Proposal: Time for a LAN forum
Dec 15, 2010, 9:16 pm
#31
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Having to go through a Lincoln-Douglass debate and provide a quantitative analysis for a the need for a forum for one of the top 10 largest airlines in the world (post-merger) speaks more to the fact that some people want their rings kissed than saving FT the users from themselves.
I'm at least one TB member in favor of giving a LAN forum a chance to prove itself.
Dec 17, 2010, 6:04 am
#32
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I said at the time - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/12399150-post38.html
I think it might well be time to revisit LAN in all it's flavours.
I think it might well be time to revisit LAN in all it's flavours.
Dec 17, 2010, 7:44 am
#33
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Putting aside the black helicopter/ring kissing part (hey, I'm new to TB - don't expect anyone to kiss my ring - gift me a SWU would be nice 
- kidding of course), I'm willing to take a look at this - don't think revisit is appropriate word since I wasn't involved the first time around.
As noted in a different thread, I've been out sick for a week, now doing some traveling, but will try to familiarize myself w/ LAN next week/during the holidays.
Cheers.
- kidding of course), I'm willing to take a look at this - don't think revisit is appropriate word since I wasn't involved the first time around.As noted in a different thread, I've been out sick for a week, now doing some traveling, but will try to familiarize myself w/ LAN next week/during the holidays.
Cheers.
Dec 17, 2010, 3:26 pm
#34
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Thanks to Cholula, Markie, and SkiAdcock for your willingness to consider extracting LAN out of the other NA/SA forum and giving it the space it rightly deserves.
I know you'll need some kind of justification as to why LAN (or LATAM) needs its own forum. I'd start with this article from the Associated Press entitled "World's 5 biggest airlines now from Asia, LatAm" which states:
According to this Reuters article, the newly combined LATAM would rank as the 11th biggest airline in the world in terms of passenger traffic service 46 million passengers a year.
In my opinion, "Bigger than Delta and Lufthansa but undeserving of its own discussion space" belies either an unintentional or willful ignorance of industry trends and events. It also raises questions about how a discussion forum like FT should serve its participants.
The trends are clear with regards to industry growth towards rapidly emerging markets. I concede the point that because we are currently still in the pre-merger stage, there is not unanimous consensus that LAN/LATAM posting traffic on FT has reached a clear inflection point. However, 2011 will be a year of consolidation and growth for the airlines in the Americas. We can either be slightly ahead of the curve and grow with the trends or we can be behind the curve. With clear trend lines and little downside, I believe a dedicated LAN forum is in order at the present time.
If there are concerns about the effort needed to maintain such a board, I am happy to volunteer as a moderator. If it turns out to be an underutilized forum as the detractors have pontificated, the job shouldn't be too hard.
Besides, a dedicated forum may come in handy sooner than you think with the impactful OneWorld and/or StarAlliance decision that needs to be made by the new LATAM in the coming months.
I know you'll need some kind of justification as to why LAN (or LATAM) needs its own forum. I'd start with this article from the Associated Press entitled "World's 5 biggest airlines now from Asia, LatAm" which states:
China Southern has a market cap of $11 billion, as does LATAM, the Latin American airline recently created from the merger of Chile's LAN and TAM of Brazil. U.S. carrier Delta and Germany's Lufthansa follow with market capitalizations of $10 billion each.
In my opinion, "Bigger than Delta and Lufthansa but undeserving of its own discussion space" belies either an unintentional or willful ignorance of industry trends and events. It also raises questions about how a discussion forum like FT should serve its participants.
The trends are clear with regards to industry growth towards rapidly emerging markets. I concede the point that because we are currently still in the pre-merger stage, there is not unanimous consensus that LAN/LATAM posting traffic on FT has reached a clear inflection point. However, 2011 will be a year of consolidation and growth for the airlines in the Americas. We can either be slightly ahead of the curve and grow with the trends or we can be behind the curve. With clear trend lines and little downside, I believe a dedicated LAN forum is in order at the present time.
If there are concerns about the effort needed to maintain such a board, I am happy to volunteer as a moderator. If it turns out to be an underutilized forum as the detractors have pontificated, the job shouldn't be too hard.
Besides, a dedicated forum may come in handy sooner than you think with the impactful OneWorld and/or StarAlliance decision that needs to be made by the new LATAM in the coming months.
