I'm sure it's been asked before, but why do the airlines require customers to actually take the flight to get the miles if they're willing to pay for the ticket? Why would they not just take the money from someone who pays but agrees not to fly, and then sell the seat to someone else? Double dough for them.

Perhaps some airline will wise up and allow mileage crediting for tickets when the customer does not intend to actually fly (for a fee, of course). The airlines could call it an advance "Mileage only fee" charged for the privilege of giving them money for providing no primary product. This would certainly give them extra revenue at the expense of the willing miles/points/status addict. MR folks would save by not having to take a vacation or "sick" day, or just not totally waste a day or two of their time. The more I think of it, the less of a joke I think the idea is.

That begs the question: what are the ethics of travel industry providers taking advantage of genuinely addicted mile/point hounds? You know who the junkies are: they slack on work and family obligations to wring out more points and miles, spending money on unnecessary things to get miles, points and status?