United passenger forcibly removed from plane for not giving up seat

[SaltyNuts]

Thanks Osiris. So literally every US carrier will overbook, and kick you off your flight if the circumstances arise?

 

[SaltyNuts]

I just want to vote with my feet and go to the carriers that don't do that crooked stuff, if there are any.

 

[ponyo]

Thanks Osiris. So literally every US carrier will overbook, and kick you off your flight if the circumstances arise?

Other airlines will kick you off but United will beat you and drag you off.

I was tempted today to buy United stock for a flip but the thought of supporting this dysfunctional company frankly repulsed me. Even if I did make money, I couldn't in good conscience support idiot like Oscar Munoz.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Thanks Osiris. So literally every US carrier will overbook, and kick you off your flight if the circumstances arise?

In this specific instance, the flight was not, in fact, even overbooked. It was appropriately booked, and four people were asked to leave after nobody accepted the offer for a later flight + free air miles/tickets/whatevers. So even if you have a ticket, ass-in-seat, apparently, you can still be drug off an aircraft if it is of financial benefit to that airline.

 

[tynopik]

I don't have to prove a thing

you're the one that claimed you had proof

This was no random picking.

if you're going to make firm claims like that, you are indeed the one that needs proof

 

[tynopik]

Thanks Osiris. So literally every US carrier will overbook, and kick you off your flight if the circumstances arise?

what other option do they have?

if there are more passengers than seats, then someone has to go

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

what other option do they have?

if there are more passengers than seats, then someone has to go

There weren't more passengers than seats. There were more passengers + United employees dead-heading to another flight the next morning than seats.

 

[tynopik]

There weren't more passengers than seats. There were more passengers + United employees dead-heading to another flight the next morning than seats.

that was in reference to airlines in general, so yes, all airlines will kick you off forcibly if it's required

for this specific case, the airline sets how many seats are available. if they decide they need 4 seats for other purposes, then there are more passengers than seats

 

[ponyo]

you're the one that claimed you had proof



if you're going to make firm claims like that, you are indeed the one that needs proof

Are you retarded like Oscar Munoz? Do people have to spell everything out for you?

 

[manly]

I mean go right ahead and make up whatever you want I guess because I never said anything like that.

That's funny, you cherry pick one question I had about possible racial bias and claim I tossed out the race card.
Yet every post of yours has been consistent that UAL followed corporate policy, and legally they complied with regulations. So yeah, you never said anything like that?

Flyertalk has several other reports that mention yelling from the Dr. from other passengers although I don't have it in me to sift through the 240+ page thread. Apparently he also ran back onto the plane and had to be removed a second time:

Dude was smashed in the mouth and clearly dazed. It's his fault for again "resisting"? LMAO what kind of security officer dragged him off the plane like a sack of potatoes, yet couldn't keep him in custody?

If refusing to leave the plane was a crime, they should've just arrested him. At least in that case, you could justify some level of force and tasering.

 

[KillerCharlie]

Getting bumped before boarding is not uncommon, but once you're sitting in your seat?!

 

[lucia]

Airlines shouldn't have the luxury of a built in insurance policy through overbooking. What a farce.

 

[pmv]

OK, so the issue wasn't overbooking (in those cases they usually just ask people to volunteer not to board, they don't remove people after boarding) it was the airline's need to transport some crew members around, which for some reason (incompetence?) they only thought of after boarding was complete.

What I don't understand is why the airline just didn't increase the offers of compensation till some passenger was prepared to voluntarily give up their seat for it. I mean, everyone has their price, I can't believe nobody on that plane would have given up a seat in return for an offer that would have been perfectly affordable for United. Preferring to instead get the cops to remove someone forcible is just insane, and the airline (and its CEO) deserve to pay a hefty price for such idiocy.

 

[purbeast0]

I think the important thing here is what airline can I fly in the U.S. that won't sell out my seats and leave the flight overbooked so I can't get on the plane? Anyone have any idea? Thanks.

The flight wasn't overbooked.

So United works for you.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

OK, so the issue wasn't overbooking (in those cases they usually just ask people to volunteer not to board, they don't remove people after boarding) it was the airline's need to transport some crew members around, which for some reason (incompetence?) they only thought of after boarding was complete.

What I don't understand is why the airline just didn't increase the offers of compensation till some passenger was prepared to voluntarily give up their seat for it. I mean, everyone has their price, I can't believe nobody on that plane would have given up a seat in return for an offer that would have been perfectly affordable for United. Preferring to instead get the cops to remove someone forcible is just insane, and the airline (and its CEO) deserve to pay a hefty price for such idiocy.

Because they assumed (incorrectly) that it'd be cheaper to get four people to comply to a lesser offer + authoritarian force than a greater offer. They bet wrong.

