With the changes to AE announced today, the continual devaluation of AE points and the transformation of AE in to a frequent buyer program I am ready to completely jump ship for my Canadian travel. The things that are holding me back are:

1. A real FF program. Airmiles is a frequent buyer program. I use it and am happy with it for what it is, but it isn't a frequent flyer program. Give me a program that gives me priority seat assignment, complementary lounge access and a simple-to-use online booking system for reward flights.

2. An alliance with a US based airline or airline alliance (One World). The majority of my travel is transborder and although I have used WS for getting to LAX and FLL I can't take them when I need to go to DCA, ORD, LGA etc.

Actually, I would probably switch from AC to WS if I got either one.

My happiness would be vastly improved even it was Air Miles that offered this. Their phone-in booking system is brutal. Their main concern seems to be selling you travel insurance. The Air Miles link to their credit-card processing system was down last-time I booked a flight and it took 4 calls to get it right (they couldn't tell me it wasn't going to work until they'd gone through the entire booking process). The worst part was that they couldn't save any of my information, and had to go through their entire spiel each time I called despite insisting I understood all their dire warnings and restrictions already.

When I last booked a flight with Air Miles a few months ago, the agent said they should have online booking capability in the next year or so. Whether it happens that quickly remains to be seen, but at least it's being talked about.

Hubby had the same reaction to AE's announcement, "this is Westjets chance to launch a FF program." Too bad it doesn't seem to be a likely outcome...

I was told that exact same line over 2 years ago.

"a year or so" is the scripted answer that never changes. How long is a "so" anyway.

I, for a moment got excited there but...

This would be a major improvement to the current arrangements. Perhaps with a link from the WS website. Perhaps the changes with Aeroplan will help them bite the bullet.

AMs cost WS pennies, getting into a real FF will cost it dollars and that will eat into its hallowed margins. WS cannot afford a real FF program, and particularly one that would involve other carriers...or a major alliance like ONEWORLD. Ask AerLingus why it is leaving the alliance? The answer is simple: reduced margins.

If an airline is netting $25 from a $250 one-way fare, it's doing well and making a very healthy margin. However, if that flight is a transcon between YYZ-YVR, and it has to pay out for real air miles/points at a penny a mile/point, then there's a new cost of at least $20.80 to buy those FF miles/points, and the margin drops to a mere $4.20...probably less because there will be new infrastructural/overhead costs associated with the FF program...likely eliminating any balance of margin or "profit".

This assumes a whole bunch of things SH. 1) not all miles will be redeemed, in fact I think most are not (could be wrong on the exact numbers), 2) all people do not collect miles so the cost is not per seat, 3) some will pay more to fly the airline on a consistent basis with a real FF program, 4) new people will come over from AP and boost traffic, 5) Avg fare on YVR-YYZ is probably more than $250. I am sure there are more out there.