Originally Posted by
Mwenenzi
Large companies can pay less than the list price you see. It is not unusual for the company and/or travel agent to get a rebate ($$ money back from the airline) every 6 months/12 months/what ever based on the total spend. Some company bean counter will be getting credit for that, and not what your company cost centre pays.
The company's travel agent will be working hard to maximise their income and not reduce the companies total travel spend.
Oh yes! And some years ago I was in this situation. Had a 'conversation' with the FD... result was to get nowhere! I was most unimpressed since over a finacial year the flights that I and my team were making were effectively costing many thousands more due to inflexibity and 'commision' being payable internally to my own organisation!
The MOST annoying thing was that one year we missed our financial targets by a tiny bit and would have got it if if were not for this policy. It affected the (albeit small) bonus for my team members and as a manager... I could not defend the policy...