United Airlines Forces Man off of oversold flight

[BrianL]

They never should have boarded that plane until they had officially bumped people (well, they shouldn't have oversold at all or they should have planned better for their crew, but whatever). This should have been done as far in advance as possible. That being said, once the decision was made that he would be bumped and the flight crew asked him to disembark the plane, he really should have done so. Yes, it is shabby treatment of a customer. Yes, he should complain up the chain as far as he can. Refusing the instructions of a flight crew and airport security personnel though is just asking for trouble. They are very, very serious about such matters. Yeah, United are the real cause of the problem, but resisting in that way really wasn't going to help.

 

[pryncess527]

In this case, Louisville is a 5 hour drive from Chicago -- I've have taken the $800 voucher and rented a car.

But, since United created this problem, and since United needed the seats for their employees -- I think United should have found another solution. I've known airlines to buy seats on a competitors flight when they needed to move staff, or have the staff drive. It's hard to see how manhandling a passenger who had been allowed to board was the best solution here.

 

[Gracie09]

Interesting, wonder how much the guys tickets were. The airline could be on the hook for a bit of $$

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/250.5

(a) Subject to the exceptions provided in § 250.6, a carrier to whom this part applies as described in § 250.2 shall pay compensation in interstate air transportation to passengers who are denied boarding involuntarily from an oversold flight as follows:

(1) No compensation is required if the carrier offers alternate transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the airport of the passenger's first stopover, or if none, the airport of the passenger's final destination not later than one hour after the planned arrival time of the passenger's original flight;

(2) Compensation shall be 200% of the fare to the passenger's destination or first stopover, with a maximum of $675, if the carrier offers alternate transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the airport of the passenger's first stopover, or if none, the airport of the passenger's final destination more than one hour but less than two hours after the planned arrival time of the passenger's original flight; and

(3) Compensation shall be 400% of the fare to the passenger's destination or first stopover, with a maximum of $1,350, if the carrier does not offer alternate transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the airport of the passenger's first stopover, or if none, the airport of the passenger's final destination less than two hours after the planned arrival time of the passenger's original flight.

 

[JaxDad]

Wouldn't it be ironic if the guy was wearing leggings...

 

[lifesavacation]

Not that the guy's occupation matters, but I read an article that said he was a dr and needed to get back to his patients.

Terrible way to treat paying customers.

 

[DaisyJ]

Don't forget, after the police assaulted him and dragged him off, he was allowed back on the plane! I hope he sues United and Republic and wins HUGE money. I don't believe in frivolous lawsuits, but he's definitely got a case.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Wow... just flipping WOW....
OMG.... can it be all right for them to treat innocent paying passengers like this?
Really.
This is just stomach turning.

Do I understand that they did allow the man to reboard?

Probably with a signed 'will not sue' document.
Which, if so, IMHO would not hold up in courts because it was clearly 'under duress'.

I am NOT for this overly litigious culture, where everyone is suing for every percieved slight, at all.
But, I would hope that this guy sues the pants off this airline!!!
This should NOT be okay in this country!!!!

These airlines need to be held accountable for their open and unapologetic abuses to basic human civil rights.

 

[bcla]

wasnt oversold... they needed space for their crew!

It was oversold. They were apparently looking for one passenger to volunteer before they needed more seats for employees after they had started boarding.

I was on a flight last weekend and at the airport kiosk a message appeared asking if I would volunteer to take another flight. I declined. They always start escalating the offer. An involuntary removal can come with rather high payouts.

The situation can get really crazy if there's a pilot who needs to get somewhere. They get at least a business class seat, and business class passengers can be even more cranky that they're denied boarding or even removed.

 

[pryncess527]

Do I understand that they did allow the man to reboard?
.

The man was able to get back on the plane after initially being taken off — his face was bloody and he seemed disoriented, Bridges said, and he ran to the back of the plane. Passengers asked to get off the plane as a medical crew came on to deal with the passenger, she said, and passengers were then told to go back to the gate so that officials could "tidy up" the plane before taking off.

 

[DopeyDame]

United's statement is all the more ridiculous. Basically, "yup, that's what happened." Seriously?? No apology, no "our ground crew didn't handle things correctly"?

My read isn't that the man was allowed back on, but that he came back on, and then they had *all* the passengers deplane for a 2 hours. I'm assuming that guy didn't reboard, although I really have no idea.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We were coming home on New Year's Eve and were happy to get bumped in exchange for a hotel voucher and first class tickets the next day. Instead of flying all night we enjoyed a leisurely dinner and a movie. We arrived spoiled and relaxed, just a few hours after the rest of the extended family who had flown all night.

