Speaking as a pax, but also one who has been asked in the past for notes, I think this is unfortunate!

Shareholder - While I get your point and would find it tough to accede to a fradulent request, this was a courtesy extended by the US carriers initially when the NON-refundable issue first arose!

I wish we and the airlines could simply be honest, reasonable and consistent with each other however! It seems that all these matters are continually moving from the now long forgotten once friendly attitude, to simply civil, to legalistic and progressively, IMHO to nearly an outright competition between us!

What's next? An ouright war?

Again, I do not see anything wrong with giving a suddenly ill pax a break if at all possible!