United Airlines Forces Man off of oversold flight

[Pixiedustaway]

link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...off-battered-and-limp/?utm_term=.0fd756afc976

I think the fact that one of the officers has been placed on leave speaks volumes[/QUOTE

I was going to post the same thing. How was he not assaulted? He was dragged off the plane. Beaten and bloodied. In front of the whole plane. That cop went way over the line. This could have been handled so much differently.

 

[Pixiedustaway]

Bottomline is that he was told multiple times that he had to exit the airplane. You can argue and voice your objections for a little while, but when 3 security guards come for you, it's time to get off. If the person still refuses to get off, the only thing left is to physically escort him off the plane. The injuries were sustained because the passenger put up a fight, that's on him.

Oh come on!!! You can't be serious. He was dragged off. I don't have to do anything I don't want to. No one has the right to put their hands on me. I can't see how anyone can defend united on this one.

 

[Pixiedustaway]

I am booked to fly on United tomorrow. I am anticipating a high level of customer service.

Pack boxing gloves

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I don't have to do anything I don't want to. No one has the right to put their hands on me.

This is just wrong.

You can see from my other posts here that I think United was WRONG here, but there obviously are places where the authorities can "put their hands on you". And there are times you DO have to do things you don't want to do.

Here, I'd argue 1) it never needed to happen (offer more money), and 2) seems like he was clumsily removed.

 

[mummabear]

It doesn't matter what you think should be in the contract, it's what is actually stated in the contract that matters. There are many things that could change the flight and they can have an impact on whether you get on THAT flight or not.

But it does.
It doesn't matter in this mans potientail legal case, but unless people are keen to see this again it does matter.
Remember when airlines used to hold people hostage in the runways and it was within their rights to do so? And what happened? People caused a fuss, the laws were changed and now the airlines can't continue as they were.
The same needs to happen here, if people don't honk it's acceptable for airlines to be double booking seats there has to be pressure applied to change the laws about what practises the airlines are allowed to engage in.

 

[Pixiedustaway]

This is just wrong.

You can see from my other posts here that I think United was WRONG here, but there obviously are places where the authorities can "put their hands on you". And there are times you DO have to do things you don't want to do.

Here, I'd argue 1) it never needed to happen (offer more money), and 2) seems like he was clumsily removed.

"Clumsily removed?" Really. That's what you get from that video. So the fact that one of the cops was suspended for not following procedure means nothing to you? I don't get that. He paid for his seat. If he was bumped before the flight I get it, he's in his seat and should not have been physically removed.

 

[leebee]

We've taken lots of bumps when it's fit our travel plans. Every time, our luggage has flown on the flight we'd planned on taking; the airlines don't postpone take-off to look for your luggage. We've found our luggage locked in the baggage office of our destination airport. Interestingly, one time when we took a bump, we arrived at the destination before our luggage, as our bags went on the original, connecting flight and we were bumped to a direct flight!

In the instances when taking a bump has required us to stay overnight somewhere, there's always been a complimentary hotel room and the airline usually provides an "essentials" kit, usually containing a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, deodorant, foot covers (socks with grippy things, like you get in the hospital), and a tee-shirt. That's my experience.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

He was dragged off.

Because he refused a direct order multiple times. His injuries are his fault. If I read the story correctly, another couple was also asked to leave the plane and they did so calmly.

I don't have to do anything I don't want to.

100% wrong. And in this particular case, it's actually a federal crime to disobey instructions on a plane.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

"Clumsily removed?" Really. That's what you get from that video. So the fact that one of the cops was suspended for not following procedure means nothing to you? I don't get that. He paid for his seat. If he was bumped before the flight I get it, he's in his seat and should not have been physically removed.

Oy. You obviously want to find disagreement. The removal looks to my untrained eye like it was MISHANDLED. I don't know what legally constitutes excessive force, so I won't say that. Geez. Read my other posts.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Ok, this won't be a popular post but I can't blame United itself and I will continue to fly with them. I do blame the over zealous employee/s. Yes, I know you are only as good as your staff. They have suspended one and that was the right thing to do. IF United would not have taken action against him then I would reconsider. We all know that there are bad employees everywhere in any business. Not all gets viral attention. Other airlines have the same procedure for overbooking so I can't fault just United on the overbooking issue. It was the employee that assaulted him and I'm sure their employee handbook doesn't state if a person refuses to "voluntarily" be bumped to beat him up.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

... should not have been physically removed.

And had he left quietly with his $800 and a hotel voucher, he wouldn't have been physically removed.

 

[mummabear]

Airlines do allow changes, including unrestricted which can be refunded at any time. They'll typically allow a passenger to fly standby on a later flight if arriving too late at the airport; that's happened to my wife and kid. I cancelled once for an international flight and got credit minus a $200 cancellation fee for each ticket. Some airlines (Southwest is the best known) have no change fees. Unrestricted also has no change fees.

And this is where US airlines need to think about whether their system is working.

