Hopefully this is a new trend. Working in customer service myself, I've been DISSAPPOINTED with CO and their recovery system for 'service failures.' This is an easy way to generate goodwill without spending too much of their money.

Perhaps I just got bad CSRs when I tried to resolve the issues? An automated "here are some miles for the trouble," will help people like me who get bad service and don't have the time to call back again and again.
3000 miles wouldn't have made up for some of my issues, but it would have been better than the nothing I received.

Small miles award for weather inconvenience is cheap for CO, and gives some goodwill with FTers. Ma and Pa Kettle will be upset no matter what, but the regular travelers know weather delays are a valid excuse and will appreciate the token gesture of 500 miles.