That seems like an alarmist statement. For everything you do [for the most part], there is someone that is going to take that to the extreme. The people who do those mileage runs are fairly rare in the grand scheme of things. They are fairly annoying.

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Why do these people exist? I think that this in a way is a protest in response to the airlines and the way that they do business. Realistically, individuals have little power in exercising their disapproval of treatment by the airlines or from the effects of business decisions. (I.e. Award devaluations, stripping out connections to hubs at airports, monopolies over airports (I.e. CLT pre Southwest) Even as a group.. an airline won't respond to a person not flying with them.