Can I recommend something concrete every time something like this happens to you?

1. Use ChatGPT (or similar) to make a fun and attractive greetings card image that is a farcical representation of the situation.

2. Use MoonPig.com (or similar) to send it through the real/royal mail to someone important (but not the CEO) at the company that has annoyed you.

This need not cost more than $6. That's almost certainly less than 1% the cost of the long haul flight that this happened on.

Everything you describe is likely a function of the CFO being allowed to treat the savings they can find as if they are a profit centre. It is incumbent upon those of us that can see a better way to demonstrate that the 5p per flight that the CFO optimised annoyed some customers enough to spend real time bringing it to someone's attention.

The first time I did this I effectively received over $2,000 from my airline of choice (though the path to that was convoluted). Most people don't react well to being told they are wrong. Use your intellect and industry to show them a better way in a positive and friendly way.

You will usually get better results and by spreading more positivity in the world will likely feel happier too.