Anyone who blames the ff programs for the problems that the industry is not thinking straight.The only profitable part of many U.S airlines today is there ff programs and with a further reduction of them people will vote with there feet.Lets remember air canada had a deal to sell a stake in there program to onex and united was rumored to be thinking about the same.
If the airlines believe reducing FF benefits except to full fare pax will increase the number of full F/J/Y tickets sold they are full of themselves.I dobut most companies will allow workers to spend 2x the price in order to get more ff miles or to upgrade.With airlines like FL and B6 expanding routes and in FL's case adding an elite level to there FF program which by the way im told gives Biz class upgrades and waviers of change/cancelation fee's people will vote with there feet.To all the people who cry the LCC's dont go anywhere i can use miles on for vacation well try to get standard award on a certain airline to europe.You will probably end up being told you have to buy a 100k award.Devaluation of miles like this keep bluring the line between the some service carriers and the LCC's
-howie