Yep, that's the way it works. The carriers will not let the principle drop as that would officially open the floodgates. From the moment that they started to supply tickets to 'bucket shops' (consolidators), then they were confounding their own rules.
Agents that advertise or make a habit of this may get into trouble, individuals are not so likely to be touched as the bad punlicity would not be good. "Airline punishes a person for buying a ticket that they had authorised and permited them to travel on the outward journey of ..."
ps Hi Bumz!
