United Airlines forcibly removes older man after overbooking flight

[mtangelsfan]

United screwed up here big time but now they are in even a worse conundrum.  They are going to keep looking worse by defending their actions but I don't know what else they can do.  If they don't they are going to lose a lot of money in court.  Plus, people say they won't fly them again but most people book by price and there are only so many options.

 

[red321]

I think another disturbing aspect of this story is a company's use of the police force to resolve their contractual dispute.

[mtangelsfan]

Good point red.

[Blarg]

United won't be able to defend their actions in court. They will cite their contract then the defense will say first class wasn't included in the list if people being randomly selected and it will go futher to shit on them in the courtroom. I doubt this sees a jury, there is just too much to lose. The doctor is going to get a retirement settlement that will afford him first class seating for everything in life. 

[Tank]

Quote

 

This is the UA version of "Get off my lawn!!!!!"

someone should make a meme.

[Angel Oracle]

United stock is tanking!    I smell a CEO resignation coming.

[Blarg]

30 minutes ago, Tank said:

This is the UA version of "Get off my lawn!!!!!"

someone should make a meme.

[Blarg]

21 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

United stock is tanking!    I smell a CEO resignation coming.

Right now the CEO is thinking he should sent his private plane to shuttle those four crew members.

[gotbeer]

50 minutes ago, Blarg said:

United won't be able to defend their actions in court. They will cite their contract then the defense will say first class wasn't included in the list if people being randomly selected and it will go futher to shit on them in the courtroom. I doubt this sees a jury, there is just too much to lose. The doctor is going to get a retirement settlement that will afford him first class seating for everything in life. 

And not only from United.  He's going to sue Chicago PD also.  Not that the city has any money to get. 

People in China are already calling for a boycott of United.  And they may hold a grudge better than people in the US.  And this is 4 years ago.

United Airlines has a problem: China

And marketing wise, if I was AA, I would be offering United Premier members the chance to get equivalent status in their program for switching. 

[LooneyPlatoons]

http://i.imgur.com/99dgkTs.gifv

[Adam]

This won't go to court. Mr. Lee will be able to upgrade wives soon enough. 

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

This is one of those situations that trips me out because a few people made the call that led to the situation escalating.  That small group of people are responsible for a major backlash against the airline, the stock price falling, jobs likely being lost by people who had nothing to do with it and the list goes on.  If the CEO didn't double down like an asshole I'd maybe feel sorry for those impacted that had nothing to do with it.

[LooneyPlatoons]

[Brandon]

ha, i thought that was a dildo she had on the tray. it took a minute.

[Homebrewer]

Many of you know I'm retired airlines. I have worked literally hundreds of DB (denied boarding) situations. No way did it, or should it EVER come to what it came to in this instance. I was a stupidvisor and was authorized to do whatever it took...free round trips, 2 free round trips, money. hotels, multiple upgrades...it just kept going up until someone was willing to miss the flight.. for the rewards. Every gate agent in our employ was authorized to do the same thing. Give whatever it takes.

I have taken advantage of DB compensation myself on MANY occasions. Every flight nowadays is so heavily booked that I almost never use the benefits I thought I would travel on in my retirement, it just isn't worth it to try and fly standby now...BUT, I almost always have extra time, never check luggage, and always check in with the gate agent and volunteer in advance to give up my seat if needed...and have extended vacations with free rooms and meal money and earned another round trip flight, with upgrades, for the future to boot. Fact is I became a DB artist before I ever worked for an airline, knowing which flights would be overbooked and what I could get for staying an extra day or two (or a week) in awful places like Seattle, where I had friends...or Lahina, or London or Cabo, or Puerto Vallarta .  I'm always pre-ticketed, never check baggage, and never drive a car to an airport, so getting in and out of an airport is never much of a problem for me.

 

[Junkballer]

I've suggested the "Thunderdome Policy" to them in the past and this is what they get for ignoring my very helpful, if out of the box solutions.

[gotbeer]

It's all good guys.  He's sorry.

United CEO issues apology for dragged passenger

on the bright side.  Looks like the passenger was telling the truth.  He is a doctor.  Although the Chinese part seems to be a stretch.

Passenger Dragged Off United Plane Identified as CEO 'Emphatically' Stands Behind Employees

 

[Thomas]

I'm kind of surprised that the anger against United has been so um...united. I figured there would be some people sticking up for them and that the passenger got was coming to him and I certainly would have expected people to focus on law enforcement. That is a serious amount of unpopularity if you can um...unite the American population for the most part in hating you.

[Chuck]

Weird timing that my United Airlines app updated on my phone yesterday. 

 

[Thomas]

I don't like their drag and drop feature!

 

[gotbeer]

2 hours ago, Thomas said:

I'm kind of surprised that the anger against United has been so um...united. I figured there would be some people sticking up for them and that the passenger got was coming to him and I certainly would have expected people to focus on law enforcement. That is a serious amount of unpopularity if you can um...unite the American population for the most part in hating you.

And yet, you know the one set of people we have yet to hear from in any fashion?  Politicians.  You know the guys that's supposed to represent the people airlines.

[gotbeer]

And it gets worse for United and Chicago Police.

United Airlines faces mounting pressure over hospitalized passenger

Quote

Lawyers for the passenger, Dr. David Dao, issued a statement late on Tuesday confirming his identity and saying that he and his family were "focused only on Dr. Dao's medical care and treatment" in a Chicago hospital.

It went from $800 to 3 but probably 4 and maybe 5 more zero's added.

[Brandon]

when you board a doctor, but leave a patient

[Blarg]

I'm looking at taking a trip up to Montana to see my parents for a week. United is the primary carrier for the area and has the lowest fares of the few competitors. 

Except every flight says they only have two seats remaining. Makes me think the assholes are still over booking flights and I could get bumped at the terminal. 

[arch stanton]

The overbooking and bumping has been going on for years. To me, the issue here is giving him a boarding pass, letting him board the plane and then bumping him. It just seems to me that this should be the point of no return