FoxPro

Just curious to know, if an insider could describe what in-flight data airlines can retrieve and store in their 'extended' profiles of a FF account.

I just received two free tickets to a classical concert from one of my favored airlines, but I am absolutely sure I never actively told them about my fable for classical music.

Is this just a coincidence, or could they have retrieved the information maybe from some in-flight analysis where they monitor which movies you watch or to which music you listen?

I, for example, never switch the video on and only listen to music.

usoftie

You give them entirely too much credit. They can hardly figure out how to deliver a special meal to you (and cannot, if you upgrade!), and you think they can figure out and record what in-seat channel you listen to?!

Most likely is that they work on pure demographics, i.e. Approximate age, flying patterns, good chance that this is a person who likes classical music.

AdamATL

I agree with usoftie. The airlines just aren't this organized. I think it is a coincidence that you got something you were interested in. You probably could have just as easily received tickets to a tractor pull. Luck of the draw.

When I worked for DL, the talk was just beginning of "customizing" passenger's FF accounts. As I was on my way out, we just started to gather birthdates. Eventually, I think the intention was to store lots of information so that the agent booking the flights could say something like, "And would you like to have the hot seafood meal again?" I'm not sure how far DL or other airlines have gotten with this.

But, I think the airlines should really concentrate on the basics first without getting ahead of themselves.

gwendolynaoife

Airlines just aren't that organized.

My travel agent (for when other people are paying) and my Expedia prefs (for when i'm paying) hold most of this stuff, but i still call and go over my preferences with a live person. Say what you will about CO service, i have had multiple thoughtful employees get small details right as a result.

But the fact that they have to manually override it every time means that a)they're intentionally not trying (yeah, right) or b)they just don't hold this info. I go for the latter.

Dudemon

A airline can hire a firm to Statistically determine frequent fliers propensity to use varies products, such as in flight movies, music or drinks.

By combining a zip + 4 Census (The big U.S. one) and a Claritos study, a marketing firm can determine with considerable accuracy what products (down to exact types of movies, music, drinks, and meals) a group of people would prefer. This group is of course very identifiable, us. The frequent flier, which the airlines already know everything that is statistically relevant, i.e. address, zip + four, spending patterns, and travel patterns.

Westcoaster

My first thought was that the airline had matched its list of valued FF'ers with the mailing list or membership list from a musical organization. For example, if you have season tickets to your local symphony and the symphony decided to do some promotional work with an airline, you may have been the beneficiary. Maybe the airline made a civic donation to the symphony and got tickets at as a thank you. All kinds of possibilities that don't involve any special notation in your FF account...

Shareholder

I agree with westcoaster. I believe you were just the beneficiary of a serendipitous coincidence of the carrier being a corporate sponsor for this symphony orchestra, and you being a commercially valuable customer to whom they were sending a little extra. In the days when it was still flying, I received several sets of football tickets from Canadian Airlines, and my wife and I were actually flown to another city, put up in a hotel, dined and taken to a play with a dozen other couples. All were "thank yous" for the regular business I gave them.

As for you original question, most FF programs are used by airlines in their data combing. That is they can prepare profiles based on where and how frequently your travel. This becomes important for target marketing and bonus promotions.

Specific PNR entries tend to be limited — for privacy reasons — to one's FF program account number, elite status, contact information, and maybe a profile for preferred seating, meal choice, etc. On a tour of Air Canada's Aeroplan HQ last summer, several of us FlyerTalkers were allowed to look at our FF program master file. In addition to the above mentioned basic information, current mileage and activity was included, along with our lifetime totals for Q-miles, base miles, airline and non-airline partner miles, and all miles since joining.

FoxPro

I am relieved that it turns out that I've got my concert tickets rather by coincidence than by hard figure analysis.
After having worked long years as a software developer for corporate marketing applications, I was maybe a bit to concerned.

Thanks all.

DLPlat BAGold

Maybe you filled out the questionaire the airline sent you about you preferences. On the ones I get there are always "areas of interest" like hiking, travel, gold etc....

FoxPro

DLPlat BAGold: Surely not. I don't like them to store personal details.

FemaleFlyer

I don't think that they monitor music preferences but they certainly record conversations (albeit incorrectly). I recently had a situation where I was thinking about paying for an upgrade since I had not received the EUA and I had recently had foot surgery that put me in a big boot that would be uncomfortable in coach. The first time I called, I was told it was $50 to upgrade. I decided to think about it and called back a few minutes later to do it; I was told then that it was $500 to upgrade because I could not pay $50 for the upgrade unless it was within 2 hours of the flight. This CSR made it clear that she did not know what she was doing and I protested vigorously to no avail.

I called an hour later and got the upgrade with no problem for $50. When I got to the airport, I asked for a receipt for the upgrade. The ticket agent could not print anything except the comments in my file, which included something along the lines of "the passenger was very upset about the 2 hour upgrade limitation" before the next CSR's comment about charging my credit card $50 for the upgrade.

I *was* very upset, but not for the reason she noted in my file. Guess it's on my permanent record now...

FF

Duhey2

Shareholder,
how did you get to tour Air Canada's offices like that? Was it set up through FT? I'd love to see what the CO rez & OnePass center is like.