There is a very interesting discussion on the UA board regarding booking two seats (for "overweight" people) and earning double status miles and bonus miles.

Going on mileage runs is hard enough as we fly for the sole purpose of maximizing our miles. This looks like a great idea as you can effectively double your miles and earn status twice as fast as you would normally. I have a question for the mileage run guru's out there.

1. Which carriers will offer true double status miles and bonuses for booking two seats?

This could change the way mileage runs are conducted as the airlines will be reluctant to force people to buy two tickets if they are "overweight" and then not give them the associated benefits which includes two meals, an empty seat next to them and "double miles". Not providing these associated benefits would definitely put the PC police on them like advocacy groups for obese people.

Any comments are appreciated.

slightly off topic- but i wonder if you booked 2 seat, if you could get bumped off one of them http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Please,

Whatever they do, DO NOT feed them two meals!
How about none, and for every pound they loose in weight they get two bonus miles.


"I can almost hear you getting fatter!"

Most airlines allow you to purchase a 2nd seat for various reasons (large sized, cello, Stephi Graf tennis rackets, pet), however I believe you can only earn FF miles on the 1st ticket. It's probably very easy to code into computer programs to allow allow only the first seat assigned to a frequent flyer number to accumulate miles.

Jeff

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jwhite4:
Most airlines allow you to purchase a 2nd seat for various reasons (large sized, cello, Stephi Graf tennis rackets, pet), however I believe you can only earn FF miles on the 1st ticket.</font>

On the United board, beaubo called MP and found out that the second seat does earn mileage, although not status miles.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum50/HTML/012753.html

cnk

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jwhite4:
Most airlines allow you to purchase a 2nd seat for various reasons (large sized, cello, Stephi Graf tennis rackets, pet), however I believe you can only earn FF miles on the 1st ticket. It's probably very easy to code into computer programs to allow allow only the first seat assigned to a frequent flyer number to accumulate miles.

Jeff</font>

A friend of mine who used to be an orchestra administrator knows of one musician whose instrument has its own FF account in the name of "Cello Smith" (or whatever the family name is). I don't think it cares much about elite status, but the miles probably come in handy for free trips.

does this work on United or Air Canada?

On the United board, beaubo called MP and found out that the second seat does earn mileage, although not status miles.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum50/HTML/012753.html

cnk

Athough CO does not offer this today, they have announced their intentions to grant FF miles for the second seat as well. That second seat is its own FF account so you can't combine the miles to get a big reward or something like that, but you can earn miles so that when you want a reward trip you can take it with your second seat also being free.

Why don't you adopt a poor little orphan child? Since they will be an immediate family member, you can then transfer miles to your own account. In fact, why stop at one kid, adopt a whole orphanage to really rack up the miles.

I think this is a better idea than having to travel around in a fat suit.

sarcasm off/

Seen musicians many times having a separate purchased seat for their instrument.

It might be fun. If you need 75,000 miles to become a Platinum, and LAX-NYC was 5000 miles RT, and if you found a $185 sale fare, you could claim you were a schitzo and buy 15 seats for $2775, (less whatever bump certs you're sitting on) and become an instant Plat. And you wouldnt have to listen to the BS of those highly important people who always seem to be sitting next to you.

Most airlines allow you to purchase a 2nd seat for various reasons (large sized, cello, Stephi Graf tennis rackets, pet)...

Don't forget about the Andy Roddick AMEX commercials where he booked a 2nd seat for his trophy! (then proceeded to lose, leading to the version of part II where a woman comes and asks to sit next to him because there's a guy with this annoying trophy in the back of the plane) :D

It is possible with LH !

I know that for sure as I have seen the mileage account print of another SEN who flew with me recently... it made me thinking ;)

It might be fun. If you need 75,000 miles to become a Platinum, and LAX-NYC was 5000 miles RT, and if you found a $185 sale fare, you could claim you were a schitzo and buy 15 seats for $2775, (less whatever bump certs you're sitting on) and become an instant Plat. And you wouldnt have to listen to the BS of those highly important people who always seem to be sitting next to you.Good one! ^

I remember reading a story years ago about John F. Kennedy Jr. buying a seat for his guitar in First Class. I wonder if it was true.

:(

I remember reading a story years ago about John F. Kennedy Jr. buying a seat for his guitar in First Class. I wonder if it was true.



Hmm, what if the guitar got bumped or IDB'd? Does the airline have to put it up in a hotel room and pay for a restringing?

Hmm, what if the guitar got bumped or IDB'd? Does the airline have to put it up in a hotel room and pay for a restringing?It wouldn't be IDB'd due to it's status.

Though certain members here would put their guitar in for a VDB....

1. Which carriers will offer true double status miles and bonuses for booking two seats?

I am very curious to know the answer to this question.

There may be a select few (probably international carriers only) where this works.

As a rule, carriers allow you to book as many seats as you want but will only award status mileage to one seat.

A number of FTers have gotten away with booking multiple seats, entering a mileage number for one, keeping all boarding passes, and submitting the other boarding passes to other partner airlines later for mileage credit. While this often works, if you are noticed all mileage could be revoked.

Thus far I have not found an airline where multiple seats can catapult one to status...it would be nice!