joining us now to explain is aviation expert, michael boyd.ou for joining us today. >> my pleasure. >> all right, so, i've heard about some of these upgrades. to me, it sounds like you're losing out if you're a traveler. what do you think? >> frequent flier programs are obsolete. they were originally put into effect to keep people on the airlines. to keep you on united so you didn't fly piedmont or continental or ozark. they're gone. i have a frequent flier program to give away free seats is obsolete. the planes are full. they're going to be ratcheting these up so they'll only get relief from a lot of incon venuses. >> i've noticed i have to fly to houston to go back to omaha or go to south carolina to get somewhere north. you have to fly twice as far. >> air transportation does not work. the economics don't work for small community and point to point service. as far as these frequent flier programs, i look at them as almost being a union card you have to earn to not get nonperks. if you earn the right union card, booking two people that don't

joining us right now to explain it all, aviation expert and the boyd group chairman, michael boyd. michael, thank you for joining us today. >> my pleasure. >> so i've heard about some of these upgrades coming from these guys. to me, it sounds like you are losing out if you're a traveler. what do you think? >> well, frequent flyer programs are obsolete. they were originally put into effect to keep people on the airline, to keep you on united so you didn't fly continental or piedmont or ozark. all of them are gone. the whole idea of a frequent flyer program was to give away free seats is obsolete. the airplanes are all full. they're going to be ratcheting these programs up where only the top flyers are going to get -- i wouldn't say perks. they're just going to get relief from a lot of inconveniences. >> when you start doing it based on cost instead of mileage, i notice recently that when i fly i have to fly to houston in order to go back to omaha or fly to south carolina to get somewhere north. if it is not a major hub, you have to fly twice as far as you used to. >> air transportat