 

[Ancalagon44]

Because they assumed (incorrectly) that it'd be cheaper to get four people to comply to a lesser offer + authoritarian force than a greater offer. They bet wrong.

Yeah, big time. They lost $800 million in stock value.

It would have been cheaper to hire a private jet for those 4 employees.

In fact, it would have been cheaper to build a private jet for those 4 employees, fly it once, and then destroy it.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Yeah, big time. They lost $800 million in stock value.

It would have been cheaper to hire a private jet for those 4 employees.

In fact, it would have been cheaper to build a private jet for those 4 employees, fly it once, and then destroy it.

They made most of that back from profit-seekers yesterday, but yes, your point still stands. It would have been less of a PR disaster to just charter a private jet for the four employees.

 

[tmc]

also, when the aviation dept officers were called, i am not sure if the airline employees provided the background info.

the airline staff *probably* simply told them we need a passenger ejected, and the officials assumed unruly passenger etc, and started with the usual procedure for that.

i simply don't understand why they resorted to such force. looks like it escalated very quickly.

 

[ponyo]

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/12/this...n-united-ceo-munoz-promises-in-interview.html

Oscar Munoz promises not to beat up and drag out paying customers in the future. LOL. Isn't that a given? This asshole needs to be re-accommodated by the board of United. The damage Munoz has done to United brand is going to cost the shareholders billions and will take very long time to fix. Social media attention span might only be couple hours or days but this will have lasting effect. Until Munoz is re-accommodated, people won't forgive United.

 

[dullard]

They made most of that back from profit-seekers yesterday, but yes, your point still stands. It would have been less of a PR disaster to just charter a private jet for the four employees.

I honestly don't know this, but is it possible to charter a private jet in their time schedule? They needed to get their crew there at a certain time, and the window was small. I was trapped once in Chicago with coworkers and our company has a private jet. But even then, we needed 24 hours notice to use it (something about getting an available pilot, paperwork, etc). I'm sure a larger company like United can do it sooner than 24 hours, but can they do it in say as little as a couple hours?

The real solution, of course, is to realize that if you fill flights to the brim and pack crews schedules to the legal limits to maximize profits then you also need to be willing to pay a tiny fraction of that profit to convince people to leave their seats voluntarily.

 

[Svnla]

The old guy is saying he is "having injured "everything"".

Uh oh from United and Chicago Aviation - https://uk.news.yahoo.com/united-passenger-dragged-off-plane-004400916.html

I can see it now....from his lawyer (if the case would make it that far)... "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, let go over the video of my client, a frail old man, being beaten up to a bloody pulp, frame by frame...slowly".

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I honestly don't know this, but is it possible to charter a private jet in their time schedule? They needed to get their crew there at a certain time, and the window was small. I was trapped once in Chicago with coworkers and our company has a private jet. But even then, we needed 24 hours notice to use it (something about getting an available pilot, paperwork, etc). I'm sure a larger company like United can do it sooner than 24 hours, but can they do it in say as little as a couple hours?

The real solution, of course, is to realize that if you fill flights to the brim and pack crews schedules to the legal limits to maximize profits then you also need to be willing to pay a tiny fraction of that profit to convince people to leave their seats voluntarily.

It was for the next day, presumably if the airline could make it to the destination in that timeframe, a chartered flight could as well, but yes they might have to pay out the nose for it. Whole lotta Not My Problem though.

But yes, as you said, contingencies need to have already been put in place for this, and don't be stingy with the bribes.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Yeah, big time. They lost $800 million in stock value.

It would have been cheaper to hire a private jet for those 4 employees.

In fact, it would have been cheaper to build a private jet for those 4 employees, fly it once, and then destroy it.

The saddest thing is one of the passengers in the video had more common sense than anybody at the airlines by asking why can't the employees be driven to Louisville, KY.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

The old guy is saying he is "having injured "everything"".

If I was that guy I'd be in a full body cast and would be screaming in pain for any news crew who got within 100 yards of me. The more hurt he seems to be the bigger the settlement.

 

[ponyo]

I honestly don't know this, but is it possible to charter a private jet in their time schedule? They needed to get their crew there at a certain time, and the window was small. I was trapped once in Chicago with coworkers and our company has a private jet. But even then, we needed 24 hours notice to use it (something about getting an available pilot, paperwork, etc). I'm sure a larger company like United can do it sooner than 24 hours, but can they do it in say as little as a couple hours?

The real solution, of course, is to realize that if you fill flights to the brim and pack crews schedules to the legal limits to maximize profits then you also need to be willing to pay a tiny fraction of that profit to convince people to leave their seats voluntarily.

Of course you can. Even with NetJets, you can get a private plane in little as 4 hours to fly out in minutes and that's timeshare program. If you're titan in the industry like United, they could've made few calls and got a private plane pronto.