Gaucho, you make a great point. That being said, I don't think that FF programs are loyalty programs really, they are rebate or discount programs. They give you rebates and perks for flying so many miles or buying a certain fare or whatever.
We the flying public choose which carrier based on how there pricing, schedule, plane layout and comfort, personnel, and FF program effect us. No one part alone usually drives us. We are only "loyal" as long as it benefits us. See many threads as to the effects of changes on anyone of the above mentioned items, and how we the flying public react to any loss of benefit. On the other hand the Air Carrier provides services, perks, and rebates or benefits in order to induce us to fly them. We can change if we find better benefits on another carrier and the carrier can change if it does not like the finacial results of the benefits it offers. What is best for each carrier is certainly debatable. For me UA has reduced enough benefits that I may not continue to use them, I will use AA and look for another carrier that may give me better benefits than UA is now offering. My "loyalty" only goes as far as the benefits currently provided by the carrier. The carriers understand this, I am not sure that many on FT do. It is really that simple.

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dallasflyer