Good question for clarification. W/O easy access medallion levels and the like to "tempt" customers into selecting the higher cost airlines during a time that higher levels of scrutiny are placed on travel expenditures, customers will default to the path of least resistance. In simple terms, why should someone take flack for buying a 900 ticket when the 500 ticket was available from a DL competitor. DL has to give some sort of additional spiff/incentive above and beyong normal miles, to get people to go there in these times.