Originally Posted by GUWonder
A SkyMiles redemption means DL would have less outstanding liability for SkyMiles. That's a real money entry on Delta's books.
Do you think there is an airline out there that gives a damn about outstanding miles? Reducing that amount merely makes the SkyMiles balance look different on the world wide web. Yes, of course, accounts can have a field day with manipulating those numbers but at the end of the day, if the miles are never redeemed, they are never a liability.