As consumers we tend to look at prices from the bottom up. We think of the lowest fares as normal, and anything higher as a penalty. The economic reality is that airlines can afford to sell only a small fraction of their seats at the lowest fares. They look at prices from the top down. Full fares are normal, and anything lower reflects a discount to balance demand with supply.

Traditional airline pricing is designed to separate business from leisure travelers through a series of crude proxy tests (roundtrip including Saturday night, advance purchase, no changes, no refunds), restrictions that are assumed to be unattractive to most business travelers. From the airlines' perspective the scam occurs when business travelers are able to fly on leisure rates.

Companion fare programs are designed to justify a discount by substituting a different set of restrictions. Those who are unhappy with this program seem to expect to have the companion discount in addition to the discount earned by purchasing a restricted ticket. I see no motivation for an airline to do this.

I also see no justification for characterizing purchase of a full fare ticket as cheating an employer, client or fellow taxpayers. These fares exist because they provide nearly unlimited flexibility. If you need that flexibility, pay for it.