Proposal: Combine IAG airlines into a single board with subforums
Dec 23, 2016, 10:05 am
#16
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,351
Whilst I value the OP's input on the Iberia Plus forum, I think this particular idea is not a good one.
The BA forum is already unwieldy in my opinion. There must be dozens of threads opened each week by people who just couldn't be bothered to search for the answer they are looking for. It is also full of people who like to share their opinion, no matter how incorrect, such as a recent thread about retro-crediting a Vueling flight. And you can't miss the regular threads complaining about service enhancements, full of the same people defending BA and the same people saying they will never fly BA again. I find myself 99% ignoring the BA forum, apart from occasionally dipping into the TP run thread.
The Iberia forum might be quiet but people who have questions about Madrid transit, Vueling, Iberia, etc. can ask a question and, in general, the dozen or so of us who usually know what we're talking about are going to get around to answering. I would hate for that to be lost in the BA noise just because IB+ happens to use Avios or because somebody occasionally cross-posts.
As for Aer Lingus, over time I suspect that the Aer Lingus forum will become the defacto avios.com forum, and there's nothing wrong with that IMO.
The BA forum is already unwieldy in my opinion. There must be dozens of threads opened each week by people who just couldn't be bothered to search for the answer they are looking for. It is also full of people who like to share their opinion, no matter how incorrect, such as a recent thread about retro-crediting a Vueling flight. And you can't miss the regular threads complaining about service enhancements, full of the same people defending BA and the same people saying they will never fly BA again. I find myself 99% ignoring the BA forum, apart from occasionally dipping into the TP run thread.
The Iberia forum might be quiet but people who have questions about Madrid transit, Vueling, Iberia, etc. can ask a question and, in general, the dozen or so of us who usually know what we're talking about are going to get around to answering. I would hate for that to be lost in the BA noise just because IB+ happens to use Avios or because somebody occasionally cross-posts.
As for Aer Lingus, over time I suspect that the Aer Lingus forum will become the defacto avios.com forum, and there's nothing wrong with that IMO.
Dec 23, 2016, 10:10 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,586
LupineChemist,
Do you mean creating a new forum for IAG topics and converting each the three existing forums for each of the airlines and respective FFPs as child forums of the 'master' IAG forum? Eg.
- International Airlines Group
Do you mean creating a new forum for IAG topics and converting each the three existing forums for each of the airlines and respective FFPs as child forums of the 'master' IAG forum? Eg.
- International Airlines Group
- Aer Lingus | AerClub
- British Airways | Executive Club
- Iberia | Iberia Plus
- Vueling | Punto
- British Airways | Executive Club
- Iberia | Iberia Plus
- Vueling | Punto
I usually start my day in the BA forum and then use Forum Jump to briefly visit the EI/IB fora before going back to BA - but starting in IAG would work for me, as I could see if there was activity in EI/IB (I avoid using Airlines and Mileage Programs where possible).
Avios.com discussions can then go in the parent IAG forum:
- International Airlines Group | Avios
- Aer Lingus | AerClub
- British Airways | Executive Club
- Iberia | Iberia Plus
- British Airways | Executive Club
- Iberia | Iberia Plus
Vueling | Punto may not need its own forum (yet) but it would make sense to slot it in to IAG as when it gets to that point and/or switches to Avios.
I think craigthemif's fears about IB getting lost in BA are unfounded - the proposal isn't to merge BA/IB/EI into an Avios superforum but to have an umbrella forum with the existing BA/EI/IB fora underneath.
I wouldn't want to see EI become the Avios.com forum, just as the BA one shouldn't be today.
Raffles - BE/VY/AT don't have fora of their own as it is. Random questions from an Avios point of view (i.e. crediting to Avios.com) might actually fit in an IAG/Avios forum - or they can stay in the 'Other regional airlines' fora where they are already. There'll always be posts that would be best started in another forum, but this creates a home for Avios.com discussions that currently go in BA/EI/IB - and IAG would only be one click away from those fora.
Dec 23, 2016, 11:37 am
#18
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,212
The backstage IT will be integrated insofar as each programme will migrate onto a single tech platform. But other than a single bank providing customers with a single Avios balance, I'm really not so sure we actually see very much more commonalities between the individual programmes. I would expect each FFP will retain its identity, offer its own promotions, have its own set of partners (some shared across the IAG group but not all), and critically for the FT audience, its own set of rules and idiosyncrasies.
Dec 23, 2016, 12:37 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,105
Yeah, I agree that no current forum should be used. BA should absolutely be the headline airline on the main list so it shouldn't be any harder to find. So while it seems like a big headline change, really it's just a slight organizational change to not affect all that much except keep things slightly more tidy.
