Originally Posted by
flyingfran
"If" I ever find an award ticket available, I imagine I will be happy to pay $50 to use it. I cannot fill up my car for $50, so a fuel sur-charge does not seem unreasonable to me. "If" I am ever able to use an award ticket, I am confident that the fuel sur-charge will appear like a bargain. My problem with award tickets is finding any to begin with. The fact that they seem so scarce seems to me to be almost as deceptive as adding a sur-charge, and it also seems to me that DL has a perfect way to control whatever economic problem caused by award tickets, simply by making them scarce.
As one potential voice of experience from a program that has already moved in the direction DL is taking I can say this: although I pay stiff surcharges, I can get just about any award ticket I want for the lowest redemption rate in miles from AFKL FB's program. Availability is pretty darn good. International First Class redemption with limosine service, La Croix pyjamas & true lie flat bed? Just a small premium over business rates. Last minute Business class tickets to exotic locations? No problem. Economy transatlantic tickets on the dates I want (although sometimes with creative routings)?You bet, coming right up.
The sooner the disconnect is solved between award yield and sales yield the better award availability will become for all.