Merry - I sympathise.

I know that you get a kick out of watching those miles rack up, but truly, when one is travelling as much as you do, whether you have a million or a billion miles becomes irrelevant - the last way you want to spend your leisure time is in the air, and you probably already have more miles than you will ever need.

As you are obliged to travel, you should decide which airline makes the flying experience most pleasant/least draining, and stick with them whenever possible. Rudi might disagree with this advice, but I have a feeling that he has more power over his schedule than you have over yours - I haven't noticed you planning any round the world trips 'for fun'.

Whether you live closer to Heathrow or Gatwick, & which airlines can bring you closest to home may also affect your decision-making: I preferred the relative peace at Gatwick, but Heathrow was definitely more convenient for me... the extra half-hours and stress of crowds definitely adds up.

Choose an airline where the gate agents, support staff and stewards will make the extra effort for you.
(This may well mean Virgin...)

What this all comes down to is pretty much what Catman says: close your eyes, imagine that ff miles simply don't exist, and decide who YOU want to fly with.

Baobab