Comments on: What Is the Deal with American’s Blog?

By: CF

CF — Fri, 30 May 2008 18:36:32 +0000

Yes, Benet – that was Billy’s response . . . “Yes, we have been a little too quite.” That was it. Strange.

By: Benet Wilson

Benet Wilson — Fri, 30 May 2008 18:10:59 +0000

Cranky – I’d think the $15 fee was pertinent. And a blog post would have put a personal touch on the decision behind the fee. It was a missed opportunity for American. Cranky – did you email or call Billy to see what the dealio is with the blog?

By: CF

CF — Fri, 30 May 2008 04:35:25 +0000

Albert - I seem to remember seeing that awhile. Most Facebook apps don't do anything, but this one actually does seem to do something. Here's an article on it.

By: Albert

Albert — Fri, 30 May 2008 04:23:57 +0000

Did you know American also had a Facebook app??? I thought that was more surprising than the blog … anyone here know what it actually does?

By: CF

CF — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:11:24 +0000

That’s great, Benet. I had forgotten about that. So, he says “I just want to get pertinent information out that resonates with our customers.” Does that mean that the $15 bag fee isn’t pertinent info? There’s something weird going on over there.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:38:30 +0000

I just got an email that tells me that since I am American Gold that I will still be able to check two bags for FREE. Yeehaw. Unfortunately I have learned the checking bags lesson the hard way. I showed up for a job with no dress clothes.

When will they start charging for overstuffed roll-aboards? Here are some money making suggestions:

1. Charge for lap children.. at the going market rate.
2. $100 fine if they cry.

I predict the following:

1. A decrease in “family flying” as costs rise and deals become a thing of the past.
2. A decrease in flights, with more attention to business travel: one flight in the AM and one in the PM rather than 6 RJs.
3. A decrease in airport congestion because of the reduction in the number of flights.
4. A decrase in the number of airlines.
5. More attention on competition.. with airlines courting the business flyer rather than pandering unabashedly to the family one time a year flyer.

Is this all bad?

By: Benet Wilson

Benet Wilson — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:32:12 +0000

I learned about the AA blog in April, when I was chatting with their Corp Comm VP Roger Frizzel. I actually did an interview with their blogger, Billy Sanez, for Aviation Daily and a post on our Things With Wings blog on April 21. Here’s what he said about the blog: “We will have others in corporate communications helping, and we’ll see if we will include guest bloggers from other areas of American,” he said. “I will post as necessary. I don’t want to say that I’ll post once a day or six times a week. I just want to get pertinent information out that resonates with our customers.

I’ll leave the interpretation up to you kids.

By: bryan in san francisco

bryan in san francisco — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:31:46 +0000

ha ha. so sad. you can’t manufacture popular blogs.

By: Becky

Becky — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:37:54 +0000

I didn’t know about any of these blogs, so thanks for enlightening me!

By: Zach

Zach — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:21:09 +0000

I don’t frequent airline blogs, but it seems as though it’s more a question of marketing than interface. Perhaps AA isn’t confident that a blog really fits with their image/business model, so they’re holding off on marketing it until they can make up their minds as to whether or not they even want to bother with it.

Apologies–this is way off the subject–but did you hear that US Airways is eliminating free pretzels/peanuts from their domestic service (including transcon flights)?