I suppose they (the airlines) felt they were doing the right thing and they do have rules. I don't think, however, some rules shouldn't be over come by just a weeeeeee bit of common sense.
Are we so regimented now that some of us can't figure out a way around the slightly unexpected or there isn't a clause in our brains that says "unless of course the entire thing is so absurd that people will laugh at you for following the rule"...
Remember the airline scene in "meet the parents"? Here it is.