I know Continental gives you the option of entering your passport No. when you register to buy tickets at their website.

As for the original topic, there's no way that the suggested dodge is 100 percent legit. Someone is getting elite perks they aren't entitled to.

At the same time, I'm not sure of how serious an offense it is. I booked a flight for my father once (different middle initials only). I had given my FF No. in advance, but I specifically told the phone agent that, despite the similar names, this was my dad, and there was NO REASON that the FF No. should have been applied to the reservation. Of course, I got 500 miles, called the airline to inform them, and they said "don't worry about it."

Also, it was a cheap round-trip ticket, bought with the intention of throwing it away, which was the only rule we were trying to defeat in the first place!

British Airways offers a family account. All members of a household can pool miles!!!

Most airlines input your passport information into their system on international flights. When the flight leaves the gate, the entire manifest with passport numbers is faxed to the arrival port customs office for the review. In many cases they know who they want to talk to before your plane lands.

Since about 1992 (?? give or take a year) carriers into the US MUST collect passport information and submit it electronically to INS. See relevent posts in Omni regarding the fact that Saudia, PIA and the like were not doing this before.

Seems like each of us has a bit of a difference about what is right and what it wrong.

The original poster admits that it is wrong. He only asks if cheating can be done without being caught.

For those who "accomplish theft" without being caught, they will find a day of when these things will be accounted for. This accounting will not be done with our definitions of what are wrongs and what are "not wrongs, because..." .

WE all would be better off if everone tried to behave in a way that is consistent with the law, contracts we enter and relationships we make.

Alas there are always those that don't pay their bills, cross on the red, steal from others, speed on purpose, drive drunk, beat their children, etc. Each has an excuse why their travesty is ok.

This reminds me of the child who earned c's and d's but the parents were glad that "at least the child is not taking drugs"

I would hope we all hope to do better. At least we should be ashamed to openly seek abettors to our crime.

The original poster is asking the wrong people "should I try?" IMHO.

There is only one other party to your contract/relationship that would be concerned or involved in this, and that is your airline.

Ask them what they think about it.

What you do after you get their response will determin if your actions are ethical or not.

I don't have to ask my airline. The answer to your question is clearly spelled out in the terms and conditions of membership that I have agreed to by participating in their frequent flyer program.

And that, my friend PremEx, is the last word.

The only test should be...

Can you sleep at night? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I was checking this subject for my surveys and found the most stupid ways to claim awards.

I have made one return flight with AOM from Orly to Sydney (back in 1999/2000)

I have claimed this Business Class trip under 5 different Qualiflyer numbers and they al got approved. (This was the same with Sabena and Swissair.)

In that time you could fly for 60.000 miles with AOM to Noumea. So with one flight I (normally 30.000 miles) I got 150.000 points in total, so two free tickets and a bit more for one flight, not bad I would say.

That Qualiflyer program didn't work at all.
Also I travel a lot on staff tickets and even those tickets where awarded.

The miles and More program works perfect and don't put the miles on your card.

One World also made a few mistakes especially with Qantas, got double, double points.

What also works is opening different FF programs, let say:

Qualiflyer and AA. Claim on both programs, but this only works if you send the copy of the Boarding passes later. Don't let them put it on your card automatically.
Just say at the desk I am not an ff member.

So I hope you have some nice tips

Two thoughts.

Are you willing to accept the ticket and the fine with driving 56 in a 55?

What would your mother think?

Hmm. That would give me a lot of leeway. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif tls

I do not consider it theft because you have already paid for the benefit. This is not a case of counterfeiting FF miles but rather a creative way to maximize their use. In light of the airlines numerous ways to minimize their value over the years, I think this is warranted. For those of you who find this immoral, I would appreciate your thoughts on the way airlines have administered their FF programs and how they have treated PAX.

As to passport numbers, I do believe airlines share manifests with U.S. customs/immigration. I have read reports of Americans trying to travel to Cuba via the Bahamas who have been met by U.S. officials who were fully aware of their itinerary. This does not mean that the airlines record your passport number, just that flying under a false name internationally is probably a violation of a law raises the stakes considerably in my opinion.

Thats comparing apples and oranges, I'm afraid. I asked whether the AIRLINES were collecting this info and keeping it for their use. The consensus is that they do not. Nor do I volunteer any additional information when travelling internationally. You (like me) may have been told that it is mandatory to collect contact data. It is not. I don't know where the info goes, nor do I know who has access to it, so I decline to provide it.

Since the airlines have only begun matching baggage recently, does anyone really think they are matching passport data? Is it ethical? Probably not. Does it make me reconsider name choices for the day Mrs Duxfan decide to have a dependant? Yep....

Play by their rules or don't play at all. Seems like a simple game to me!

I'm with PremEx and QuietLion on this one.

This is fraud, plain and simple.

If the airline caught you and decided to prosecute you (which they probably would not) you would be convicted and sentenced. Fact of the matter is the airline wouldn't bother prosecuting (they'll just shut down your account and be done with it), but that does not change the fact that it is definitely illegal.

You can argue the airlines deserve what they're getting and so on, but that does not change the fact that it is fraud.

Come on people, from what I am reading here it sounds like you work for Delta's revenue protection unit. In no way do I condone this sort of activity but in no way is it illegal. Show me a law that you could be charged with.

Two wrongs do no make a right but the airlines have not set the example of always doing the right thing. I can site everything from the way they advertise to how they bury things in the tax lines as prime examples on how the airlines try to pull the wool over the consumers eyes.

I do not agree with the saying that you should play by their rules or do not use them. Not flying is not an option in many cases.