Originally Posted by GUWonder

I have no doubt that DL will hit hard with devaluing the DL partner airline awards too.

DL did not conclude that chart-based redemption at traditional mileage prices could not be maintained profitably; rather, it could be maintained profitably. But this isn't about maintaining profits and profit margin; instead it's about hitting targeted objectives to increase pay offs for current management and (non-longer-terms) shareholders.

Being profitable isn't sufficient; it's a matter of being more profitable than before. That is why devaluations of the program and its peers is so very expected from the consumer perspective. It doesn't take a thought leader in anything to understand this.