One option to "square the circle" would be to have the ability to spend FlyBe points in lieu of change fees - Rawtenstall's experience suggests it would be value-adding and the customer would obviously need to have at least some FF points.
Maybe that will happen. Slide 23 on FlyBe's Investor Relations presentation from 08/11/2012 outline a number of initiatives, and I think they have all happened except one described as "New FFP". If so, I hope they focus on finding ways to create value rather than just looking at the FFP as a short-term cost to be chipped away.
@SDRYH. I hope FlyBe survive and propser too. Maybe my experience is atypical, but my experience of going to DUS is almost entirely positive. The E-175 is much better than the LH CRJ-900, timings are good for me, punctuality is excellent (except when things go tits up at DUS late evening, due to curfew). Pity the terminal at BHX is so grotty (particularly compared to DUS).