Dec 23, 2016, 4:51 pm
#20
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
LupineChemist,
Do you mean creating a new forum for IAG topics and converting each the three existing forums for each of the airlines and respective FFPs as child forums of the 'master' IAG forum? Eg.
- International Airlines Group
Do you mean creating a new forum for IAG topics and converting each the three existing forums for each of the airlines and respective FFPs as child forums of the 'master' IAG forum? Eg.
- International Airlines Group
- Aer Lingus | AerClub
- British Airways | Executive Club
- Iberia | Iberia Plus
- Vueling | Punto
- British Airways | Executive Club
- Iberia | Iberia Plus
- Vueling | Punto
Dec 23, 2016, 5:48 pm
#21
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,212
Difficult one to predict. One question I have is how identifiable is IAG outside of the UK, Ireland and Spain? I would think brand awareness of IAG’s subsidiaries is infinitely stronger than that of IAG itself, which is effectively just a holding company.
Dec 24, 2016, 1:45 am
#23
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
I do not think this reflects the way the airlines are run. Earning and redemption, as well as travel policies, etc, are wildly different on BAEC, IB+ and so on.
The airlines are also operated fairly separately from the customer viewpoint.
Status is also handled differently on BAEC, IB+, AerClub, etc. Aer Lingus is not a Oneworld member either.
Until IAG align their airline operations and overall status, traveller, interlining, and other policies more closely, I do not think a forum and subforum idea makes sense.
s.
The airlines are also operated fairly separately from the customer viewpoint.
Status is also handled differently on BAEC, IB+, AerClub, etc. Aer Lingus is not a Oneworld member either.
Until IAG align their airline operations and overall status, traveller, interlining, and other policies more closely, I do not think a forum and subforum idea makes sense.
s.
Dec 24, 2016, 2:52 am
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,105
I don't think so as BA would still be the headline on the main list of programs so it would maintain itself exactly where it is.
Dec 24, 2016, 3:17 am
#25
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
My bet is that even Iberia has more brand awareness amongst the general public than IAG.
Dec 24, 2016, 9:40 am
#27
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,586
Yeah, I agree that no current forum should be used. BA should absolutely be the headline airline on the main list so it shouldn't be any harder to find. So while it seems like a big headline change, really it's just a slight organizational change to not affect all that much except keep things slightly more tidy.
Are you thinking instead of:
International Airlines Group | Avios
Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, International Airlines Group, and Vueling
- Aer Lingus | AerClub
- British Airways | Executive Club
- Iberia | Iberia Plus
We perhaps have:
British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Other Partners | Avios
Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, International Airlines Group, and Vueling
- Aer Lingus | AerClub
- British Airways | Executive Club
- Iberia | Iberia Plus
Personally I prefer the IAG title, as BA isn't the parent airline of the group, just the one with most FT activity, however I recognise it would place higher in the forum lists with BA first and that the second option is more descriptive.
Dec 25, 2016, 1:24 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,105
I would say the latter option would be the best just for visibility sake.
Probably:
British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Other Partners | Avios/IAG
Just to make it clear. And while I think there's more than enough reason to go now. Without getting too much into Speculation, IAG has made no secret of looking to acquire more airlines. So the idea will probably just become even more relevant as time goes on.
Also Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate it.
Probably:
British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Other Partners | Avios/IAG
Just to make it clear. And while I think there's more than enough reason to go now. Without getting too much into Speculation, IAG has made no secret of looking to acquire more airlines. So the idea will probably just become even more relevant as time goes on.
Also Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate it.
Dec 25, 2016, 2:04 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: CX Green, QF Platinum, BAEC Silver, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 10,780
I actually don't see what value this proposed organisation of forums has for either the participants in the forums or flyertalk as a whole. There aren't common topics between the IAG airlines, and the only thing in common is avios as a mileage currency.
Dec 26, 2016, 1:48 am
#30
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
I can see both sides of it.
On the one hand the airlines are currently all different and merit their own forums.
On the other hand there is an increasing amount of 'common interest' things linked by IAG that merit their own forum. An example - the thread about the new BCN long haul/low cost airline that has appeared in BA forum even though nothing to do with BA.
So I think the OPs suggestion is worthy of consideration.
On the one hand the airlines are currently all different and merit their own forums.
On the other hand there is an increasing amount of 'common interest' things linked by IAG that merit their own forum. An example - the thread about the new BCN long haul/low cost airline that has appeared in BA forum even though nothing to do with BA.
So I think the OPs suggestion is worthy of consideration.