+1 I think the system/technology is working exactly as they want it to. From my experience over the last three trips, I did get CPU's, but instead of at the T-72 mark, it was at the T-14 - T-24 mark. At least using the timing of the emails I received.

No doubt they are protecting F seats for tod's, buy ups, instruments, etc. In fact in my travels last week, I heard from an employee that Management has been told they cannot book F for Business travel. If true, I think that shows they are wanting to eeck out every bit of value from the seats that provide incremental revenue. Makes sense if you are trying to get your financials back on track. However, it might be at the expense of an opportunity cost by shrinking the parameters of the FFP and continuing to alienate their frequent customers.

I believe they have found themselves walking a very fine line not knowing which strategy to execute. Short-term by making an attempt to shore up revenue and possibly at the expense of long-term health, or satisfy the FF's and HVF's which just might take a while to re-capture, at the expense of short term results. It would have been so much easier to do the "right" thing from the get-go. Poor strategy, if any, from the beginning, mediocre execution and terrible results. Wouldn't want to be in their shoes and they only have themselves to blame.