Originally Posted by
olivedel
There are conditions of service and there is customer service. Of course, airlines will always deny liability based on both valid and silly reasons indicated in the contract. But I believe they should do something to make up when they screwed up. It is always easy to put the blame on passengers and never take a blame when you screw up.
Why presume that AF "screwed up." This was more than likely a conscious and affirmative decision by AF to move OP. This is hardly confined to AF and OP expressly agreed that this might happened (look at the contract he chose to agree to). Neither AF nor any other carrier with any sense is going to explain its reasoning and it is highly unlikely that any front line phone agent knows or could find out.
He is entitled to a refund of the additional fee he paid. That is not a customer service, commercial or any other gesture. Rather it is a refund, exactly as AF calls for,
If I were OP, I would not seek that refund now. If seats he wants open up between now and his flight, perhaps he will want them. After he returns, he can then make a request for the refund if his primary desire, the better seats, is not fulfilled.