Originally Posted by Repooc17

yes, only the flown passenger can earn.

your proposal would wipe out almost every corporate flyer, since most tickets are purchased on their behalf by employers. As for personal flight purchases, WineCountryUA's point was some people might start a scheme where they would buy tickets for a bunch of people, get reimbursed, and earn status without spending anything. Airlines want butt in seats and/or spend a lot of money on their credit cards.