Posted on 04/13/2017 9:36:43 AM PDT by Impala64ssa
f there’s one thing I have learned over the years, it’s that there are always two sides to every story.
On April 9th, a very unfortunate incident played out on United Flight 3411, the video of which has since gone viral causing a mass social media uprising with an ‘off-with-their-heads’ mentality. I mean, across the board. Fire ’em all and let the gods sort it out later.
Look, I get it. When I first saw the video I was appalled too. To say that it was inflammatory would be putting it mildly. But it was also a situation that was escalated far beyond the boundaries of necessity.
If a federal law enforcement officer asks me to exit a plane, no matter how royally pissed off I am, I’m going to do it and then seek other means of legal reimbursement. True story.
Knowing what I know about airport security, I’m certainly not going to run back into a secured, federally restricted area at an airport flailing my arms and screaming like a banshee…because, you know, that just happens to be breaking a major federal Homeland Security law.
But that’s just me. Obviously.
The moment I made that particular ill-advised choice, I would become an immediate and imminent threat to the aircraft’s security. That’s kind of a big deal. I mean, come on, I once actually had to remove my infant son’s socks because they mimicked little baby sneakers. These guys mean business.
I didn’t like it. I thought it was just plain stupid, honestly. But instead of pitching a massive fit, refusing to comply, and bolting through the TSA checkpoint like an out-of-control toddler, I did the big girl thing–sucked it up, removed the offensive socks, and went on with my happy life, sans being tackled and dragged through the airport in handcuffs by a bunch of big men with guns.
Because if you choose to take advantage of the services the airport provides, you play by their rules.
I know you’re all out there screaming that the ‘rules’ are unfair, but I am a pilot wife. I remember 9/11. Do you? I want my husband, the father of my children, to come home. I want you to get home. That law exists to protect my husband. And your wife. And your grandmother. And your child. And you. I, for one, am glad for the law.
I’m not here to dispute the facts of 3411 with you. I am not interested in getting into an argument of opinion with anyone. We’re all entitled to our own. I’m not arguing that what happened wasn’t completely terrible–it was, on multiple levels. But I am suggesting that the general public take another look at the situation, ask a few more questions, gather a few more facts, and then create a less hostile and more intellectually wrought opinion about what happened.
Because the media is giving you just enough information to keep you enraged–enough to keep their ratings up.
Things to consider:
1) “You can’t just kick a paying customer off the plane!” Psssst! It’s in the fine print. They can, indeed, do just that. And it’s not an airline specific rule, it’s a commercial aviation rule. Every ticket you purchase comes with a plethora of fine print–you know, the stuff we just click ‘next’ on without actually reading what we are agreeing to. Yeah, that. Well, it’s in there, and you checked the ‘I agree’ box when you purchased your ticket. You can read about it and oh-so-much-more here. Kind of makes you want to read all those tiny words on your next phone update before you click ‘I agree’, huh? You should. United did not break any law, and he agreed to the policy and possibility of involuntary bump when he bought his ticket. And so do you.
2) “Kicking a paying customer off an airplane!? I’m taking my business to Southwest!” Ummmm, okay. But just be sure you understand that every major airline, Southwest included, has a similar policy for involuntary bumping in a ‘must ride’ scenario. Don’t believe me? It’s called the contract of carriage. If you’re really bored, you can read Southwest’s here. Or Delta’s here. Believe me, it’s in there. This could have been any airline. In fact, it happens all the time. Most people just don’t wrestle the feds in the aisle.
3: “So what’s this ‘must ride’ nonsense anyway? They shouldn’t bump a paying customer for a free employee ride!” I’m afraid you’re going to have to take this up with the federal government, not United. And it’s actually pretty important to you as an airline traveler anyway. They were not ‘freeloading home’. That’s called non-rev and they have to wait in line behind your checkbook and often don’t make it home to their families if flights are booked (believe me, I know). No, this was a must fly, a positive space situation. In layman terms, it means that a crew must be flown to an airport to man a flight in order to avoid cancellation of said flight due to crew unavailability. This is a federal DOT regulation, not an airline one. The airlines are required to do so to avoid disruption of air traffic. In other words, if there are no willing volunteers and they need seats to get a crew somewhere to avoid disruption of aviation flow, they can, will, must by federal regulation bump people for the better good of the 1000’s. Why? Because one cancelled flight has a serious domino affect in the delicate, complicated world of connections and aviation law.