 

[Praying Colonel]

They never should have boarded that plane until they had officially bumped people (well, they shouldn't have oversold at all or they should have planned better for their crew, but whatever). This should have been done as far in advance as possible. That being said, once the decision was made that he would be bumped and the flight crew asked him to disembark the plane, he really should have done so. Yes, is is shabby treatment of a customer. Yes, he should complain up the chain as far as he can. Refusing the instructions of a flight crew and airport security personnel though is just asking for trouble. They are very, very serious about such matters. Yeah, United are the real cause of the problem, but resisting in that way really wasn't going to help.

As a doctor he very well might have felt a higher professional duty to his patients he'd be seeing the next day, even if it means having to deal with security.

 

[bcla]

United's statement is all the more ridiculous. Basically, "yup, that's what happened." Seriously?? No apology, no "our ground crew didn't handle things correctly"?

My read isn't that the man was allowed back on, but that he came back on, and then they had *all* the passengers deplane for a 2 hours. I'm assuming that guy didn't reboard, although I really have no idea.

It seems a bit unclear. By the description I can't tell if he was allowed back on the plane or if he ran back trying to evade security. Probably not the latter, but they don't go into more details.

 

[BrianL]

As a doctor he very well might have felt a higher professional duty to his patients he'd be seeing the next day, even if it means having to deal with security.

Maybe, but it's a losing battle. The instructions of a flight crew aboard an aircraft must be followed. I absolutely 100% agree that United handled this poorly and the Airport Police did too, but resisting them is only going to lead to escalation and potentially very severe consequences for the passenger.

 

[asta]

It is hard to see United's side in this. Overbooking is done as a financial benefit for the airline. I think the right choice is for the airline to continue upping their financial offer for someone to accept bumping. At some point the offer will get high enough for a passenger to accept. This expense will offset the money the airlines make on overbooking and should make the airlines less likely to bump.

 

[anniemae]

I watched some of the video clips and all I could think was, "Is this the way we are living now?" It seems awful to force someone to give up a seat that they paid for, arrived on time for, boarded the plane for etc. He played by the rules, so he should have been able to take the flight. Do they really think forcing people off a plane will make people want to fly United?? Nobody wants to volunteer? Well lets just pick some random folks to kick off. It was like the Hunger Games where they picked a name out of a bowl to see who would play the death game. I couldn't believe what I was watching as they dragged him off. It was like something out of a movie. There were children on that flight.

It does not seem right to force someone to give up their seat. They should have kept raising the offer for a volunteer, although I read they were up to $800 and a free hotel stay, until someone took it. Someone would eventually take it if they went high enough, and that would still cost them less than the bad press they are getting now. Or they should have found another way to get their employees to Louisville. Maybe rent a car, or put them on another airlines flight. But to force someone to give up their seat does not seem fair at all.

 

[DisBabe94]

Absolutely disgusting. They really botched this one... I won't be flying United in the future.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

So he was bumped for crew members flying standby? Isn't the point of standby that you get a seat if there's room? That's one of the reasons it's free or deeply discounted isn't it?

I definitely disagree with how the airline handled the situation.

 

[RedAngie]

So question,

how much does it take to get u off the plane? i think if it reached $1000 + free night + free flight next day...

I guess I'm cheap. Once I volunteered at the first offer, a $200 voucher with a guaranteed seat on the next flight 2 hours later.

Another time was a $400 voucher, free hotel and meal, and first class seat on a flight the next morning.

Don't forget, after the police assaulted him and dragged him off, he was allowed back on the plane! I hope he sues United and Republic and wins HUGE money. I don't believe in frivolous lawsuits, but he's definitely got a case.

I still don't understand if he was finally allowed to fly on that flight or not. Did someone else volunteer to get offloaded in his place?



I seriously doubt that the crew schedule assignment was a last minute thing. Miscommunication or incompetence on United's part for allowing those 4 passengers to board.

 

[anniemae]

So he was bumped for crew members flying standby? Isn't the point of standby that you get a seat if there's room? That's one of the reasons it's free or deeply discounted isn't it?

I definitely disagree with how the airline handled the situation.

I guess because they were crew members. The crew was a priority since they had a flight they had to be on the next morning. If it were just everyday Joe's looking to flying standby they would have been turned away. But United saw the crew as more important than paying customers. I will certainly never fly them knowing that I could get forced off a flight to accommodate crew members. I hope they hurt financially for this.