bars, gyms, grocery stores, offices. That having been said, my millenial cousins are close to 100% online (I am ~6 years older than them).
@Seat Amigo: Please feel free to PM me any time; I have a great deal of experience in social apps, and wish you success. I am also confident that others here share my well wishes.
A few more thoughts:
1. Relying on WN only seems like a limiting factor to me; as others have suggested, if they decide to block him, it's game over
2. A "dating" app/site focused on travelers (flights, hotels, trips) might have legs
3. The legal disclosures should be solid as a rock (since Seat Amigo is an attorney, he definitely gets this point)
In closing, Seat Amigo has been polite to us in all of his posts, so I hope we can cut him some slack. He might not have started his venture with the "Tinder for travel" idea in mind, but this has more legs than relying on WN IMO. I actually don't use dating apps myself because I prefer meeting people at restaurants, bars, gyms, grocery stores, offices. That having been said, my millenial cousins are close to 100% online (I am ~6 years older than them).
@Seat Amigo: Please feel free to PM me any time; I have a great deal of experience in social apps, and wish you success. I am also confident that others here share my well wishes.
Jun 13, 2019, 2:44 pm
#83
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,550
Maybe the Tinder for Travel idea would have more legs if it just sought to align people by itinerary. Forget about seat assignments. Just keep it an airport meetup type app, maybe with an API into one of the common (non-airline) travel apps where people store their upcoming flights. (Awardwallet, etc.)
Jun 13, 2019, 2:55 pm
#85
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
But see, here's the thing. Tinder already exists. And it works in airports. 
As do the multitude of more specific social and dating apps that everyone already uses.
I really do not see the point of this particular app. I'm sure that there are other people who do.
Ultimately, I suspect Southwest will shut this down so it'll be a moot point anyway.
As do the multitude of more specific social and dating apps that everyone already uses.
I really do not see the point of this particular app. I'm sure that there are other people who do.
Ultimately, I suspect Southwest will shut this down so it'll be a moot point anyway.
Jun 13, 2019, 3:14 pm
#86
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: The Event Horizon
Programs: Flying Colonels, Go-Getters, WorldPass, Amerikat Expositors, Ephemeralizers
Posts: 82
Also, his total investment to this point is probably about $2000. His kids whipped together something sitting on AWS or Azure and built IoS and Droid clients using commodity kitware. 2019 social media e-commerce is E=Z.
I too respect entrepreneurial endeavours (British spelling). We all do.
His entrepreneurial spirit is/was not the source of our Entertainment, Fear, and Loathing.
Jun 13, 2019, 3:28 pm
#87
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
I suspect he's spent significantly more than $2000. Sadly.
Anyone interested in helping him out can become an investor here. So far he's a little short of the $107k goal.
Anyone interested in helping him out can become an investor here. So far he's a little short of the $107k goal.
Jun 13, 2019, 3:57 pm
#88
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
I suspect he's spent significantly more than $2000. Sadly.
Anyone interested in helping him out can become an investor here. So far he's a little short of the $107k goal.
Anyone interested in helping him out can become an investor here. So far he's a little short of the $107k goal.
Hard expenses maybe low but a ton of time obviously invested in this. I abhor social media but I'm obviously in the bitter minority today.
As stated by others, limiting to WN is risky and very, very narrow cast. But add in all aspects of business travel and perhaps you have the making of "Up in the Air" hookup possibilities under the guise of "networking" for those with a common theme of being on the road routinely. Would certainly be a step in class of people from random hookups on other apps (or so I am told
)
Jun 13, 2019, 4:07 pm
#90
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: The Event Horizon
Programs: Flying Colonels, Go-Getters, WorldPass, Amerikat Expositors, Ephemeralizers
Posts: 82
By definition and design he is limited to open seating carriers. Integrating self-selecting technology in the reservation and booking engines of any non-open-seating airilne would cost tens of millions for every airline. Maybe more than 100 million for the big boys. Doing so with a 3rd-party would be impossible with any European airline or any airline that flies to Europe because of GDPR. The list of barriers to entry and risks to success criteria that Randy and his investors completely missed is an adjective I won't use to remain within the ToS.
