[jimworcs]

What has the fact that if she sued, that is all she would get, got to do with it? Since when has the minimum protection provided by the law determined how someone should treat a customer? She is a customer of the airline and they have messed up and have a moral obligation to make her whole. How you are treated as a customer is not solely determined by the law. For example, if you buy a product in shop, and decide you don't want it (wrong colour, wrong size, whatever) you can often return it for a refund. If the product is not faulty the shop has no legal obligation to accept the return, even if you have a receipt. However, most reputable shops will accept a return and refund or issue a credit note. There is no legal obligation whatsoever to do so, but they choose to treat their customers fairly. Airlines are abusing their power and on many routes they are monopolies, with no other carrier offering direct services. It is time to re-regulate stop their abuse of their market position.