4 ms·

I'd be suprised if flightcaster does not shut down or significantly change direction within 2 years.

by maxklein 17y ago

Maktab 17y ago
Any particular reason why?
- maxklein 17y ago
  Because they won't make money with their current approach.
  - dmix 17y ago
    It seems they'd be a prime acquisition target from major airlines. An investment could keep them afloat until that is realized.
    - borism 17y ago
      Did you mean... an investment in airline x could keep airline x afloat, right?
- axod 17y ago
  It solves a problem for a niche within a niche. Market size is extremely small IMHO. And I'd doubt people are willing to pay for it.
  - Poiesis 17y ago
    I agree to a point. If they end up being reasonably successful in predicting this information, and they can convince enough people of this, then someone's willing to pay for it. The latter problem is probably the tougher one. If people believe it works, you could sell to, say, business travelers--or more obviously someone like Fedex.
catch23 17y ago
maybe flightcaster can predict their future with their technology :-)
paulgb 17y ago
You could say that about every startup and be right much of the time.
skmurphy 17y ago
Business people who fly a lot would be willing to pay quite a bit for a service that they could use to save time and travel headaches. That seems to me to be the niche that they should focus on near term. One question that's not clear to me, which they could offer in retrospective analysis, how often can they make a recommendation that actually improves your arrival time. For example, if an airport is blocked by snow or thunderstorms then switching to a different flight that goes to the same airport may have no effect. What I didn't understand were the kinds of problems that they could not only detect, but offer an alternative that had a higher probability of arrival within a desired window. I don't see that explained on their website either.
timcederman 17y ago
I'm worried they will end up like TripIt.
- icey 17y ago
  What happened with TripIt??
  - timcederman 17y ago
    Nothing, which I guess is kind of the point. I'm still wondering how they plan to monetize or get acquired. I would've thought they'd've been one of the best acquisitions targets out there.

I'd be suprised if flightcaster does not shut down or significantly change direction within 2 years.

Maktab 17y ago

Any particular reason why?

maxklein 17y ago
Because they won't make money with their current approach.
- dmix 17y ago
  It seems they'd be a prime acquisition target from major airlines. An investment could keep them afloat until that is realized.
  - borism 17y ago
    Did you mean... an investment in airline x could keep airline x afloat, right?
axod 17y ago
It solves a problem for a niche within a niche. Market size is extremely small IMHO. And I'd doubt people are willing to pay for it.
- Poiesis 17y ago
  I agree to a point. If they end up being reasonably successful in predicting this information, and they can convince enough people of this, then someone's willing to pay for it. The latter problem is probably the tougher one. If people believe it works, you could sell to, say, business travelers--or more obviously someone like Fedex.

catch23 17y ago

maybe flightcaster can predict their future with their technology :-)

paulgb 17y ago

You could say that about every startup and be right much of the time.

skmurphy 17y ago

Business people who fly a lot would be willing to pay quite a bit for a service that they could use to save time and travel headaches. That seems to me to be the niche that they should focus on near term. One question that's not clear to me, which they could offer in retrospective analysis, how often can they make a recommendation that actually improves your arrival time. For example, if an airport is blocked by snow or thunderstorms then switching to a different flight that goes to the same airport may have no effect. What I didn't understand were the kinds of problems that they could not only detect, but offer an alternative that had a higher probability of arrival within a desired window. I don't see that explained on their website either.

timcederman 17y ago

I'm worried they will end up like TripIt.

icey 17y ago
What happened with TripIt??
- timcederman 17y ago
  Nothing, which I guess is kind of the point. I'm still wondering how they plan to monetize or get acquired. I would've thought they'd've been one of the best acquisitions targets out there.