[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 . . .

[proudofthesouth]

Wasn’t she drunk when she checked in at the gate and exhibited psychotic behavior?

[SteveMcKing]

Then she was entitled to a refund, and perhaps should have been offered a hotel room and free ticket to anywhere.

There was no injustice done except in her own behavior.

[Squantos]

Contempt of an low life asshat airline attendant compounded by a hissy fit from a pissed off passenger is always bad news........for all involved.

[NonValueAdded]

According to the article she was at the gate 25 minutes prior to departure

Well, that's different from what I recall about prior reports but even granting you she was there 25 minutes prior and someone was willing to give up their seat, the airline is still bound by certain rules and a delayed departure was likely. Remember, if you are not on the plane, your luggage cannot fly without you. To make the change, they would have to unload the bags of the person giving up the seat, even if she assented to fly without her luggage, assuming she had any. (and how could an airline get it to her? perhaps declare it freight at that point?)

[Vigilanteman]

I'm with you. Just because it is printed in the Washington ComPost doesn't necessarily mean it is a lie. For years US Airlines held our local Pittsburgh Airport hostage because they were going to cancel flights, remove their hub and lay off thousands of employees unless the taxpayers in the region granted them certain subsidies.

Each year, they would up the ante. Finally Allegheny County did something really risky and actually elected a Republican as county commissioner. He persuaded one of the Dems on the commission who wasn't totally dense on economic issues to join him and say "enough!".

US Air delivered on their threat, pulled their hub and layed off thousands of their staff. They went from controlling maybe 70% of all departure gates then to around 30% now.

So the Pittsburgh area lost most of their airline service and the airport closed down, right?

.

.

.

.

.

Actually, Southwest, TransAir and slew of other airlines moved in to fill up the gap. People who used to fly to Cleveland for flights now leave from Pittsburgh. And fares have dropped by an average of nearly 40%. Who would've thunk it?

[CaptainK]

That’s the first I’ve heard about Gotbaum being at the gate 25 minutes ahead of time.

But the author of this piece is a Castro loving conspiracy lover. There are conspiracies all around her. Airline people, a woman she doesn't know, Elian Gonzales and the crazy Cubans in Miami..

Check out her book “Cuba Confidential: Love and Vengeance in Miami and Havana”

http://www.amazon.com/Cuba-Confidential-Vengeance-Miami-Havana/dp/0385720521/ref=sr_1_1/104-6259070-7555941?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192383785&sr=8-1

[Mr Rogers]

Sounds bogus to me. I’ve been on my share of overbooked flights...all have asked for volunteers to give up seats.