Hi Kunoichi,
<<That doesn't matter what the other countries do. We should not use miles because we don't learn miles here in Australia. We use the metric system.>>
90& of the counrties I list were metric - the issue is why do you have to learn miles? Do you know the distance from SYD-HKG in kms? All you want to know is how many points it takes to get a reward. As discussed previously this will be listed in metric and city pair combinations - so you don't need to know kms or miles to any destinations.
As for what other countries do - it does make a difference. One global currency is a huge bonus for Aussie members - as discussed previously many members exploit the AN/UA metric/miles differences. This will make Aussie points worth the same as all other major FF currencies.
Redemptions on other carriers are becomming increasing important to more members.
<<How many schools are going to start teaching miles, just because Qantas decided to take a step back in time and use an old fashioned system?>>
Makes no difference on the measurement side - as disucussed above. You do not need to know distances in either kms or miles.
<<I'm sure that one Mexican airline used KMs, too, because of the huge kerfufle about them giving points in KMs, not Miles, for AA points... I've also heard rumours that BA will be going metric, too.>>
Why did BA just rename their program "BA MILES"?
I don't follow too many mexican FF programs - but I am unsure of any that operate in kms.
<<That's an idiotic statment if I've ever heard one. Do you really believe that the current Qantas "shut out the rest of the world" because it's in KMs? You really actually believe that Qantas has has its head burried in the sand just because it uses the measurment system of its home country?>>
As discussed previously - you now have one currency that works/worth the same across all international airlines. If you only travel domestically it is not important. What happens if you want an upgrade on AA or a flight from HKG to BKK on CX - do you duplicate every partners table in a different currency - what happens when they change their tables?
Cheers... Bruce