MM,

I think you missed the point of my post:

If a truly successful enterprise was established that allowed people to move points around easily, trade them, etc. then the airlines would do something.

They're designed to reward loyalty. If there's no loyalty, they have no incentive to give something away for free.

You're looking at this only from a consumer's perspective. While, as a consumer, it would be nice to be able to trade and move miles around, as a rational human being, I can see that it is not in an airline's interest for me to be able to do so. Do you get that?

Like I said, be careful what you wish for. If someone figured out an easy way to effectively barter/trade/move miles, the airlines would undoubtedly move to prevent it from occuring, and the only possible outcomes I can think of under that scenario are decidedly negative for the consumer.

Try thinking long term.

I'm debating whether to continue posting in these threads, because I'm starting to think that MM is a characature or plant or something. The truly off-the-wall comments and constant references to "corruption" and acting like it's an us vs. them thing are almost too bizarre to believe.