At the end of the day, it's a lot "cheaper" to screw over a passenger and violate your contract with that passenger (plus any minor DOT slap on the wrist) than violate the CBA with the pilots. The math may have worked out differently if US pax had EU261 style protections, but ultimately in this case the lack of any regulatory consequences made it a no-brainer to screw over the passenger.
Originally Posted by
stevendorechester
that employee did not pay for the privilege of flying first class. The passenger paid thei employer for it.
I'm not sure you understand how total compensation works. If you suddenly lost all your vacation/sick days or your health insurance, but didn't gain any extra salary, would it be totally fine because you didn't "pay" for the privilege of it?