4: “It’s the airline’s fault for not planning better!” You obviously have no clue about the complexities of aviation travel and should do some research. There are about a million and one things that can cause a crew shortage including but not limited to weather, maintenance, weather, connecting fight delays, weather, FAA timeout regs, and did I mention weather? I wish I could control Mother Nature because I would be one filthy rich person. But I can’t. And neither can United. So they inconvenience one, or four, to keep hundreds on track. Do the math. And of course, if we were on the other end of this thing, we’d be tirading and blowing up the internet because United didn’t bump a passenger to make sure our flight didn’t get cancelled and left hundreds stranded. Damned if you do; damned if you don’t. We’re a fickle crowd, we social media folks.
5: They shouldn’t have picked the minority Chinese doctor! It’s racist.” That’s just silly. Though federal regulation demands they involuntarily bump to prevent interruption of flights when necessary, each airline does have the leniency to determine how they choose the bumped passengers. They did not play spin the bottle or walk down the aisle looking for the Asian guy. Use your heads, people! There is a computerized algorithm that takes into account price of ticket, how long ago it was purchased, whether or not they can get the passenger to their destination in a timely manner, etc. It wasn’t an ‘Asian thing.’ Stop, people. Just stop.
6: “United should go under for assaulting that passenger! Fire the entire crew!” Read the facts. United neeeever touched the passenger. In fact, by all witness accounts, the United flight crew remained calm and pleasant throughout the entire event, never laying hands on the passenger. They followed protocol as required by law. Once law enforcement became involved (also as required by federal protocol), United stepped out of the decision-making process. They had nothing to do with the rest. The passenger was forcibly removed by federal aviation security (the disturbing clip that everyone is talking about) after running back into the secured area after being escorted out once. Once he did that, like it or not, they (law enforcement) were under full discretion of the law to apply necessary force to remove the threat. I’m not saying it’s pretty, but the only one who actually broke a law was the passenger. There’s a reason for these laws–it’s called 9/11. We can’t have it both ways. But by all means, let’s berate and punish an entire flight crew–in fact thousands of pilots, FA’s, gate attendents, ground crew, etc.–because it makes us all feel a little better.
7: “You piece of **it!” I get that the passengers were upset, angry, maybe even confused. I get that you are too. After all, media is tossing you out chunks of bloody meat like you’re a pack of starving wolves. But I’m seriously disgusted that the poor must ride crew that had to take those seats after the unfortunate mess that unraveled were verbally abused and threatened. Can you imagine the very uncomfortable position they were in? Then they were demeaned, belittled, threatened. Along with many others all over the internet and airports today. They were and are men and women doing their jobs to feed their families. Just. Like. You. They didn’t have a choice. They didn’t ask for this. They didn’t assault anyone. They are not a corporation; they are individuals who need a job. They are my friends and maybe even my husband. There’s a very fine line between what you despise and becoming what you despise. Many of the comments and actions I have seen perpetrated against United employees cross it. Don’t become what you hate.
Like I said, I know you’re mad at United, but there’s much more to the story than hits the media fan.
I truly hope that this gives you something to chew on and gives you a smidgen more insight into the complexities of aviation. I’m not making excuses. I think there were bad decisions made on both sides. However, I am saying there are always two sides to every story. Make sure you consider them both.
Tailwinds.
***A correction to the previous article. Mr. Dao was indeed Vietmanese and not Chinese. That quote was verbatim from a comment off the internet. I apology profusely for the confusion.
Angelia (A Pilot Wife)
Sometimes you don’t insist. Sometimes it isn’t worth the downside, you think about the people depending on you and bite your lip while bowing your head.
Sometimes it comes over you...not this time.. and then you go for it. I can understand the impulse, he may be thinking the better of it now. People get tired of being pushed around and they take a stand. I do believe that’s why we are not Brits.
I generally agree with that although I suppose even with that approach, there could always be the potential for an unresolved situation to occur.
Airlines generally handle this call for ‘volunteers’ quite poorly. Having been on numerous planes when the call went out, my experience is that there is rarely enough information upon which to base an informed decision as to whether to take the offer or no…. What are various plane options that they could put you on to if you accept their offer? What are the details with the options…. i.e. What is the expected departure time? What is the routing with the plane(s) they want to put you on? What are the ETAs for the interim and final destination points? Are there any implications for baggage? Who is picking up the tab for the hotel one might have been checking into since it is now too late to cancel that and so charges will apply regardless of whether one checks in or not? Etc etc etc.
This whole thing, while sad is comedy GOLD.
