Perhaps my terminology was incorrect- I was trying to say get a refund on a credit card either at the airport or online.

The reason I asked the question is my disbelief that the reservation/check-in process is that easy to fool. I would have thought entering into an IFL (or pick your favorite lounge) and not boading the aircraft would have major implications (taking a seat from a paying/upgrading customer, making a potentially wasted meal, defrauding the airline of revenue by the unwarranted use of the lounge and amenties, etc...) that some check and balance would be in place to prevent such shenanigans. The only potential benefit for the airline from this scenario that I can see is the float on the money spent to buy the unused first class ticket.

FWIW, I was inspired to ask the question based on reading an earlier FT thread where a father travelling domestically bought a refundable ticket with no intention of using in order to guest his minor son into a RCC who was travelling internationally on a separate itinerary.