beaubo

It's challenging enough to have to figure out the byzantine workings of each of the airlines/FFP 'inventory management' and/or 'capacity contols' when trying to hunt down a Business or First Class seat.

But, I have been made aware recently that the airlines are actually selling Business Class seats to CONSOLIDATORS, which even further restricts the already limited availability of J(maybe F too?) seats.

For Coach seats, I understand that airlines hedge their bets by selling blocks of seats to consolidators. Since the coach cabin represents 85-95% of the total cabin, I don't suppose consolidators make a very big dent in award redemptions in Coach.

But, with J/F class representing on average under 10% of each airplane's inventory, when an airline sells such seats to consolidators, that truly handicaps award redemption availability, especially when we are already handicapped by 'capacity control' policies by the airlines.

I don't begrudge the airlines pursuing aggressive strategies to return to profitability. Consolidators clearly have a role to play in that process.

But letting consolidators encroach into the hallowed territory of J seats seems to have left FFP members in the double whammy situation of restricted access to J awards/UGS due to 'capacity controls' AND consolidators straining the supply of J seats.

Since its FFPs elite members that primarily have enough status and/or miles to qualify for awards/UGs in the J cabin, is it reasonable to strongly suggest to the airlines that they eliminate or at least moderate the amount of consolidator access to the Business Class inventory?