Following some of the threads many FT'ers still think ff miles are rewards from the airlines for loyalty and using their services. That was true when they originally created the system but now we are just an unimportant leftover in the middle of a gigantic pyramid scheme.
Several years back the legacy carriers created a second business arm in addition to their primary (flying people to destinations), called selling miles. Any company from banks to credit card firms, from flower shops to gift stores could buy miles from the carriers to offer to their clients. These mile sales added up to billions of pure revenue for the airlines (no delivery of any kind of service to the companies who bought them). So, to continue this money flow they signed up more and more companies. Now with the opportunity to earn miles with nearly every transaction, there are probably trillions of miles out and the percentage of people actually accumulating enough miles to redeem is growing rapidly. Now we are getting to the point where the pyramid scheme starts to unravel. First step: Avoid, delay (no award seats available) or dilute the delivery of the product you sold. Thats where we are now!
You know what the second step iin a classic pyramid scheme is !!!!