Apparently no one was volunteering to change flights.
They computer generated the seat numbers at random and told the passengers in those seats to leave the aircraft.
If United was insistent upon this one doctor being removed from the flight, they could have easily booked another flight for him on another airline either later that evening or earlier than the 2:00 pm United flight the next day.
Airlines have their rules, but when did passengers cease being human beings?
“Airlines have their rules, but when did passengers cease being human beings?”
An excellent question that brings to mind a description of the airline industry:
The only large industry dedicated to driving their customers stark raving mad.