Accessing status benefits via FQTS while avoiding earning any points

[dylarr]

What’s the reason a private company has this policy? Is purchasing management not trusting a bfod policy, government contract work or HR thinking that travelling for work is a perk not available to all?

If private company, most likely BFOD related.

I worked for one of the US tech giants and the travel policy allowed for earning of points/status credits, with the caveat that if people stared to abuse it by booking out of policy just for airline preference and points, this ‘privilege’ would be removed and earning would be prohibited.

 

[moa999]

Sounds like the company needs to fix this.
Either with the airlines or with a more flexible policy.
Otherwise you'll have to keep paying seat selection fees.

Reminds me of a former job where the unit COO rejected my request for one of those (then new) 4G internet dongles. Asked my PA to excerpt all the hotel WiFi fees paid over the last two months.
Next thing I had my own dongle and there was a pool of them for anyone else travelling.

 

[dairyfloss]

Not really helpful to you, but just wanted to suggest it’s very short sighted of a company to restrict the use of loyalty programs, particularly around status and status benefits, as they then run the risk of needing to pay for additional food & beverage costs, baggage fees, seat selection, etc. The savings they make on enforcing BfoD would generally be very little compared to the potential ancillary cost.

The same goes for hotels, where loyalty and status can mean the difference between the price of a room only, or the price of a room, plus paying for breakfast, possibly dinner & drinks (assuming a lounge/equivalent option), and maybe a early or late checkout fee.

Of course, these two things can also run in combination. We enforced BfoD with non-compliant fares or stays requiring manager approval before the system would confirm a booking, but once selected, you could add loyalty programs and earn and burn later, as you liked.

Sorry… end of rant.

Cheers,
Matt.