This post on the well-known practice of product "crimping" (reducing the value of lower-end products in a line) had one surprising example, which I'd like to believe, but have trouble doing: "A very subtle form of product crimping allegedly is employed by American airlines. On flights with a high proportion of full-fare passengers, American improves the quality of the meal service, thereby rewarding the full-fare passengers and injuring, on average, discount flyers."