My reason for posting here was that the collective wisdom and experience of FTers often yields fast answers and/or helpful suggestions. Sometimes that doesn't happen, in which case one hopes for an authoritative answer from EF.

In either case the exchange will be seen by other FTers -- both now, by thread subscribers, and later by anyone searching for "unhelpful notications" or "ExpertFlyer alerts triggered without apparent underlying change".

I'm sure it's only a matter of time before EF gets back to me (and the FT community) with something more helpful than "contact EF".