Bill Hanifin
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12 February 2010
09:16
Actually, I’m just scratching the surface, but pose a few questions to improve frequent flyer programs and make airline travel a bit more bearable for the masses.
What if the airlines …… ?
- … would allow frequent flyers to use miles to pay for a bag check charge or, better yet, waive them for higher tier members? (They could burn mileage balances and make my flight experience a bit more pleasant)
- … made their airport lounges available for ad-hoc visits, not for a ridiculous daily fee or mileage exchange, but with variable exchange rates on traffic? (They could burn more miles while making the best use of a perishable resource)
- … permitted higher tier frequent flyers to make an itinerary change within a specified time (48 hours?) without incurring a $150 charge plus difference in airfares? (Their “best” customers would actually feel appreciated)
- … sent an occasional email with deals on flights between city pairs that I am actually interested in instead of sending a list of 30 where only two include my home departure airport? (They would be taking advantage of easily accessible data from my flight history)
- … sent me correspondence addressed to my “real” name instead of “Dear Mr. Hanifin”? (I’ve participated in plenty of surveys and they don’t know this yet? All they have to do is ask)
- … stopped sending me irrelevant coupons for golf and ski vacations when I don’t play golf and haven’t skied in years? (They would build relationship with me with better prospect of creating loyalty while suppressing a mercenary mentality about frequent flyer programs)
- … start using their data to build predictive models that encouraged more business? (The flow of business dictates my choice of airline more than any other factor. Can’t they remember me as the Platinum I was two years ago and offer incentives as a “welcome back” when they notice I’ve flown their airline 20 times in 6 months?)
- … were gracious enough to send their frequent flyers an email explaining their decisions to change program rules, charge for bags, eliminate pillows and blankets, etc? (They would be fostering relationships rather than treating all customers the same)
- … realized that the friendly-voiced announcements inviting passengers to take a cobrand credit card application or join their frequent flyer program are negated by the flight attendants who insist that the aisle is theirs and rip your kneecaps off if you dare stray past the invisible line? (They would be acknowledging that customer loyalty is the quotient of a great customer experience equation)
- … admitted that travel between the US & Canada is not “domestic”? (It is only so as defined in baggage charge policies. Travelers would appreciate an explanation, the more transparent, the better)
- … found a way to be profitable without using their customers – even the best ones – as their path to profitability? (Flyers are weary of the continual excuses about saving costs while they shoulder more charges and endure diminished in-flight experience)
Don’t mistake these questions as whiny complaints from a shattered frequent flyer.
The airlines could answer each question, except the last one, without much fuss and discover new ways to engage their best customers, burn mileage liability, and improve the flight experience.
What do you think? Does this fly?
