Posted on 04/11/2017 12:09:34 AM PDT by cba123
OK.
Sorry for the vanity.
I am just checking however, recently UA by way of the police, pulled (physically) a paying passenger out of a flight recently. He was actually dragged off the plane.
The plane was over-booked. The airline did some sort of lottery, and the guy lost.
Now I get that things happen, and I get that the flight was overbooked (not a good thing, from my view) but I think I just heard a report that this was partly due to a UA employee reservation, being kept.
On a nationwide, live news program.
So the guy was pulled out of the plane, so a free/discount employee could fly?
Is that true?
Actually, it was Chicago Department of Aviation security officers who manhandled him.
No airline does.
Why? Do the math.
Invol compensation is EITHER 4x the one way fare or $1350, whichever is less.
This flight was domestic to kentucky. After offering $800 for a vol bump and not getting enough takers, the gate agent’s computer invol bumps the lowest paid ticket on the plane, and lets say it is $200.
That means united has to pay that passenger $800 for the involuntary bump.
The fact that the man refused airplane orders to get off the plane (which is required by law) is not United’s fault. Nor is the fact he got injured, which is some unknown combination of his own fault and the police. He would have at least partial responsibility for creating the situation he suffered by refusing legimiate orders.
Correct. See my prior post.
What really happened is that United needed to reposition a crew to another airport and chose to try and get volunteers to disembark that had already boarded the flight. This is a bad time, as luggage has already been loaded and they're not going to unload it for disembarked passengers. I know, because I just went through this two months ago. My baggage was not unloaded and was never returned to the point of origin, but showed up at my intended destination two days later.
United created a bad situation and made it much worse. Piss poor planning on their part did not constitute an emergency for the passengers. And now the CEO is doubling down, which is only going to make matters worse. I'm just glad United never figures in my travel plans.
You are wrong.
I have heard an announcement made asking for volunteers after passengers are seated, more than once.
In fact you can create this situation yourself anytime you want.
Walk up before the gate closes to the gate and offer to pay “full fare” on a fully loaded plane. They will try to get you on. Full fare tickets can be a couple thousand or more.
You’re making bad assumptions.
What if United needed those 4 crew to get another plane off the ground in a hurry? For example, when a mechanical fix delay puts a crew beyond their legally allowed working hours.
Would it REALLY be poor planning and judgement to involuntarily bump a SINGLE passenger instead of delaying a flight for HUNDREDS of people?
Otherwise, it would have just been a story about a rude airline.
If UAL were smart, they would put the spotlight where it belongs, on the 3 Chicago Aviation security officers who bloodied him up.
Sir, facts here are not allowed. Buzz kill...
Yes. And in other news, the in-flight fish dinner was poisoned, and they couldn’t find a doctor on board to treat the passengers.
Yes, and there are several FReepers, based on yesterday’s thread, that thought it was cool and the right thing to do.
Are they required to act civilized?
Airport jackboots surely did assault the man, in a series of events initiated BY United. In effect, United is the instigator and fully responsible for the incident and damages. Had not United called for the cops, no blood would have been shed.
What if they pick a mother with children?
“Are they required to act civilized?”
They are required to ask for volunteers.
They did.
The computer then picks which seat to involuntarily bump, probably the lowest fare passenger on the plane.
Then a United Employee asks that person to get off the plane.
If the person refuses to get off the plane when asked, they call the airport police and have them do it.
EVERY AIRLINE DOES THIS. All of the above.
Could the police have done better in handling a passenger who needed to be removed but was resisting? I don’t know.
If your decisions are poorly made, it is you who must deal with that. Excusing incompetence is not a good business model. Spin it any way you want. You can fall back on "rules and regulations", the facts remain what they are. United, and the cops, made bad decisions and must be held to account.
“What if they pick a mother with children? “
They can bump mothers with children.
The law stops them from bumping “unaccompanied minors” and the disabled.
How is it poor planning if a mechanical delay puts a crew beyond their legal working hours, and a fresh replacement crew needs to be sent from a major hub like Chicago?
So United had to put four non paying employees on the plane for four paying passengers and give them $800 and a night in a decent Hotel. One couple on this flight pocketed $1600 by being two of the four bumped Passengers. It's a practice most Airlines employee (over booking) Its not a good situation but I'm sure the Swamp will be holding hearings ASAP with no doubt higher prices for 100% of Passengers being the outcome.
‘Re-accommodate?’ United ridiculed for corpspeak response to passenger dragging.
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