Posted on 04/13/2017 8:38:40 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The odds of getting involuntarily bumped from an airline flight are slim, but it pays to know your rights.
In 2015, just 0.09 percent of passengers in the U.S. were denied boarding, according to Bureau of Transportation Statistics data. More than 9 in 10 of those passengers voluntarily gave up their seats in exchange for compensation.
"It's fairly rare to be involuntarily bumped," said George Hobica, publisher of travel site AirfareWatchdog.com. "But if it happens to you, it's a big deal."
The renewed attention on the rules comes in the wake of an incident on a United Express flight earlier this week when a seated passenger was forcibly removed from the plane and sparked a national outcry.
What you're owed
Under Department of Transportation rules, the compensation you're entitled to for being involuntarily bumped from a flight varies by the extent of the delay:
* If the airline can make alternate arrangements that get you to your final destination within one hour of your original arrival time, no compensation is required.
* Between one to two hours of your original arrival time on domestic flights, or one to four hours on international flights: 200 percent of your one-way fare, up to a maximum $675.
* More than two hours later than your original arrival time on domestic flights, or more than four hours late on international flights: 400 percent of your one-way fare, up to a maximum $1,350.
"If your ticket does not show a fare (for example, a frequent flyer award ticket or a ticket issued by a consolidator), your denied boarding compensation is based on the lowest cash, check or credit card payment charged for a ticket in the same class of service (e.g., coach, first class) on that flight," according to the rules.
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
The law was never broken by UAL. The passenger decided he wasn't going to abide by the rules he agreed to when he purchased the ticket. He even told the LE's he was going to sue the airline if they forced him to leave. Then he screamed like a maniacal little girl as he was forced off the plane. To make a bad situation worse, he ran back on the plane and began mumbling like Dorothy with Toto that all he wanted to do was go home. When that didn't work, he started demanding "just kill me..." He's a drama queen who is more than a few cards short of a full deck.
I understand that other airlines instead of offering vouchers for other flights, offer gift cards for up to 1000 if you get bumped.
And the rent-a-cops they use certainly have interesting resumes...
All you United/Airport police defenders keep repeating 'screamed like a little girl' it's like some weird sex thing...
“I want you to be nice, until it’s time not to be nice.”
Hopefully after the lawsuit is done, United Airlines will have gone the way of Pan Am and its CEO will find a more appropriate aviation career
LOL!
Actually, that’s the maximum REQUIRED BY LAW. They can go higher, but the law says they CAN stop at that point.
If they were smart, they’d offer more, because everyone has a price.
Just remember, demand CASH, not vouchers. And some extra freebies, like automatic upgrades to First on the next ten trips. . .
“He has no rights even if he paid for the ticket. “
Yup...it’s written on the documents...it’s a simple contract..if you don;t like the terms, don’t buy the ticket!! After reading up on this guy’s background, I’m convinced he did this for the lawsuit...he started screaming right off the bat and resisting police.
Yup, Doctor Dao knew months ago when he bought the ticket that United was going to try to pack their crew on his full aircraft.
He's actually a doctor of parapsychology and a psychic.
And of course the Gate manager could have called his supervisor and ask to raise the limit of how much he could offer instead of calling the cops, and the cops could have asked the manager to offer more money instead of giving a beatdown to a man who wasn't a danger.
“”Or throw a tantrum like a two-year old and hope dumb airport cops act stupidly and you can make millions!””
I don’t think he did that on purpose. He was a mental patient and a doctor. (so he can see himself?). He may have been schizo.
Not buying it!! This is a guy who shouldn’t even have his DR license after trading drugs for gay sex. And he’s a gambler as well...no I’m guessing he’s got real money woes and he saw an opportunity and took it.
Bottom line it’s a contract.
Wow, you know this guy perfectly even though you never met him, you must be a parapsychologist and psychic too.
Yup...it’s written on the documents...it’s a simple contract..if you don;t like the terms, don’t buy the ticket!! After reading up on this guy’s background, I’m convinced he did this for the lawsuit...he started screaming right off the bat and resisting police.
What are you talking about? All airline passengers have a bucket-load of rights. Airlines are common carriers, they are not restaurants, movie theaters, baseball stadiums, or coffee shops.
Common carrier airlines are highly regulated. UAL violated those regulations by, among other things, not adhering to their contract of carriage. This was a breach of contract with Dr. Dao and a violation of federal law.
“Wow, you know this guy perfectly even though you never met him”
My other thought was that he’s still doing the drugs for sex thing and he thought he was getting arrested AGAIN!! Either way, he signed a contract by paying and using the ticket and in that contract is the ability for the airline to bump him.
It’s contract law 101...stop trying to change the real issue here.
Can you use your amazing powers to examine the motives for the United gateway manager who wouldn’t offer more than $800 to get people to leave voluntarily or the 3 cops that beat an elderly Asian man unconscious that clearly wasn’t a danger?
Does it help if you put on a Donovan record before you use your amazing powers to make you feel more mystic?
Wow. May I return the compliment?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.