OK, I had previously booked two separate itineraries from TPA to LAX for October and December. The flights were originally routed like this: outbound TPA-MSP-LAX (1 connection), and inbound LAX-TPA (direct).

Since I booked these tickets, Delta has removed it's direct red-eye flight from LAX to TPA, and so I was forced to connect through Atlanta and deal with those schedule changes. So now, I was routed like this: outbound TPA-MSP-LAX (1 connection), and inbound LAX-ATL-TPA (1 connection) -- no direct flights either way.

Recently however, Delta has ADDED an evening direct flight from TPA to LAX (like they used to have for years, but have since been fickle with). So, I thought it was worth a shot to call up the Medallion line and ask them -- out of "fairness" -- to put me on the direct flight to LAX, since I originally booked my flight with one of the legs being direct, and now I was forced into have 1-connection each way. She went and spoke with her manager, and came back and said "No, since your outbound flight to LAX was never impacted". I explained again, that I originally booked my ticket with one of the ways being direct, and now I was being forced to connect on BOTH directions. She replied that I NEVER had a direct flight in the first place, either way. I politely argued again the matter (surprised that she couldn't see my original routing), and then she said that they were willing to just refund my tickets penalty free.

So, in the end, I had both itineraries refunded, I re-booked the flights with the new routing that I wanted (and thought was fair), and I ended up saving money overall because the new tickets were cheaper!

Bottom line, if Delta had just put me on those new flights in the first place, they would not have lost a small chunk of change, and they wouldn't have had the refund department waste 30 minutes of their time refunding both tickets (which for some reason, the representative was saying the reservations were being very finicky and not wanting to be cancelled -- hence the long time dealing with the refunds), and they would have had an equally-as-happy customer (I'm happy with this new outcome too, but I would have been just as happy if they switched me to the direct flight on the spot even though I wasn't going to save any money).