Bikeguy

Chrysler had this policy in the 90s.

I believe all employees had to use a Chrysler FF number.

I remember a story about one guy always switching to his number right before boarding.

Went away in 98 or 99.

chollie

Same policy at my large company (company keeps miles). In addition, we don't get miles for rental cars (our travel office says they can negotiate a cheaper rate for no-miles rentals).

A couple years ago they even went to 'ALL reimbursable travel expenses must be on the company credit card'. That did cause a ruckus, but the company didn't back down.

TravelerMSY

The programs might not exist at all if they no longer influenced individual travel decisions. Remember, they aren't a merely a reward, they exist to influence your future travel spending.

watchmyfly

Someone just a bit unhappy?

TravelerMSY

Since it's for the good of the company, I'm sure those responsible for the 2MM cost savings will voluntarily forego their bonus for thinking of it

kebosabi

Nah, those that are responsible will be the ones using our hard earned miles for their annual "golf trips" in Florida or Cabo, or government officials using them for "fact finding missions" to China

Why should you (the company/the gov't) use large sums of company money/taxpayer money for "golf trips" or "fact finding missions" when you (the company/the gov't) can use "free" miles collected by the peons of workers/gov't workers?


But seriously, giving a thought from the corporate side, there shouldn't be any reason for say ACME Corp to create its own AAdvantage number like ACMECORP, with travel industry IT reservations to be made under that company name and ACMECORP AAdvantage number, even though the person flying is Regional Sales Manager John Doe.

Right now the reservation systems are simple:
Name: John Doe
Miles/Points: [number of John Doe's account]

Corporations are people too now so IT systems can easily change to:
Name: John Doe
flying on the behalf of: Acme Corp.
Miles/Points: ACMECORP account number
[IF 'flying on the behalf of field' = entry, THEN Miles/Points cannot be changed]

I don't see anything difficult about that. Really, I think it's just that easy.

If corporate America as a whole can figure things out like shipping manufacturing jobs to China our outsourcing customer service centers to India, I'm sure they can figure "synergies" with the travel industry for a win-win on their end over the individual. grrr...

84fiero

And how, precisely, would you propose to get "your" value back for the miles that you paid for? A pro-rata government refund of miles to every taxpayer and purchaser of government bonds, etc? The miles did no good for anyone, ever. It was impossible to practically make use of them for the amorphous "public good", hence the change in policy.

It has an absolute zero dollar impact to the government or to the taxpayer to allow employees to keep their miles... so in what way is a taxpayer harmed or shortchanged?

youreadyfreddie

This makes a very easily answered SAT test question response: If company-paid travel = company miles, then youreadyfreddie will not squander her valuable talent, skills, and experience working for lame-o company.

kebosabi

And what if one by one, all the companies that you try to apply to have gone to make the switch to this new lame-o policy and you have no choice but to take what's offered?

Face it, in 21st century corporate America, we're just peons; they have no obligation and they can say "go ahead, quit and good luck finding a new job in these tough times. we have millions more people looking for a job who'll take your place."

From a corporate perspective, they can also say "fifty years ago, people travelled for business without these miles/points perks, why should we let you collect them when it's bought with our money?"

Don't get me wrong, I personally think this idea sucks, but from a corporate perspective, it makes darn good sense as a measure to lower travel expenses in these times.

kebosabi

IRS refunds in frequent flyer miles, of course

myadvice

I think it would actually increase expenses in practice instead of lowering them. I for one would be less willing to take the cheaper O'dark flights, travel on my days off, return the rental car full of gas (instead of prepaying,) etc. I'd probably even submit reimbursement for laundry expenses on some trips.

BillyDTX

No award seats will left to frequent flyer if big companies use their miles.

HoKo

Mind sharing which company you work for?

Also, by chance does anyone know what the travel policy is at Booz Allen Hamilton?

I have a job offer on the table there that will require extensive travel so I'd love to know what their policy is ahead of hand. Haha I knew I was addicted to miles when one of the first things I thought of when I received the offer was 'man I am gonna rack up miles like nobody's business if i take this!'

dweick

So if corporations can put frequent flier miles in a corporate bucket because the corporation paid for the ticket then I assume the same privilege is available to me?

Can I put my spouses miles in my name because I paid for her ticket? How about my kids miles?

Seriously, how do corporations manage this? Do they really get the airline to put the miles in a corporate account or do they expect employees to hold miles in the employees account and use them on demand of the corporation?

Keyser

i don't think this would work....if they expect me to be away from my wife, my dogs & my house for 20 days in a month then they should expect me to keep the miles as well....