The long-term view?
I echo all the above sentiments. Especially the minumum miles and the "member file history" ie. "member since 199x, x.y million miles earned"...
Successful loyalty "management" is a long term thing. I would say I was successfully "cornered" by SR/Qualiflyer well over 10 years ago in my "cheap" student flying days and have stayed ever since - now they get my better-revenue C class business too, as well as the "leisure" fares holidays / outings. If I was starting out these days, I don't think I'd have ever been "hooked" by the conditions say fro LH flights in Europe credited to STC.
Whilst I can cope with somewhat reduced miles for the real cheapies - say 50% for the bottom two booking classes, no miles at all (LH in L/T class on STC) and no minimums in Europe on LH for STC (actual mileage only) leaves me thinking: "why on earth should I bother". The new LH on STC earning within Europe has actively hindered me from booking LH short haul. -"Welcome back on board yet again sir, care for a slap in the face for your naughty cheap flight today?"
EasyJet, Air Berlin and all the rest are not bad options - similar/lower fare / similar service. What's Air Berlins ff system look like?
LH appear to have modeled their new system to some extent on the "high-revenue-preferred" BA executive club, roughly the same time as the EC started to give miles for cheaper fares - up from zero in many cases in economy.
Since the European operations of most of the network carriers seem to be racking up a deficit, surely every passenger they can claw back from the low cost outfits (and let's face it, a sprinkling of virtual currency (miles) is a pretty cheap way of doing so, esp. when they are in control of award inventory) would help.
Rgds
Marvin (living in hope!)