Moved by kokonutz and seconded by Cholula

that the Talkboard recommend the creation of a LAN forum.

This vote will close on Sep 18, 09 at 6:10 am or after all TalkBoard members have registered their vote, whichever comes first.


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A motion shall pass if two-thirds of TalkBoard members participating in that vote vote �yes.�

YES. It seems LAN-related posts crowd out most other posts on the "Other North & South American Carriers" board.

There are a high number of LAN specific posts in the "Other North & South American Carriers", so a new forum for LAN seems advisable.

That also raises the question at some future point as to whether a separate forum for TAM will also be needed once TAM is officially in *A next Spring.

LAN posts occasionally also end up in the Oneworld forum. Although I am probably repetitive in what I've already said elsewhere, LAN is probably the most comprehensive South American carrier, with hubs in LIM and SCL, with domestic route networks now in 4 countries, and with plans for further expansion, likely a domestic airline in Brazil. It is also one of the preferred ways to get from South America to Australia and New Zealand.

While I don't have any specific examples offhand, I recall some posts in the "Other" forum where people didn't even post LAN in the subject, as it appeared to be assumed.

It is certainly a "more substantial" airline than some of the existing forums, such as VX and some others, and I'd venture to say that if LAN was North America or Europe based, it already would have had its own forum.

It also has a few partnership anomalies that make alliance postings improper, such as partnership with AS (where you can earn EQMs), and JJ, which is joining Star Alliance.

Yes.
It's time for a LAN forum.

Yes, I would like to have a LAN forum. It seems to get pretty short shrift (for a carrier of its size) by being in the dead last "other" heading. Maybe more people would find it and participate.

Not that the exisiting forum is THAT busy, but it would makes things a bit easier for me, so yes.

Definitively yes. Lan is everywhere in South America, in many countries is the only option. A forum dedicated to Lan would make easier to keep track of what is going on with this airline.

I really don't see a "high number" of posts. Has something changed from the one thread every three days that was a statistic posted in the other discussion thread?

Again, highly unlikely. Just because JJ joins Star is not enough of a reason to create a forum. A lot of traffic in the ONASAFFP is a much better metric in my opinion than "I want one".

While I haven't counted to obtain metrics, I look at the "Other North & South American Carriers" forum daily, and over the recent months, it seems that of the posts made there, LAN is the subject of many, hence the "high" reference, not that there are thousands of posts.

Not saying "I want one", just pointing out the possibility of increased activity concerning TAM. Of the Brazilian carriers, TAM is the only one with substantial international service outside of South America.

Boooo, there are too many forums as it is. TB should close 2 for every 1 it opens.

Have a good day.

LAN forum gets my vote. If we can have forum for a relatively tiny airline like El Al, I don't see why not LAN.

^ i would appreciate a dedicated LAN forum on Flyertalk.

I agree with Eastbay1K. And just searching "LAN" in the ONA&SAFFP forum will return just under 500 threads. A new LAN forum would maintain better organization for FT and it does seem that the current forum to find info about LAN is predominately about LAN.

I want to reconsider my post when I said "I agree".

I think it would be sufficient if the "Other North & South America Frequent Flyer Programs" forum is divided into:

- "Other North America Frequent Flyer Programs"

and

- "Laton American Frequent Flyer Programs"

The basics I used are that most people that flies LAN also flies TA, CM and MX.