[NonValueAdded]

Oh please. We must do everything possible to accomodate the mentally ill lest they throw a fit to get their way? In the case in point, she was evidentally too busy at the bar to be in the gate area the required 10 minutes before departure. Thus, her reservation was cancelled at that time and she had no right to a seat.

At the same time, Congress and the MSM constantly slam the airlines for their delays (and not without reason in some cases). Will they grant an exemption to airlines that have to reopen a plane in order to accomodate a passenger that cannot be there on time for whatever reason? There is no way the airline is at fault in this case. They did everything they could to accomodate her short of causing a delay for all the other passengers on that flight.

[BraveMan]

According to the article she was at the gate 25 minutes prior to departure, yet was denied a seat on an overbooked flight even though sympathetic passengers were willing to give up their own seat . . .

[AnotherUnixGeek]

We must do everything possible to accomodate the mentally ill lest they throw a fit to get their way?

Who is "we"? I don't work for US Airlines or Mesa, do you? "Everything possible"? How about letting passengers with confirmed, paid-for tickets who show up on time take their seats? Hardly sounds unreasonable to me.

There is no way the airline is at fault in this case. They did everything they could to accomodate her short of causing a delay for all the other passengers on that flight.

Your account is at odds with what's printed in the article. It appears the woman was on time according to the rules set by US Airways, and was kept out of her seat anyway. She was then denied a seat on the next flight. While most of us will not die of exasperation like this unfortunate, fragile woman, I've spent enough time at airports watching irate flyers get screwed over repeatedly by the airlines, their cynical booking policies, and their over-worked, petty employees to believe that death by airline obnoxiousness is certainly possible.

[tbpiper]

she was evidentally too busy at the bar..

Since she was reportedly their 25 minutes early and wasn't anywhere reported to be intoxicated or smelling of booze, you might want to consider jumping to a different conclusion.

[BlazingArizona]

We must do everything possible to accommodate the mentally ill lest they throw a fit to get their way?

The more airlines treat their passengers like criminals, the more "mentally ill" the public is going to get. I predict a riot at some busy airport by next summer.

[Don W]

Perhaps if you actually READ the article rather than knee-jerk babbled:

#1 (direct quote from the article) though much has been made about her going to an alcohol rehad center, no one saw her in the bar.

#2 She was at her gate 25 minutes early for her RESERVED seat.

#3 She was denied access to the flight she had reservations on, the following flight, and a third before she got very upset.

Have you no compassion at all, or is your soul so filled with disdain for those who show weakness that you consider their plight beneath your high and mighty notice?

I pity folks with so petty a mindset.

This woman did most assuredly NOT deserve to die just because some petty little counter clown would not allow another passenger to swap with this obviously distraught woman. IMHO the counter clown(s) on duty that day should be charged with negligence contributing to death.