Airline loyalty programs tough for fliers to decipher, says US watchdog

A govt watchdog took a peek behind the curtain of airline frequent-flier programs and thought the DoT could do a better job investigating complaints about them. Travellers filed 76 complaints against airlines over loyalty programs from 2012 through 2014, according to an inspector general’s report Monday. The watchdog checked 36 of those complaints and found 4, or 11%, deserved greater scrutiny. Frequent-flier programs have drawn attention recently as American, Delta and United have shifted their programs to award miles not on how far customers fly, but rather on how much they spend. Airlines determine the availability of award seats based on actual demand and a complex forecast for future demand. But they don’t publicly share how many miles travellers are redeeming for specific trips. <br/>