Your half right Jeyna...the people who have lost sight of the purpose of the FF programs is airline management. They have turned it into a revenue enhancenment by selling miles to companies as incentives, as well as MCI, hotels and car rentals, investment houses and mortgages. Unfortunately, they now have a mileage liability that they try to ignore.
Your TRUE FF believes in the following unwritten contract:
"I will fly your airline and give it as much business as possible.....I may pay higher fare....I will forego direct flights,.... I will fly north to go south.....I will accept inferior service......I will fly on inferior equiptment on that route.....I will put up with your delays..........IN RETURN...YOU WILL TREAT ME SPECIAL".
That is the part the airlines have forgotten!!!!