Originally Posted by
motytrah
Well, perhaps some DL folks can pipe in about the AF/DL relationship in terms of forced program moves?
In the NW/KL system, if you were a US based WP member and moved to the EU they transferred you and your miles/EQM to KLs FF system. If the new JV enforces those kinds of rules that could act as a firewall for the KL/AF FF program oddities.
That was a wall that was easily overcome but the motivation to circumvent it wasn't as large in the years before as it is today given what AF-KL have done to devalue the AF-KL program in terms of mileage earning and redemption for travel. If that AF-KL service change -- devaluation in service -- doesn't get mirrored by the JV partner, then more and more AF-KL customers will be running circles around that JV-related restriction than was the case previously.