Big company employees usually book through their company
travel manager.  Since they don't make their own booking,
how can they get their preferred deal ? … first class, air
miles, preferred flight time etc.

Some business travellers exercise more ingenuity and
cunning finding a way around their company travel policy,
than they use in their actual job.

Many business travellers shed tears at the demise of
Concorde.  Blagging their way onto Concorde represented the
pinnacle of transatlantic travel achievement.  Few company
travel policies allow such luxury, but Concorde rarely flew
without a majority of business travel passengers.

Concorde flights spawned many excuses.  Shorter time
without a cigarette, fear of flying, creativity etc.  Since
Concorde retired, first class became the main goal -
followed by business class, or maximum air miles.

Company travel managers can actually save their companies
vastly more money than negotiating with travel suppliers.
If someone flies economy instead of business, that's often
worth about four tickets.

But the big company employee still holds a bag of tricks :

* Medical
* Schedule
* Late Booking
* Hotels
* Inefficient Systems
* Promotion

Medical grounds provide good excuses for upgrade.  Did you
hear the expression 'economy class syndrome' ?  It refers
to deep-vein thrombosis.  This, undoubtedly unpleasant and
dangerous condition, produces the biggest increase in
business class upgrade requests.  Many people actually hand
over a medical certificate to support their claim… know any
doctor friends ?

A good trick manipulates Schedules.  This works well for
people collecting air miles.  Simply arrange your meeting
so you can only get there using your preferred flight.

Book late, hoping economy sells-out early, and only
business class seats remain.  This common ploy usually
fails if company policy requires an advance notice period.

Even if you can't get your preferred flight upgrade, a 5 *
hotel will help soothe your disappointment.  Although
travel managers carefully monitor air travel and car hire,
they're less likely to have local hotel knowledge.  You can
find yourself in a far superior hotel than company policy
really allows.

Your company may run a strict travel policy.  But
inefficient systems prevent them actually detecting your
abuse.  Try to find out how your company checks its
business travel.  Does the travel agent provide reports ?
Are you forced to use a corporate card that itemizes all
your expenses ?  Even if they do, not all companies
actually analyze the data.  Search for chinks in your
companies travel policy armour.

Finally, if all else fails, get promotion !  Yes, if you
get a senior management position you can ignore your own
rules.  Or you might finally be entitled to the standard of
travel you feel appropriate to you.

Using these six ways, and any others you can think of,
every business trip soon becomes a luxury you can look
forward to.