Bran28

I did a search and could not find an answer.....I have a friend that does a ton of business travel. I told him to get a WP # and told him the advantages of it. I saw him today and he said his employer has arranged to get all the mileage credit. I dont understand how that can happen. He is the one flying...I certainly understand him using a business credit card and the business getting the points/miles (for the cost).....but I didnt think they could get travel miles. Could an expert explain this to me.

Thanks.

pragakhan

What would stop him from getting the WP# and adding it to the tickets online using the confirmation number?

As far as I know they can't have theirs on his ticket and get the miles unless they signed him up an account and are doing it that way, which is just wrong lol

Are you sure he didn't mean what you said about the payment miles?

MikeMpls

Unless the employer has opened and used accounts in the employee's name. Lacking a proper power of attorney from each such employee, I would think that would constitute fraud.

It's not that far fetched. On a return to MSP a couple years ago I sat next to a business traveller who employer did exactly that (but without any P.O.A).

That would also create an interesting situation if such an employee were to earn miles for personal travel. If NW caught wind of it, they would combine the accounts.

Bran28

Thanks for the response. No I am not talking about miles for payment. I am talking flight miles. I cant understand how he cannot get credit but I thought there might be a way that businesses do get credit...... I doubt that to be the case and I think my friend is wrong...but I am just asking. It is possible that a person who is traveling actually not get travel miles credit?

Bobster

An employer can forbid the employee from earning miles. For example, the U.S. government used to have that rule on the grounds that there was a conflict of interest for the employee to benefit from something he didn't pay for. However, that rule was abolished.

(Perhaps I misunderstood the question.)

justhere

I can't remember where I've seen this but when a business negotiates with NW for corporate type fares, they can choose to keep the miles as part of that contract. They can then use the miles to pay for additional business tickets, give them to company execs, etc. Companies in this situation that do allow their employees to keep the miles do so as a benefit to the employee to help offset the inconveniences of all the travel.

pragakhan

Is it a big company?

Bran28

Orders in the 1st Quarter were 650 million so I have read. So pretty big I guess.

DanTravels

Maybe this is some BizPerks thing?

thezipper

Time to find a new job or negotiate that he keeps his miles...

Bran28

Zipper in SE Michigan people that have jobs (let alone good ones) are lucky to have them. And I am only about 10% joking! We have no negotiation power here!!! ;o)


Well if ya cant get a conclusive answer here...I dont know where one can get one. I am going to do some investigating on my own by looking at his tickets and stuff when I get a chance. Thanks to all for your help as always!

divrdrew

This used to happen more freqently, but is now less and less regular.

My dad worked for a major pharmaceutical company for years (over 20). Early on when frequent flyer accounts first came into being, his company kept his miles. A couple years later, they allowed him to start banking them himself.

A friend of mine also works for a company that keeps his miles.

Companies generally keep them for free tickets and upgrades (instead of paying for tickets all the time).

I have done consulting work in the past where the company paying for the ticket / hotel kept the miles.

Not sure of the technicalities on how it's booked / recorded.

florin

The company I work for used to do that (luckily before I started working for them). They used get the miles when employees were flying. If anyone asked they said the company used the miles for business travel, but I found out that the miles were actually used for top execs personal travel. (Makes sense - miles are not exactly in the accounting system so they don't have to justify that.)

MNAudiS4

I know for a fact the Red Bull Eye which has HQ in Minnesota keeps all the miles.

ESPECIALROB

Back in the 1980s and early 1990s, before identification was required at check-in, I knew of a small business owner that required his employees to travel on a ticket in his name, instead of the travelling employee's name. This was of course so that the employer would accrue miles. When his employees questioned this practice, they were told they could fly in their own name if they paid for the ticket themselves.

Furthermore, that employer would purchase such tickets only with his first initial and last name, so that it would not appear to be gender-specific, and any male or female employee could use it without raising a red flag back in those times.

Needless to say, turn over was high with this employer, and to add insult to injury, that employer required mandatory room sharing at the cheapest hotels possible, and even suggested some of his employees share one entree at dinner at expensive restaurants to defray the meal's cost!!!

Once mandatory ID checks were procedure in the early 90s, this put the breaks on his air travel policy, and that firm eventually ceased operation.