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)
Under no analysis did UAL comply with its contract of carriage. Ask your husband what that means. Hint: its a breach of contract and a violation of federal law.
If I were United I would litigate this, but they will probably pay this guy a grossly undeserved amount of money to settle.
Even if United breached the terms of its contract with him (and they do not appear to have breached, it looks like they followed the proper procedures for requesting volunteers and offering compensation before cancelling his ticket), he did not have the right to possess the aircraft. It is not his aircraft.
He has the right to money damages from United’s breach of contract, but he did not have the right to insist on remaining in physical possession of the aircraft after United and law enforcement ordered him to remove himself from their aircraft.
Under no analysis did UAL comply with its contract of carriage. Ask your husband what that means. Hint: its a breach of contract and a violation of federal law.
Cry me a river. Why is it airline employees (a SO in this case) think they are a gift to humanity?
Only 2 paragraphs matter in this case. UAL failed to follow them.
Exactly.
The crew was on a power trip. That’s all there is to say about tge entire incident. If you fly enough you will see others with the same attitude.
> Did screaming girly-’doctor’ actually get back onto the flight? <
From what I understand, yes. After the three cops dragged him from the plane, all three of them (!) went looking for a gurney. They left the good doctor alone, so he simply re-boarded the plane.
Crazy, eh?
Absolutely correct. And they likely wouldn’t have had to have gone much further than the $800 already offered.
I doubt they would have needed to go any further than $800 if they had offered cash instead of a travel voucher.
To get his laptop.
Would you have left yours there?
If you’re dragged out of some place without your property, would you just forget about that property?
that there are always two sides to every story
Well, I do want a competent one when I fly, and in the air a disruptive passenger is a security risk for all on board and may have to be handled physically. But on the ground, seated, minding his own business and not causing a ruckus it's a different story. There are ways of handling overbooking and this isn't one of them.
All good things gotta come to an end
and it's the same with the wildwood weed.
"You can drag me then, I don’t go. I'm staying. You'll have to drag me."
Well -- OK, @sshole. You got your wish.
> So how did he get back on the plane? Wasn’t he in the custody of the 3 aviation security officers? <
See my post #28.
Your opinion has no bearing on the subject. No one asked you for it.
No, these guys are total idiots that can't tell socks from sneakers on an infant.
Wonder if she was put up to this, or wrote this excuse all by herself.
Meh
Fwiw, I attended an event at a local hotel......this was several months ago & one of the Benghazi team was going to speak.
I got there early......found a seat fairly close to the front...,,and don’t remember seeing a ‘reserved area’.....but all the same asked the couple in front of me if I could sit there.
Later, close to starting, a group of people came in and DEMANDED I move because the seats were ‘ reserved for other people’....
I tried arguing, but was outnumbered
The ‘other people’ turned out to be some of our local political cartel ( sorry, but that’s what they act like.)
They were ‘ neverTrumpers’ during the campaign even though they were suppose to be campaigning for him in the county!
I was upset.....angry.....offended......
I found a seat in the back.....
No one is more deserving than others in these type of situations...
This pilot’s wife is looking out for Numero Uno.....period
I’m probably being to simple minded about this but getting past the point of this being a public relations nightmare and the fact that this guy is going to make a lot of money in a lawsuit, and the fact they would have saved a lot of money if they would have kept bumping up the deal until someone took it, why don’t the airlines set aside seats for crew members instead of booking paying passengers and then causing a nightmare by forcibly removing them?
In my simple mind they set aside a certain number of seats for each flight for crew members. If they don’t need the seats then sell them as standby. The point is that United and I’m sure the rest of the airlines think it is preferable to sell the seats and then bump people who have paid.
I’m just saying that you can’t go back and change how United screwed up, but they should try and fix it going forward.
It was United’s fault for 1) over booking, 2) not upping the price for a volunteer, 3) beating the snot out of a customer and 4) not scheduling the crews better. Who will they beat down next time, a pregnant mother, a toddler, or grandma?
The plane was delayed something like 2.5 hours. That hardly gets the “MUST!!!” fly crew to the next airport in time. IF there really was a “must” to any of it. As if there aren’t jump seats in the cockpit and steward’s sections. Fine, switch out the current crew with the “musts” or whatever it takes. As it is, they’re now facing a $$$$$$ suit, very bad publicity and lost customers.
United acted like a Chicago thug gang and so should be sued for millions and those thugs and their supervisors fired.
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.