Once upon a time (i.e., up until August 2010), people who bought Business Select tickets on Southwest Airlines flights were treated to free drink coupons that didn’t have an expiration date and could be used at a later date if the passenger didn’t feel like tippling on the day of the initial flight. But now that these coupons are only good for the date of issue, one Southwest traveler with a stockpile of now-useless paper is suing the carrier.

“Southwest decided that it would make more money — improve its ‘bottom-line’ — by choosing not to honor the coupons that consumers had already paid and bargained for,” reads the complaint, which was filed yesterday in a Chicago federal court.

The lawsuit, which class-action status, came complete with a 45 unused drink coupons, each valued at five dollars.

The plaintiff is asking for compensatory damages and other remedies.

Illinois man sues Southwest saying he is owed 45 free drinks [Chicago Tribune]

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