Is there value in a specific forum for airing airline complaints on AFF?

[dajop]

I have been participating in AFF for a while now, and I don't know whether it's a sign of the times, or a sign of the increasing popularity of AFF, but there does seem to be an increase in the number and type of complaints about air travel experiences. Some are by established members, others by new ( but eager to contribute members) and others simply are hit and runs.

Is there value in admin or mods setting up Airline Complaints/Feedback (or something better worded title) forum or subforum on AFF where such complaints can be aired - with a set of guidelines/rules for such feedback (eg. providing details about the experience rather than just "for reasons I won't go into here type of issue", a committment to respond to further questions from other members, and even some advice to sometimes expect fairly frank replies..")

This is distinct from other types of feedback such as "Trip Reports", which are more than just highlighting problems, or even discussions on specific airlines and their FF programs.

Just a suggestion, happy to be shot down on this one (will it simply feed the beast?), but I only make it as there seem to be a lot of these sorts of posts/threads littering other forums at the moment.

Oops just looked a thread title what I meant is a forum for airing airline compliants on AFF, but of course can't edit the thread title.

 

[docjames]

I would think it's a good idea, but would need significant moderator time to "supervise".

It would help to stem gripes / complaints out from general discussions or TRs.

 

[markis10]

So your complaining about AFF not having a complaints area for airline complaints

I am not sure if there should be such an area to be frank, the issue with complaints on the net is they often dont give the full details and you have to tease them out, and if we have a special area then there is the chance AFF becomes the default venue for such complaints.

I imagine the volume of complaints will increase if we have an area, that may overshadow the good being done elsewhere.

 

[harvyk]

I think there is some value provided it is centered around fixing the issue at hand, rather than a simple negative rant, especially the "I won't go into full details" threads.

 

[PaulC83]

I think it is a sign of the times that AFF is becoming more popular, not just for people seeking information for like interests but just general web posting / venting / seeking ways to circumvent normal processes (such as asking for priority numbers etc.)

It is a problem with a "public" forum that anyone is allowed to come in and post, which is certainly the way we want it, but it comes with the downsides of the modern uses of the internet, where people expect the whole web to act like google (answering whatever they ask, and sometimes continually searching until they get the answer they want not what they need).

I think there is value in adding the sub forum you suggest, however, as for a wider AFF future, I think there will be more and more hit and runs......

 

[harvyk]

I think there is value in adding the sub forum you suggest, however, as for a wider AFF future, I think there will be more and more hit and runs......

A little OT (sort of) I believe hit and run threads should be deleted once we suspect it is a hit and run.

It's not like hit and runs are hard to spot, and they don't really add anything to the forum.

 

[tuppaware]

Google search is a wonderful thing as its how I found my way here. But as I have seen on other forums (not air related ones) a complaints forum can be useful for example , on whirlpool.net.au many ISP's have reps that can and do post on behalf of the companies , this also gives the company a chance to read real feedback from all sections of a market.

 

[munitalP]

Although on reading the 1st post and agreeing, I have since (by the time I reached the POST button) changed my mind.

Too often the hit and runs contribute nothing to this site, its a means to vent and thats it. Frankly, I'm happy to read gripes - sometimes participating in the discussion, frequently not, but the fact there is no "complaints department" on AFF makes it quite self regulating, and I think that positioning ourselves without the complaints department perhaps lowers the hit and runners...

my thoughts anyway...


Mr!

 

[markis10]

" on whirlpool.net.au many ISP's have reps that can and do post on behalf of the companies , this also gives the company a chance to read real feedback from all sections of a market.

You mean whingepool as its known by many of the reps, including myself, at least we dont have a prevalence of school kids here!

 

[anat0l]

I don't think we need another forum for airline complaints.

My main gripe (no puns) about having a separate forum for complaints is that the one forum will contain gripes for all the airlines. There is some value at the moment for people to see complaints alongside other threads in the same FF forum. There is a minor issue about complaints on airlines which are not represented by their own forum here, but that is a minor issue.

The other thing is that a thread which starts as a question can often evolve into a series of complaints or compliments. As we've seen, threads can really take on a multitude of different sub-threads, moods and characters varying from information vaults to arguments.

So those are my reasons. You mightn't agree

 

[samh004]

I guess a benefit to such a forum would be a set of guidelines that could be stickied of what info is useful to be posted along with the gripe, instead of the way it is generally now where certain bits are left out of stories.

I think it’s fine the way it is now though, and with the don’t fly jetstar and velocity sucks websites being posted here, we now know where to send at least 2 sets of people should they want to speak out even more

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Those 'hit and run's are telling thousands of people about their experience through search engine listings. Gone are the days of 1 bad experience = tell 20 people. Now it's have 1 and tell millions.

Of course, for airlines it's only for international where there are more than 4 airlines and market share has a chance of changing.

The dropoff won't show on an airlines bottom line yet but as their customers age and GenY start flying more (and paying for premium fares), this will show up strongly and the airline will lose value in an intangible way.

All this ranting eats away at their brand, and that isthe future of their company - companies need to protect their brand.

When it finally does show up on their balance sheets it will be like terminal cancer that is eating away at their bottom line.

Too much good time and not enough hard time!

Starwood Lurker and SPG is a great example of a company winnig the high disposable dollars of genY, and their upward trending loyalty reflects this investment.


(excuse the candidness, all part of the 'real world' job - I see this all the time )

 

[JohnK]

I don't think we need another forum for airline complaints.

My main gripe (no puns) about having a separate forum for complaints is that the one forum will contain gripes for all the airlines. There is some value at the moment for people to see complaints alongside other threads in the same FF forum. There is a minor issue about complaints on airlines which are not represented by their own forum here, but that is a minor issue.

I can see merit with both sides but I do agree that it is nice to have threads in the specific area of complaint eg. Qantas, Virgin, Amex etc.

Sure we do get a lot of hit and runs but I see no problem for regular contributors to AFF to post complaints or even negative rants. Most times these threads will/can contain valuable information while other times they degenerate into slanging matches.

I guess what I am trying to say is that negative rants can be as useful as positive rants....

 

[harvyk]

Those 'hit and run's are telling thousands of people about their experience through search engine listings. Gone are the days of 1 bad experience = tell 20 people. Now it's have 1 and tell millions.

Of course, for airlines it's only for international where there are more than 4 airlines and market share has a chance of changing.

The dropoff won't show on an airlines bottom line yet but as their customers age and GenY start flying more (and paying for premium fares), this will show up strongly and the airline will lose value in an intangible way.

All this ranting eats away at their brand, and that isthe future of their company - companies need to protect their brand.

When it finally does show up on their balance sheets it will be like terminal cancer that is eating away at their bottom line.

Too much good time and not enough hard time!

Starwood Lurker and SPG is a great example of a company winnig the high disposable dollars of genY, and their upward trending loyalty reflects this investment.


(excuse the candidness, all part of the 'real world' job - I see this all the time )

Tipping_the_rift.

My experience is that people who search out opinions on a specific company already have an opinion on that company and are simply looking for validation of that opinion. (eg I think airline X sucks, oh good there are 30,000 other people who agree with me).

You also need to remember that whilst it's frequently that people post complaints online, it's rare that they post complements online, which means that no matter what airline you wish to fly, you'll find someone who has a complaint about it.