If you’ve been in aviation for some time, you’re probably familiar with the Freddie Awards. In fact, that’s where I gave one of my first keynotes on social media for the airline industry. In fact, in May 2009, I also had the opportunity to interview Randy Petersen, the man behind the awards, right here on SimpliFlying. Alas, that same year, it was announced that the Freddie Awards would end, leaving no one to speak for the frequent traveler.

Now, the folks at Airline Information have taken up the challenge to honor the best airline loyalty programs, at their Mega Awards ceremony next week in Montreal. And in the Freddie Awards tradition, the Mega Awards also have a public voting component, which will determine the People’s Choice Awards. Voting is now open (till 13 Oct) and you can vote here: http://ow.ly/2Qyqx

While it is probably difficult to replace the Freddies, I think the Mega Awards are a step in the right direction. The best part is that the awards will be presented by Freddie Laker Jr. himself!

I will be …

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Continuing my conversation with Randy Petersen – probably the world’s best known frequent flyer – we chat about the relevance of social media to airlines, the future of Flyertalk and Randy’s predictions for aviation in 2009.
Frequent Flyers + Web 2.0
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Traditionally, travelers have picked frequent flyer programs for convenience, not always because they are the best program.

But today, they choose a program because of its merits, because the Internet is open and it breaks down boundaries. “Self-selecting… is the biggest testimony of a good program”, Randy claims.

Randy believes that most of the current business travelers are going to retire soon and will be replaced by the next generation that lives and breathes social media. These customers are going to be totally immersed into it, and airlines need to adopt it sooner than later. Exactly the same point I’ve been trying to make in my recent articles on airline branding and social media.
Flyertalk as the next Web 2.0 powerhouse?
Flyertalk, a community for frequent flyers Randy started 11 years ago is one of the most popular of its kind out there. Though Flyertalk wasn’t started as a social media …

“True brand loyalists should ideally fly due to a deep emotional connection, not just miles.”

“Your most valuable customer is like your best friend. He’s there with you even in the tough times.”

These are just a couple of gems Randy Petersen shares in his interview with SimpliFlying, Live from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. For those who’re not aware, Randy is the man behind InsideFlyer and Flyertalk.com. He is the champion of frequent fliers around the world, and the organizer of the Freddies.

Randy and I met on the sidelines of the 21st annual Freddies and the FTMA Conference. At the conference itself, Randy led the panel discussion with me, after my keynote on airline branding and Web 2.0. It was an honor to be on the stage with the aviation industry stalwart and interview him for SimpliFlying afterwards.
Is a frequent flier a loyal customer? Nope.
Randy feels that the current miles as an incentive system only shows you frequency of travel, but doesn’t show you recommendation, it doesn’t show you passion. And hence it doesn’t even prove loyalty.
Lessons from Apple and …