Dec 17, 2010, 3:36 pm
#35
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Giving LATAM its own forum should be a no-brainer for our Talkboard members.
Dec 17, 2010, 4:02 pm
#36
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I agree also.
Dec 17, 2010, 4:49 pm
#37
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I am in favor of this suggestion and am surprised it was voted down the first time around.
Dec 17, 2010, 5:00 pm
#38
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The sooner it is created, the easier it will be to merge threads over when the inevitable occurs.
Dec 17, 2010, 5:04 pm
#39
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Makes sense to me. Don't see a downside.
Dec 17, 2010, 6:54 pm
#40
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I'm hoping the matter will come back before TB soon as I'd like to see a LAN forum as I experience more of S. America in the next several years. 
Dec 17, 2010, 10:40 pm
#41
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As I've said in the other thread, I think it's a no-brainer to have a LAN forum. LAN is becoming one of the most important airlines in the world -- a pillar of the Oneworld alliance. Many flyertalkers use the airline and are very curious and interested in it. Additionally, even flyertalkers who DON'T fly LAN should be interested in their frequent flyer program, as it has several wrinkles that can result in advantageous redemptions by transferring miles to LANPass.
In addition to a separate LAN forum, I would suggest splitting the North America and Latin America forums into two. This makes sense, since one group of carriers has little to do with the other. There are some up-and-coming Latin Carriers like TACA and Copa that are drawing increased interest among Flyertalkers.
In addition to a separate LAN forum, I would suggest splitting the North America and Latin America forums into two. This makes sense, since one group of carriers has little to do with the other. There are some up-and-coming Latin Carriers like TACA and Copa that are drawing increased interest among Flyertalkers.
Dec 20, 2010, 10:29 am
#42
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Its an idea whose time has come.
Dec 20, 2010, 10:45 am
#43
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I am certainly not opposed to the idea of a LAN forum.
However, repeated posts such as the one above and most of the ones preceding it are, sadly, not likely to aid in convincing the majority of my fellow TalkBoard members of the value of such a forum.
Someone will probably need to do a convincing analysis of existing and potential traffic and answer the list of questions created by the new forum creation criteria questionnaire that came out during the one of the last two TalkBoard sessions. Unfortunately, I can't find it anywhere on FlyerTalk; if someone could post a link to it, that would be much appreciated. As well, I believe it should be merged into the sticky thread at the top of TalkBoard Topics (where I always assumed it was!).
However, repeated posts such as the one above and most of the ones preceding it are, sadly, not likely to aid in convincing the majority of my fellow TalkBoard members of the value of such a forum.
Someone will probably need to do a convincing analysis of existing and potential traffic and answer the list of questions created by the new forum creation criteria questionnaire that came out during the one of the last two TalkBoard sessions. Unfortunately, I can't find it anywhere on FlyerTalk; if someone could post a link to it, that would be much appreciated. As well, I believe it should be merged into the sticky thread at the top of TalkBoard Topics (where I always assumed it was!).
Dec 20, 2010, 11:32 am
#44
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I am certainly not opposed to the idea of a LAN forum.
However, repeated posts such as the one above and most of the ones preceding it are, sadly, not likely to aid in convincing the majority of my fellow TalkBoard members of the value of such a forum.
Someone will probably need to do a convincing analysis of existing and potential traffic and answer the list of questions created by the new forum creation criteria questionnaire that came out during the one of the last two TalkBoard sessions. Unfortunately, I can't find it anywhere on FlyerTalk; if someone could post a link to it, that would be much appreciated. As well, I believe it should be merged into the sticky thread at the top of TalkBoard Topics (where I always assumed it was!).
However, repeated posts such as the one above and most of the ones preceding it are, sadly, not likely to aid in convincing the majority of my fellow TalkBoard members of the value of such a forum.
Someone will probably need to do a convincing analysis of existing and potential traffic and answer the list of questions created by the new forum creation criteria questionnaire that came out during the one of the last two TalkBoard sessions. Unfortunately, I can't find it anywhere on FlyerTalk; if someone could post a link to it, that would be much appreciated. As well, I believe it should be merged into the sticky thread at the top of TalkBoard Topics (where I always assumed it was!).
Seriously, can't we just do this easily? Find a moderator and go? This can't possibly be a "controversial" issue.
Dec 20, 2010, 11:40 am
#45
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It is not me that you have to worry about convincing.