Also to be very clear, I’m not expecting them to pick up the tab for my mistake. I am hoping they will at least work with me to give a cut price for a seat that will be empty otherwise, but that’s just a hope.

It’s the automatic stripping of the return flight I have a major problem with.

My no show has not actually cost them anything. Indeed, they’ve saved a small amount so far by not having to provide service. And it has zero impact on their ability to provide and cost of providing the return leg. Whatever abuses the return leg cancel is supposed to avert do not apply here, as evidenced by my still needing that outbound trip and being willing to pay for it. It shouldn’t be acceptable to say “well, CoC”, shrug and punish customers doubly.