After all those hours spent mid-air or stuck in airports, surely any air miles accrued during a business trip should be a perk of the job? Maybe not. A German court ruled this week they belong to the company paying for the trip.
The ruling upholds company policy of firms such as electronics giant Siemens in Germany, which has similar rules for employees in Britain.
Any air miles accrued from business trips paid via its corporate credit card belong to Siemens. The company then uses those miles to make greater savings when negotiating a contract with corporate travel agencies.
"In that sense, we are in line with Germany," says a spokeswoman for Siemens in the UK. "But, in practice, if an employee uses their own personal credit card, then the points or benefits would go to them."
No ruling on air miles has yet been made under English law. "But in theory, because it is a benefit that derives from something that is part of an employee's duties, the answer would be the same as under German law," says Roger Steel at law firm Eversheds.
