Nice story! One thing that strikes me is how much people want to live it up eating "luxury meals".

Personally, I'm pretty happy with a grilled cheese sandwich and a beer in my easy chair at home. I certainly wouldn't drive to the airport and struggle with the parking lot and crowds and security for a free meal, even if it was lobster or steak or whatever some people seem to think is so fabulous.

I suppose I might go for it if I worked at the airport or in easy walking range, but that's about it. Even then, the effort of deciphering the airline's arcane rules and playing against them would deter me--there are better ways to spend your days than reading fine print airline legalese.

As for whether it is right or wrong, look, nobody even blinks when the airlines or credit card companies use their chickenshit rules against the public and fail to deliver as promised. Their diabolically complicated rules are structured to avoid giving much of anything to all but a few truly determined people, and even their hard work can be swept away in the next surprise "restructuring" or other legal gambit deployed by these tricky bastards.

I just figure the airlines got what they deserved. Remember this next time you respond to an advertised ticket price only to watch it double or triple on their website by the time they actually ask for your credit card details.