Here is NZ and Australia you have 3-4 options when booking a flight. A non refundable basic ticket for say $69 (no changes) seat +bag at $79 (still no changes), Flexi time $99 (changes can be made on day of travel only non refundable) or full Flexi $119 (refundable)

 

[mummabear]

And had he left quietly with his $800 and a hotel voucher, he wouldn't have been physically removed.

An it's one hung to offer people incentives to take a bump it's a whole other thing to force them to.

 

[markb681]

I definitely agree with this. But what else would you have the airline do? They can't let him refuse, because then that makes it look like it's voluntary bumping. What would they do if he next person refused? At some point they're going to be removing someone forcibly from that plane. Bumping an active flight crew is not a viable option.

Its hard to feel sorry for United when they arrange flight schedules MONTHS in advance...THEY knew A flight crew needed to be in Louisville on this date...it was their choice to wait until the last moment to fill those needs...they could have flown them on a different airline or flown them the day before...and as to ur OTHER post about just accepting getting bumped and THEN argue with customer service I'm LOL at that one! AFTER the plane is long gone...how much leverage do u think u have with the airline? NONE! U negotiate when u have the upper hand! Business 101! He should have asked for the moon BEFORE getting taken off...I would have asked for R/T tixs for 2 ANYWHERE United Flies w/out a expiration date!

As someone who have flown over 1800 flights in my life...I've volunteered to get bumped close to 100 times...and I've ALWAYS asked for more than the airlines were offering and gotten it...they lowball everyone! And In all those flights I've never seen ANYONE get dragged off of a plane for being bumped...I've seen auctions at the GA stands...BUT they always got enuff to people to step aside...THEY should have NEVER allowed anyone to board the plane until they had the 4 volunteers....NEVER!

I'm usually 100% pro-business....BUT WOW! This is a major fiasco! IF I was the CEO of United...I would FIRE everyone and anyone who had anything to do with this...and offer that man lifetime passes not to drag me to court! SMH

 

[Pacolovestacos]

An it's one hung to offer people incentives to take a bump it's a whole other thing to force them to.

United has the right to bump people from oversold flights. Please read the terms of your ticket purchase.

 

[lifesavacation]

United has the right to bump people from oversold flights. Please read the terms of your ticket purchase.

Yep, it's on the bottom of the ticket.

 

[Westcoastwild]

And this is where US airlines need to think about whether their system is working.

Here is NZ and Australia you have 3-4 options when booking a flight. A non refundable basic ticket for say $69 (no changes) seat +bag at $79 (still no changes), Flexi time $99 (changes can be made on day of travel only non refundable) or full Flexi $119 (refundable)

Oh, we have those options here too. It's just more like 130 for no changes and 500 for a fully refundable. Anyone can buy the $500 ticket. It's just that I never do, and neither do
most people who travel on their own dime. It's fly at your own risk. It ALWAYS is when it comes to budget travel. It's all in the terms of service!

 

[Albort]

Yep, it's on the bottom of the ticket.

its a little bit iffy honestly. There is no actual ruling on this situation. It says that "If there are not enough volunteers, the airline will deny boarding to other persons in accordance with its particular boarding priority." If the guy didnt board the plane and gets denied at the gate, then yeah, that makes sense. But he wasnt stopped at the gate, he was allowed to board. I dunno what the rules are if he boarded then gets asked to leave afterwards... there no written rule on that.

 

[DebbieB]

I was on a Continental flight (which is now United) about 5 years ago. We had all boarded when the Captain made an announcement that he wanted to get more fuel because we had to fly around thunderstorms. Then a few minutes later the gate agent came on and said they needed 4 people to volunteer to get off due to weight & balance. This was a full size plane, I couldn't understand how adding this fuel made the plane overweight, we were flying Pittsburgh to Houston, not a long flight. Anyway, they made an offer and no one volunteered. So he left and then came back with the 4 names who needed to get off. He said they were selected by the last 4 people to check-in. Those people peacefully got off.

Of course, it was not right to drag this man off the way they did. But it's illegal to disobey the orders of a flight crew. They may not have known in advance that they needed to get these 4 crew members to Louisville for their next flight, they may have been delayed. If they don't make it to Louisville with the required rest, they would have to cancel or delay their next flight which would inconvenience a lot more people.

 

[Westcoastwild]

its a little bit iffy honestly. There is no actual ruling on this situation. It says that "If there are not enough volunteers, the airline will deny boarding to other persons in accordance with its particular boarding priority." If the guy didnt board the plane and gets denied at the gate, then yeah, that makes sense. But he wasnt stopped at the gate, he was allowed to board. I dunno what the rules are if he boarded then gets asked to leave afterwards... there no written rule on that.

Except if the airline's policy is to load people on and then bump according to priority, that bit of legalese makes it a written rule. That's what's annoying about airlines. They get into trouble if they outright break laws but they're REALLY good about pushing the boundaries.