During the past 3 years, more than a few dishonest (I'd argue fraudulent) practices have been introduced. For example, the practice of selling a seat in F, charging an F fare, and then claiming that Y was purchased, and throwing the pax into Y is something I've experienced and read a lot about here during the past 3 years but do not recall reading about, and had never experienced, in the 10 year period preceding that.

This is an example of a widely reported dishonest practice that any reasonable person would characterize as same. It has nothing whatsoever to do with being vested in a relationship. It has to do with expecting to be given what was promised in exchange for compensation taken.

The notion that the pax is not paying for a seat but rather is paying for transportation from A to B, at the sole discretion of the airline, regardless of what was promised at time of sale, is a CO "innovation" that one can reasonably characterize as fraud, even if the CoC allows them to do it legally.