I absolutely agree that we're fortunate to have people with the mindset to be in the military and law enforcement. There are bad people in the world, and we need good guys willing to take them on head-to-head. Where I hesitate in giving my full respect is that it seems like there is too much of a tendency to cover up for their own when some DO go over the line. Too many (most likely a large majority) take an "us against them" attitude, even when someone on their side uses unnecessary force.
He also lost his license for about 10 years, but the reason was murky on the TV.
************
How accurate I don’t know......
snip
Dao’s own medical license was suspended in 2003 following his arrest on charges including
unlawful prescribing and trafficking in a controlled substance.
He was accused of providing prescriptions for Vicodin and other narcotics to a former patient
he later hired as his office manager, who was identified in news reports at the time as Brian Case.
The men repeatedly hooked up in motels, with Dao paying Case around $200 each time and also
sharing in the drugs, according to a 130-page file compiled by the Kentucky Board of
Medical Licensure.
On the day he was busted, Dao was secretly videotaped with Case in a Red Carpet Inn in Jefferson
County, Ky., “with his shirt off and his pants undone,” the records say.
He agreed to surrender his medical license in 2005, but had it provisionally reinstated in 2015
so he could work one day a week for another doctor in Elizabethtown.
http://nypost.com/2017/04/11/doctor-dragged-off-flight-convicted-of-trading-drugs-for-sex/#.
The site reported Dr. Dao was charged with 98 felony drug counts for illegally prescribing
and trafficking painkillers in 2005.
Dr. Dao was also convicted on six felony counts of obtaining drugs by fraud and deceit and
got five years probation in 2005, according to TMZ.
According to legal documents TMZ found, Dao was also convicted for writing prescriptions
and checks to a patient in exchange for sex.
In the documents Dao denies paying for sex but admits to accepting sexual favors from an
associate who owed him money.
“If a federal law enforcement officer asks me to exit a plane, no matter how royally pissed off I am, I’m going to do it and then seek other means of legal reimbursement. True story.”
If a Federal Law Enforcement Officer tells you get in the boxcar, are you going to do that?
I usually go to a pipe show outside of Chicago, a 14 hour drive from here. I usually go with some friends, and it’s a blast, leaving a trail of fragrant pipe smoke the whole way there and the whole way back, something we would not be able to do if we would fly.
Good question.
It is in the small print - the contract says they get to boot you if they need your seat for someone with higher priority.
Doesn’t make me happy about what happens. I hope United suffers for it.
“Because if you choose to take advantage of the services the airport provides, you play by their rules.”
If the airline chooses to take my money they need to provide the services they sold. Overbooking was their problem, not mine.
Well said.
Abnormal behavior is an indication of head trama as is aggressive behavior. If he has a smart lawyer that could work in his favor.
“I hope United suffers for it.”
Consumers will suffer with increased costs and wait times. The next time someone throws a tantrum on a plane, everyone will have to grin and bear it. Special counselors will have to be hired by the airlines to come in and ‘mediate’ a solution.
Passengers will have to wait hours and miss their connecting flights because the airlines are now forced to coddle mentally ill hysterical drama queens.
I know it’s in the fine print.
So, if somewhere on page 345 of the mortgage you signed it said they could harvest your organs or sell your kids into slavery it would be cool with some people on here (”well, you agreed to the terms and conditions...
Hmm, a pilot’s wife. I wonder how much United paid her to spew this nonsense?
Y’know what, Mrs. Pilot’s Wife? This passenger’s situation aside, sometimes people panic on planes. This might, on occasion, cause them to yell and run around. That doesn’t entitle anyone to bash their faces on armrests. What you do is deal with the situation calmly.
End of story.
And hurry up, if you’re gonna cash that check from United. It might bounce on you, by the time this doctor’s lawyer gets through with the Unfriendly Skies.
The Republic crew could have done the same thing and saved everyone a lot of drama and aggravation.
I am not buying her arguments at all. United is the one at fault, not the consumer. Stuff your fine print where the sun don’t shine. Flying now is nothing but abuse.
That is why I always cross my fingers.
It might not be legally binding, but I won’t feel bad about shooting the bastards if they try to collect...
Airplanes are a bit different. I know the plane is overbooked. I won’t volunteer, but I won’t argue if I am kicked off for a higher priority. I have been through worse.
I agree with the author for the most part.
Two big mistakes were made.
1. Not increasing the compensation until folks volunteered(this will now be the case......guaranteed)
2. The law officers were waaay out of line and pushed this situation over the cliff.
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