Lesson of the day: Don’t book the last flight out for the day and don’t fly United Airlines.
It wil be interesting to see if United’s bookings or stock price takes a hit over this.
Stock analysts will likely boost their recommendations on United Airlines, for showing the ‘toughness’ to do the right things, to showing that they know how to squeeze every penny out of their operations without any consideration for their passengers (ebeneezer scrooge was a nice guy compared to stock analysts). Think about it, when no one volunteered they didn’t even think of raising how much they would pay, they simply picked names off a computer and said “you, out!”, stock analysts must have squirmed with joy at that grimace
When it comes down to it: United didn’t want to pay for moving their flight crew to another city so they made the passenger pay.
Ugh. I hate flying anywhere these days. Air travel seems to bring out the very worst behavior in so many people, both travelers and staff alike. Not everyone of course, but there is enough ugly behavior on display to make the whole experience grim.
Update: Reuters is reporting the aviation officer who dragged the passenger off the plane has been placed on leave. The Chicago aviation office says the officer’s actions don’t represent their policy.
I’m with you there.
However, according to ucbalumnus, it was their subcontractor, Republic Airlines. And unfortunately sometimes you don’t have any other options.
I read that the airline knew of the issue and asked for volunteers before boarding. They then chose to board everyone. Then upped the offer to $800. Then they went for involuntary. This is 100% on the airline. They never should have boarded passengers onto that flight. Had this all been done prior to boarding they may have potentially gotten there volunteers or when they went random, they then would just deny that person boarding (which is still BS but no one gets hurt).
Once they went involuntary it should move on to someone else if the passenger has a good reason. I personally think all airlines should be required to go to max compensation before going involuntary and no one should EVER be forcefully removed from a flight for overbooking once boarded.From what I could see this passenger was not unreasonable and quite frankly they could have boarded the three employees with the seats they had already gotten and gotten a sub for the fourth in Louisville.
The person who finds the leggings incident more offensive then this is just crazy. The leggings was a non incident.
Wow i just saw the video that is just s awful. If this guy purchased a legitimate seat and ticket there is zero excuse. The airlines need a contingency plan and thus was not it!
^^ You need to call your attorney very, very fast before the goons have time to drag you away.
I am glad this guy made a stand and it has gone so public. If everybody complies obediently like little mice (as I would), the airlines will just get worse.
UAL stock up .9% today. Nasdaq index up .05%
If it involves humiliating yourself, getting arrested, delaying and inconveniencing others, yes, it’s irrational. Sometimes people lose their seats because of weight and balance issues. Sometimes there is an equipment change and there are less seats available. Things happen, and while it would be wonderful if every single flight had a standby crew and airplane to cover the route, you couldn’t get your $249 super saver ticket any more.
I have been turned away by hotels and car agencies who have overbooked. Maybe I should just stand there screaming until I get my way because I booked them, I paid for them. They’ll take me to jail before I leave. God forbid a flight get cancelled…I paid for that seat. They’d better send out a private jet for me, right now.
Except…I’m just not that important. Things may irritate and annoy me, but I’m not going to throw a temper tantrum and get myself arrested and affect everyone else’s travel. It’s not all about me, and I am a speck of dust in the universe. Other people matter too.
Wow–just the thread to read before my flight tomorrow. I guess it’s a relief D us catching the bus back to LA instead of the plane.
I have never seen of heard anything like this. Just awful! We fly about 40,000 miles/year and so far have had better experiences on United than Delta or American. Flying is definitelymMUCH less pleasant than say in the 1970/ or 80s.
@ucbalumnus post #92 I get that it can happen that a crew is suddenly needed in a remote airport.
This was the last flight out of a hub during spring break. Possibly two people surrendered their seats prior to boarding. Then they needed an additional four passengers to leave the flight with only 50 seats total.
So I advise United to not put more passengers on board until people relinquish their seats or hire a better data analytics team to manage their passenger boarding rates.
BD: I think the correct analogy would be if you were shown to your hotel room by the Bellboy and then hotel security knocked on your door and told you they were overbooked and you needed to leave.
Most people seem in agreement there wouldn’t have been this problem if the overbooking had been resolved before boarding.
@HImom, I’m sure you will be fine. If on the extremely rare chance that you get bumped, I am sure that you will grab your stuff, and get off the airplane. I doubt that they will be dragging you off the airplane. 
No, they would have to bring off my luggage and medical equipment as well. They are pretty nervous about medically fragile passengers–MOST of the time.
I can see that analogy, however, that situation is practically an impossibility. Yet you know that you can always be bumped off a flight if they are overbooked. Anyone who is remotely familiar with air travel knows that it is a possibility, particularly if they are oversold, so it’s really not completely outrageous to happen.
It is interesting that people think because they have sat down that at that point they are safe…can’t be bumped, but that really isn’t true. Though most airlines will board the people who have assigned seats and the ones who don’t have assigned seats are generally at risk for being bumped, Certainly there wouldn’t have been such a problem if the passenger hadn’t been boarded, because he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to refuse to leave. However, I wonder if he would have tried to insist that he was getting on. It definitely would have been better if they had figured it out before boarding, but they probably were trying to avoid further delay.
There is a very easy way they could have gotten a passenger to leave without assaulting anyone. They could have offered more money. They didn’t, and now they will have to pay an enormous judgment.
I guess I don’t agree that he should be rationale if he bought and paid for that seat on that plane at that time. United should have upped the compensation until someone agreed or they should have had a plan b for moving their employees.
I have been on a flight where they upgraded a bunch of us to 1st class and then changed their minds after we were settled and made wveruobe lug their things and move back to the original seats because 1st class didn’t have enough food! It was irksome but everyone complied – not the same thing but big hassle and delay for everyone.
The airline did apologize and send a $100 flight credit toward future travel, I believe.
All in all, airline travel is something that is pretty much a necessary evil to get from Oahu to anywhere. We try to use nonstops whenever possible.