Wisdom of this forum

[davidjohnson6]

Since joining this website forum, I've seen the plans of many airlines and airports being debated. Typically when multiple members of the crowd here express concern or puzzlement about a business plan, there will be a few dissenters but the majority are typically proven right within 12 months. Possibly having no emotional attachment (e.g. giving an opinion without being dependent on a salary from the company) allows freedom of expression in a way that an employee cannot tell their boss than an idea is stupid
I'm puzzled therefore as to why airlines do not have some sort of trusted focus groups to gain the opinion of many of the old grey heads that lurk here, before spending millions on plans doomed to failure. The general ethos here seems to be of encouraging airlines to start up and expand their businesses in a stable and robust way and avoid diving into great steaming piles of red ink manure.
Could such a focus group work reliably, and without risking information leaking out to the wider public ? Has it been tried before ?

[PAXboy]

I worked in telecommunications and IT for 27 years, across many different sectors and in different countries: Retail, Local government, Finance, Global container business, the U.N etc. I am in these forums as a pax of 57 years and counting.

It is my experience that corporate/mgmt groups make the same mistakes. It does not matter the size of the company but they all make very similar mistakes. It is highly frustrating for those in the 'ranks'. For the last 20 years, I have been working freelance in another field altogether and work with companies of all sizes. Guess what? The Bosses always now best.

Sorry to hit you with a downer but the mgmt I have met will only listen on very rare occaisions.

[P330]

I think they do (or at least did).

I’m a platinum for life member of KLM. At some point, I got asked to join a focus group and being interested in aviation, as well as a regular traveller, I said yes.

The forum was run by a third party. Essentially, we were handed topics, questions or topics to discuss every few months. We were also free to start conversations ourselves. Periodically, a KLM employee would join in and provide direct feedback.

Loved being part of it. Sometimes, we got to hear things ahead of time. I remember being asked what they should call their extra legroom economy seats at the front of long haul; I suggested economy comfort and they took it and ran with it. I remember being quite chuffed at that when they rolled it out.

We talked about routes, service levels, comfort level, flight experience, airport experience, food, perks, what is important to different demographics etc….

Was quite an insightful time!

[BA318]

I think they do (or at least did).

I’m a platinum for life member of KLM. At some point, I got asked to join a focus group and being interested in aviation, as well as a regular traveller, I said yes.

The forum was run by a third party. Essentially, we were handed topics, questions or topics to discuss every few months. We were also free to start conversations ourselves. Periodically, a KLM employee would join in and provide direct feedback.

Loved being part of it. Sometimes, we got to hear things ahead of time. I remember being asked what they should call their extra legroom economy seats at the front of long haul; I suggested economy comfort and they took it and ran with it.

Was quite an insightful time!

Lots of carriers do this. BA did it for a while (although it felt like it made no difference) and I am on a panel for Finnair.

[SWBKCB]

I'm puzzled therefore as to why airlines do not have some sort of trusted focus groups to gain the opinion of many of the old grey heads that lurk here, before spending millions on plans doomed to failure. The general ethos here seems to be of encouraging airlines to start up and expand their businesses in a stable and robust way and avoid diving into great steaming piles of red ink manure.

Hmm - bit of selective reading of Pprune here! Plenty of advice as to how dive into red ink on these pages.

In fact, airlines already have this resource - their employees...

[Pain in the R's]

i don’t think anyone here or the airlines have grasped any aspect of global warming, as they just don’t care. The Dutch government have and other governments will follow to restrict routes and services whether the airline managements like it or not. In the U.K. we have a boiler ban and compulsory electric vehicles coming soon yet the government reduces air passenger duty to encourage people to fly. This is a conflict of its commitment to reduce burning fossil fuels, so it is only a matter before there is a reversal of policy. I feel the days of long term growth with new routes being started will be coming to an end. Not because they are not viable but because it will be unacceptable.

[P330]

Hmm - bit of selective reading of Pprune here! Plenty of advice as to how dive into red ink on these pages.

In fact, airlines already have this resource - their employees...

Yes, I would agree.

For me their key focus groups should be travellers (after all, they are their customers). All large organisations should also have some internal employee resource group too.

As for general enthusiasts; I'm sure there are some who could really contribute well whilst others would just bankrupt the airline.

[Buster the Bear]

I gave up predicting how long and airline would last having given easyJet 6 months back in November 95!

Mind you, any airport situated on the coast, needs a bomb proof business plan, as half it's potential market are fish!

[Mr Mac]

We have corporate deal with LH/SQ/EK and are asked for feedback quite regularly. When we were in UK we used to have the same with BA but then after some semi disastrous experiences we dropped them. They did not realise for over 12 months. I think they thought we had gone bust.

Mrs Mac still flies with them but I have not been on a BA flight since long before Covid. The last one being up from BA. Not missed.

Cheers
Mr Mac