FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - How many laws would I be breaking if someone fly in my place?
Old Oct 12, 2010, 8:22 pm
  #8  
marklyon
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: NYC & Delhi
Programs: CO Pres. Plat, SPG
Posts: 546
First, I am not your attorney. This is not legal advice.

I think the concern would be violating the airline's policy (and possibly mileage program rules), not breaking the law. There are plenty of legitimate ways to get past the TSA that don't involve fraud. Requesting a gate pass, getting a pass to the club and buying a refundable ticket and cancelling after you get through are all perfectly legitimate options that come to mind.

Beyond that point, if you had checked in and sent the boarding pass to the person who will be traveling in your stead (maybe you email them the PDF), then they can use that at the gate to get on the plane. You get the credit. They get the travel.

I tend to remember someone here hired 20 rural farmers to fly a constant international circuit for a period of time when they found a very good fare. I think he ended up with lifetime status on whatever program they targeted - their mileage was credited to his account.

I could very much see that this would work if you were willing to pay and had someone who was willing to put their butt in the seat and go see someplace new.

As long as you don't book travel that looks like two different people, then I don't think the airline would ever know. I've never been asked for my ID when boarding a domestic flight.
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