Monday, December 1, 2008

Let's Play The Ethicist Game

So you decide:

I was on a recent Midwest Airlines flight from DC to Milwaukee, and when the airline changed aircraft, we all were boarded onto one of the remaining MD-80's the airline uses for charters.

Big plane, few seats - - all of which were those two-by-two wide leather seats comfy enough for pro athletes.

Most of us were elated at our good fortune, but one couple was annoyed because they had paid a premium for two-by-two seats in an aircraft that has some seats two-by-two, and some three abreast.

The kind of plane that we were switched out of without our knowing in advance.

They wanted a refund because people like me hadn't paid the premium, but ended up with the better seating configuration because of the aircraft change.

None of the other passengers had any sympathy for the upset duo: one person even offered to take up a collection for them, and as I got off the plane in Milwaukee, the couple had taken their argument from a flight attendant to the gate agent - - both of whom were directing the refund-seekers to get in touch with the main office.

What do you think? Refund in order, or not, since they did get the type of seats they had paid a premium for?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I vote no refund. It reminds me of a bible parable where Jesus pays workers the same no matter how much they worked that day. He then lectures those who worked the entire day for complaining.

froggyprager said...

no way, as long as their seats in the new plane were similar to the first class in the plane they were scheduled to travel on, who cares about what you and the other passangers got to sit on. If they got the other perks like food, etc. they should not get anything. airlines often bump some folks up to first class becaue there is not room in coach and the fact that those lucky people got some good seats makes no difference to those suckers to paid full price for first class. In your odd case, everyone got lucky. Also, I am sure there is lots of fine print on the ticket that says they can make changes, etc.