Posted on 04/10/2017 9:27:28 AM PDT by simpson96
Edited on 04/10/2017 10:24:48 AM PDT by Sidebar Moderator. [history]
Well then you’re just heartless. If you can’t recognize united’s error, then you’re blind.
Of course this happened on a United flight, my only “no-fly” airline.
80% of my flying misery is from United flights.
That said, they have to shuffle crews but could auction for volunteers.
Everyone on that flight has a number. The gate crew didn’t go high enough apparently.
Most of those on the flight paid extra for flying on Sunday because of weekday commitments, so the voucher price must also go up when you want to induce voluntary no-flys.
When I was going home on leave after a deployment many years ago, they said they were going to do the same thing if nobody volunteered. As they walked down the aisle, I remember grimly holding onto the arm rests, thinking “If they tell me I have to get off, they are going to have to pry me out of my seat!”
I would have done it. I remember a Connecticut State Trooper hooking a tow truck up to my car (If I had returned one minute later, my car would have been gone!) and I threatened to lay down in the road in front of the car. I would have done it, too, I was so frikking hopping mad. (I had a tow truck of my own that arrived about a minute after I began arguing with the trooper.
The trooper did change his voice and posture while saying “Calm down, sir, lower your voice, and stop swearing.” which I recognized as a prelude to something like disturbing the peace or whatever, but...didn’t get my car towed.
I’m not for frivolous lawsuits, but I’d get lawyered up over this. In a heartbeat.
So he’s Asian, too? Even better. Here comes a million-plus passenger boycott. The thuggery that forced this to happen for the ‘stand-by’ crew is definitely gonna pay now.
He was seated on the plane. United had an obligation to take him. They can’t pull the overbooking stuff at that point.
Consider this. You have just bought something from me. I have accepted your payment, and I have assured you that the deal is complete.
And let’s suppose that this deal involves something that is rather important to you. Something that is VERY time-dependent. So we’re not talking about buying a candy bar, or anything like that.
Then after you make all your plans, I say to you, sorry, but forget it. The deal is off. And he’s a cookie for all your troubles.
What do you say then?
>>that passenger should sue, and sue for millions.
***************************************************
True.
If just the people who fly for recreational vacations alone would stop doing so, I daresay the mistreatment (including TSA physical assault) would cease.
United is now on my list of UN-acceptable airlines.
Delta made my UN-acceptable list last year, when they announced boarding of families with small children my 4yo grandson shot to the boarding gate where whatever the rude boarding pass taker said made him cry. I later found out that small children means children who can’t walk by themselves.
The airlines need to post this somewhere, because most passengers are not clairvoyant.
> paid to the highest bidder
lowest?
The airline caused the removal, as authorized by their tariffs and Contract of Carriage, for which they may have to pay him up to $1350, but the passenger caused the CONDITIONS OF THE REMOVAL ! he cannot profit from his own improper actions.
The other pax had no problem deplaning, he was “special,” and chose to violate the law, and paid a price for it.
In addition, he has subjected himself to a $25,000 fine for a flagrant violation of 14 C.F.R. §§ 91.11, 121.580, 135.120.
We have the right to agree with, or not agree with laws. We do not have the right to disobey them without incurring a penalty.
What? No straphangers?
That said, they did a stupid thing. This escapade is costing them millions in bad press and destruction of goodwill.
Instead they should have just kept raising the payment until 4 people volunteered to get bumped. Obviously $800 wasn't enough. At some point enough incentive would have found 4 volunteers. What would it take? $2,000 in vouchers? A free first-class ticket to anywhere in the US including Hawaii?
As an aside, this is why airlines appreciate volunteers to get bumped. When ever a flight looks full and we have the time, we always volunteer and have received thousands of dollars of free travel.
Finally, all those who say the airlines shouldn't overbook are ignorant. They fail to understand load-capacity economics, no-shows, and pricing strategies.
Before 9/11 I flew all the time. Now I won't fly anywhere that I can drive to in less than 12 hours. It is just not worth the hassle, waiting time, and loss of control at each end of the trip.
Truth.
Half hour travel time to airport + 20 min from parking to terminal+ 1.5 hours before flight for check in and security+ 45 min at baggage + 30 min to rental car gives about 4 hours of airline overhead per trip
Add $15 per day parking + $25-$50 fee per piece luggage (including carry on for some airlines) + charging $3.00 for a cup of coffee with no complimentary drinks or peanuts + outrageous and confiscatory airport taxes and driving looks good at 12 hrs, especially if you have two or more people to safer the drive.
Many airlines have crammed so many seats on the airplane that seating is so tight its very uncomfortable for more than 3 hrs and god help you if you get a middle seat with two 300+ lb people on each side.
I can't wait for self driving cars that allow you to drive an 800 mile business trip and arrive dead tired when you get there
Correct.
And for anyone’s benefit who may be reading this and find themselves denied boarding, you can get that compensation in CASH, not just airline miles. You of course have to demand it, but you can get cash on the spot.
You can also ask for extras and negotiate - meal vouchers, upgrades seat on the flight you end up taking, etc. And make sure the hotel voucher can be usable at any time, so you can stay with friends if you wish and still use the hotel voucher another time.
There are blogs for people who are in no particular hurry and book at times where they hope to be denied boarding in order to get compensation!
Sometimes I think it would have been nice if we actually developed an effective high-speed rail system in this country.
Where do you come off with this assessment? The individual apparently did make it known and the flight attendents persisted. He said he would call his lawyer and they brought on 3 armed marshals who pulled him out of the seat & dragged him down the aisle. He was bloody & dazed. This sounds appropriate to you when the man had paid, was in his seat and had a reasonable priority reason for traveling.
[From United’s condition of carriage:]
“Boarding Priorities - If a flight is Oversold, no one may be denied boarding against his/her will until UA or other carrier personnel first ask for volunteers who will give up their reservations willingly in exchange for compensation as determined by UA. If there are not enough volunteers, other Passengers may be denied boarding involuntarily in accordance with UA’s boarding priority:
Passengers who are Qualified Individuals with Disabilities, unaccompanied minors under the age of 18 years, or minors between the ages of 5 to 15 years who use the unaccompanied minor service, will be the last to be involuntarily denied boarding if it is determined by UA that such denial would constitute a hardship.
The priority of all other confirmed passengers may be determined based on a passenger’s fare class, itinerary, status of frequent flyer program membership, and the time in which the passenger presents him/herself for check-in without advanced seat assignment.”
If there is going to be any kind of lawsuit, it seems that here are the grounds: picking passengers at random to bump goes against the policy of denying boarding as noted above.
Sorry, statist.
Plus from the airport it's at least a half-an-hour to an hour drive to your hotel downtown.
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