I hate to open up this discussion again, but I am somewhat forced by reading this. This, as well as several other similar postings mean that, sooner or later, A3 will change its rules making it stricter to earn and keep gold status: According to proof et al. A3 should be charged by its *A partners for all possible benefits to its members (e.g. lounge and free luggage), but would get zero profit from crediting miles to M&B. My fear, if the worse case scenario happens, deals with the restrictions for those of us who become M&B gold the hard way (flying A3). Needless to say that I couldn't care less about everybody else who only thinks of how to milk the system.

Let me finish this with a curse: Let all people who think this way be convinced that this is easy and doable, and let them spend time after trying it writing numerous emails to different programs because they would get zero credit!