Company Tries To Steal His Frequent Flyer Miles, He Makes Them Pay To Use His Videos

There is a special kind of frustration that comes from watching a new manager walk in and immediately try to flex authority for no reason. Especially when the person they’re targeting has decades of experience and has contributed more value than anyone realizes.

One engineer learned this lesson the hard way when his boss tried to take away the one travel perk that made his physically demanding job bearable.

He had spent years developing seminars and creating professional videos that brought customers through the door. But all that work didn’t matter when his manager insisted the company now owned his frequent flyer miles. Instead of fighting endlessly, he chose a different path, one that would change his future and leave the company wishing they had treated him with a little more respect.

New manager claimed his frequent-flyer miles belonged to the company, so he pushed back

Many people know the painful moment when a company stops seeing you as a person and starts treating you like an object. That’s what makes this story so relatable. OP’s friend wasn’t asking for anything unreasonable; he simply wanted to use the airline miles he earned through constant work travel.

Because of his chronic joint pain, those upgrades weren’t a luxury; they were a way to make his job physically bearable. When a new manager suddenly declared those miles “belonged to the company,” it wasn’t just inconvenient, it was dismissive, disrespectful, and deeply unfair. Anyone in his position would feel hurt and frustrated.

Psychologically, his decision to walk away makes sense. When people feel devalued, especially after years of hard work, it triggers a protective response. Instead of fighting a losing battle, he chose self-respect.

The manager’s reaction, on the other hand, fits a common pattern seen in workplaces: some supervisors misuse small bits of authority to assert control. This often comes from insecurity or inexperience rather than logic. Their need to “win” becomes more important than treating people with dignity.

OP’s choice wasn’t revenge; it was clarity. After decades of giving value to the company, he realized staying under a controlling manager would only lead to more stress. By accepting early retirement and later working as a contractor, he kept the parts of the job he loved while removing the harmful parts. It was a mature, self-protective decision many workers wish they had the power to make.

The American Psychological Association reports that toxic or disrespectful management creates emotional harm and pushes good employees to leave. They note that when workers feel unsupported, it damages motivation, health, and long-term loyalty.

This expert insight fits perfectly here. The problem wasn’t his work ethic, it was the manager’s behavior. Once the manager overstepped, trust was broken, and leaving became the healthiest option.

In the end, this story shows a simple truth: when companies stop valuing people, those people eventually find better ways to value themselves.

Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:

These commenters backed the engineer

This group shared their own experiences with companies trying similar “cost-saving measures” that backfired instantly

These commenters roasted the idea that management should control personal travel perks

When leadership gets petty, who truly pays the price? Would you have walked away too, or tried to fight it from the inside? Drop your thoughts below!