Why don't airlines blog? They're in the customer service business. They transport hundreds of thousands of people every hour, every day. They have an urgent need to communicate. But, they don't. Either communicate. Or blog.  In fact, most airlines attitudes rival the Kremlin under Stalin.(that often includes their flight attendants, but that's a different story)

Enter Flyertalk. It's a powerful idea. A community bulletin board for Frequent Travelers covering all airlines, rental cars, hotel chains, and travel situations. Certainly,  the most informed community  about airline travel today. Main stream media journalists automatically turn to FlyerTalk for traveler or airline stories.

People contribute to FlyerTalk because they travel a lot. Like the woman who did 18 return US-Australia trips last year. In economy. Qantas should have tracked her down and put her in an ad.

Like the big range of people who are UGS on United. UGS?  United special privilege club they award to very heavy travelers who contribute huge revenue to them each year.

Some of these people wrack up huge post numbers. 35,000 or 26,000. An average of ten posts a day. 4000 a year. Over years and years. Heavy travelers. Heavy writers.

Consequently, FlyerTalkers spot nonsense a mile off. Can rip the pretensions of the airlines to bits in seconds. Have analyzed every seat on planes. Every last bit of service. Can remember when service was good. Comment immediately on anything and everything.

Its part of their love/hate airline relationships. Example. FlyerTalkers turned out in large numbers, on their own money, for a meeting with the Continental Chairman and CEO (and execs) about that airline when Continental thought it'd be a bust. Just to get things better.

Interesting isn't it? So much good will and involvement in an independent community. All there for the taking by the airlines. Yet the industry can't see its there for them to pick up and use. That the day of the one way newsletter, email, ad, website; doesn't cut it anymore.

That what travelers want, and airlines need (or basically any business in the customer business) is the immediacy, constant contact and instant feedback of a blog or bulletin board community to sharpen their business and improve their viability. And in the vacuum the airlines have allowed to develop, FlyerTalk is flourishing. And filling a need.