United Airlines Forces Man off of oversold flight

[JaxDad]

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'm guessing they were "dead heading," basically flying to their next work assignment and not on personal stand-by. Still, it was handled incredibly badly.

The guy screwed up by putting up a fight with law enforcement though. He may or may not have civil recourse, but he may also have real criminal charges to face first.

 

[PrncessA]

The article is one thing, United handled the situation completely wrong, but after the watching the video I am sickened. The way the man was handled and DRAGGED from the plane is amazing. He definitely has a case to sue. AMAZING! United has had a lot of bad press recently.

 

[RedAngie]

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.

The way I understand it, the crew members weren't flying standby. They were needed in Louisville to operate a flight either later last night or this morning.

 

[anniemae]

The article is one thing, United handled the situation completely wrong, but after the watching the video I am sickened. The way the man was handles and DRAGGED from the plane is amazing. He definitely has a case to sue. AMAZING! United has had a lot of bad press recently.

I was sick watching it, especially knowing kids were on the flight. He was not fighting as they dragged him off, he was basically limp and bloody as they dragged him out. I also read they had to evacuate the plane to "clean up" and the flight was delayed for 2 hours.

 

[klacey1]

One of the many reasons JetBlue is my primary airline (Delta only to locations JetBlue doesn't fly to) is that they do not overbooks flights. I've considered bumps from Delta flights, but I've always been beaten by someone else who takes the voucher.

 

[rigs32]

United should have rented a van and had the employees drive the 5-6 hours to the other city. Or paid to put them on other airlines' flights. Not forcibly deplane passengers.

 

[alliecat523]

The crew were a must fly crew traveling to fly a plane full of passengers at another location. It's not the same as a standby or "free" crew flight. Getting another full (probably oversold) flight off the ground is definitely worth more to UA than 4 paying passengers on another flight. Not that I think it's right, but it happens every day. Other airlines tend to handle things with a bit more professionalism and tact.

That being said, I still think there is more to this story than what we currently know.

 

[RedAngie]

United should have rented a van and had the employees drive the 5-6 hours to the other city. Or paid to put them on other airlines' flights. Not forcibly deplane passengers.

Maybe United should have put the employees on a Delta flight. They MIGHT be able to get to Louisville by next week.

 

[gemini2727]

Just watched the video, omg, this is still America right??
They would have had to drag me off also after I paid my fare and was boarded!
Unbelievable they would treat someone like that!

 

[Disney_traveler]

I have to agree with @BrianL

As a student (but an 18 year old) a team of 10 of us had to fly on our own to represent an organization. I will admit we were all very naive but very full of our ourselves as elite officers of a student organization. The one member of our team prone to chat with people and disregard time constraints did not board with us.....then they closed cabin and he still wasn't there. We started pushing attendant buttons and telling them we couldn't leave with out him and he wouldn't know what to do. One of the members of our team that was close with the one left behind even said to an attendant "if something happens to him it will be on your hands". Attendant walked off and soon pilot was back there giving us a stern talking too before opening door and letting team member on. Now several years later one of our team went into law enforcement and told us how lucky we were because that could have been all kinds of trouble. Now I just tell myself to sit down, shut up and take whatever is dished out.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

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.

They went up to $800. They'd have had some takers at $1200 and if not there certainly by $1500. So for lack of foresight to bump their offer another $400, they're going to be paying maybe 100 times that to settle this.

Maybe United should have put the employees on a Delta flight. They MIGHT be able to get to Louisville by next week.

That is no longer the case. They'd have been there by Wednesday. You see, after the passengers are not luggage act passed. Delta no longer loses them like they do luggage. And the employees would have gotten meal vouchers that won't even cover an appetizer at the only restaurant they are good at for their trouble.

 

[bcla]

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.

Crew members traveling to a job don't fly standby. They have the highest priority since they need the personnel to be able to fly at all. A pilot being "repositioned" to another flight can even bump someone out of business or first. The justification is that a pilot should be well rested before flying.

 

[declansdad]

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.

A case for what?

 

[pigletto]

A case for what?

How about assault?

 

[Mizzoufan]

Okay it was wrong for them to bump him. Why wouldn't he just get up and leave the plane on his own. He was just adding to the problem I think. After he got off the plane he could raise cain at customer service. Seems like he been carried was drama he created.

 

[anniemae]

I'm not sure what happened before he was dragged off. I have not seen a video of that. Just the security guys standing over him, lots of sounds of shoving and screaming. Maybe he didn't know what was going on, maybe he was trying to get them to stop manhandling him and was going to get up if they backed off. I don't know, that was not clear to me. But it still seemed barbaric.

 

[declansdad]

How about assault?

Well he did refuse to leave and I'm guessing he was asked politely in the beginning. When he struck his face on the other seat he was resisting the officers at that point. Not really sure he would have a case for assault.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

The airline industry is ridiculous. You wouldn't be able to get way with nutty stuff like that in other industries.

 

[JaxDad]

Well he did refuse to leave and I'm guessing he was asked politely in the beginning. When he struck his face on the other seat he was resisting the officers at that point. Not really sure he would have a case for assault.

I'm thinking he was actually breaking federal law! He has public opinion on his side for now though. He needs to lawyer up and settle before the social media crowd is outraged by the next viral video...

 

[wilkeliza]

This I can't stand behind. How do you board an entire plane and then demand people get off. If they needed involuntary passengers then they shouldn't have started boarding at all and just said sorry you aren't on this flight any more here is your compensation see you tomorrow. If I'm in my seat and buckled I assume I'm flying outside of any last minute medical or mechanical issues that causes the whole plane to be delayed.