There are many redundant threads on FlyerTalk and I agree most of them are started because the poster didn’t do a search. However, many duplicate threads are started because the title of the original thread wasn’t clear or because off-topic discussion occurred in a previous thread and somebody started a new thread containing that information.

Example #1:
title of original thread: OH MY GOD!!!
title of duplicate thread: DL/CO/NW Alliance Approved

IMHO, the original - not the duplicate – thread should be closed, as its topic wasn’t clear. Personally, I would skip a thread titled “OH MY GOD!!!” However, I’ve seen multiple incidents on FT in which the duplicate thread is either closed or linked to the original thread (to continue discussion in the former); discussion from the original thread should be linked to the duplicate thread and not vice versa. Topics should be clear.

Example #2:
title original thread: Delta Names LCC “Song” Airlines (+thread has a discussion about DL winning Freddies)
title of duplicate thread: DL Wins Freddies!
Delta winning Freddies is off-topic to Delta naming its LCC Song Airlines (or is it Song Air Lines ); it should be perfectly acceptable for somebody to start a new thread and link to the discussion in the previous thread. It should not be acceptable for somebody to lock the duplicate thread. Topics should be coherent.

*I intentionally fabricated the examples, but they’re modeled after actual examples.

Topics on FlyerTalk should be clear and coherent. If they’re not, then they – not duplicate threads – should be linked & locked.

Just my opinion.