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Doctor violently dragged from full United flight (1 Viewer)

And it's been reported that Dr. Dao had initially volunteered for "re-accommodation" until he found out that the next available flight was the next day. So let's assume that simply stays in his seat. And he just happened to be so unlucky and was selected at "random" for IDB???

 
You mean aside from not complying with the airline and law enforcement request to get off the plane?  Still 99% sure had he done that he doesnt dragged off
Yeah, I would have gotten off the plane if I were him.

But, I don't expect anyone to be physically dragged off in this situation either.

 
How else do you get him off the plane? 
They up the offer until someone on the plane takes it, they tell one of their 4 employees they are catching the next one, they tell everyone on the plane they can't leave until someone gets off, etc. Dragging the old crazy guy off is probably the last choice. The security guards were put in a bad spot and misunderstood their responsibility.

They let the guy on, they overbooked it's their problem. 

 
They up the offer until someone on the plane takes it, they tell one of their 4 employees they are catching the next one, they tell everyone on the plane they can't leave until someone gets off, etc. Dragging the old crazy guy off is probably the last choice. The security guards were put in a bad spot and misunderstood their responsibility.

They let the guy on, they overbooked it's their problem. 
:no:

 
They up the offer until someone on the plane takes it, they tell one of their 4 employees they are catching the next one, they tell everyone on the plane they can't leave until someone gets off, etc. Dragging the old crazy guy off is probably the last choice. The security guards were put in a bad spot and misunderstood their responsibility.

They let the guy on, they overbooked it's their problem. 
:goodposting:

Cops beat up an old man because his efforts to keep something he'd already paid for were mildly inconveniencing a massive corporation with billions in net income.

If you find some sort of gray area in that story you're trying way too hard to be contrarian. Maybe go write for Slate or something.

 
They up the offer until someone on the plane takes it, they tell one of their 4 employees they are catching the next one, they tell everyone on the plane they can't leave until someone gets off, etc. Dragging the old crazy guy off is probably the last choice. The security guards were put in a bad spot and misunderstood their responsibility.

They let the guy on, they overbooked it's their problem. 
this is also known as the spoiled brat solution.   Stamp your feet so you don't have to: pay taxes, get off plane, stop doing whatever you want because DAMMIT I WANT TO DO WHAT I WANT.

 
this is also known as the spoiled brat solution.   Stamp your feet so you don't have to: pay taxes, get off plane, stop doing whatever you want because DAMMIT I WANT TO DO WHAT I WANT.
This and paying taxes are not remotely the same thing.

I would have gotten off the plane, I would have been pissed at the old guy or whoever was holding up my day. Flying sucks he got unlucky, suck it up and get off. 

All that being said expecting some dudes to come in and drag a person off the plane for this - yeah no ####### way.

The airline ups what they are giving away or does what Delta apparently does and have blind bidding system then this isn't a problem. This practice has been done thousands of times not without ending in someone been dragged off the plane with their face bloodied.  

 
this is also known as the spoiled brat solution.   Stamp your feet so you don't have to: pay taxes, get off plane, stop doing whatever you want because DAMMIT I WANT TO DO WHAT I WANT.
Spoiled brat? Dude, he bought his ticket and was allowed to take his seat. I agree that he should have walked out peacefully when security arrived but let's focus on how horrible United handled this situation from beginning to end. 

 
:goodposting:

Cops beat up an old man because his efforts to keep something he'd already paid for were mildly inconveniencing a massive corporation with billions in net income.

If you find some sort of gray area in that story you're trying way too hard to be contrarian. Maybe go write for Slate or something.
Hey!  I like Slate.

I appreciate what this guy did.  He probably has improved the chance for all of us to be treated with more respect on a plane, and get a better reimbursement should we give up our seats.

 
this is also known as the spoiled brat solution.   Stamp your feet so you don't have to: pay taxes, get off plane, stop doing whatever you want because DAMMIT I WANT TO DO WHAT I WANT.
... and I already paid for it, and you gave it to me (they let him board) and now you want to take it away.

I can't think of another industry that runs like this. Airlines get away with it because the limited number of available routes, gates, runways etc. and the massive startup costs restrict entry to the market and allow the relatively few players to collude regarding this aspect of their service.  It's total horse####.  If this cranky old guy getting beat up is the impetus for a change of that collusive policy, God bless him.

 
What is the term? They didn't have enough seats?
It was completely booked. They did not overbook the flight. The problem is that they needed to bump a completely booked flight in order to move a flight crew. It's semantics, but it's kind of relevant in this situation.

People are complaining about airlines and their usual practice of overbooking flights is what caused this scenario. But that's not what happened here.

 
:goodposting:

Cops beat up an old man because his efforts to keep something he'd already paid for were mildly inconveniencing a massive corporation with billions in net income.

If you find some sort of gray area in that story you're trying way too hard to be contrarian. Maybe go write for Slate or something.
It possibly has a bigger effect than "mildly inconveniencing" UAL. Crew doesn't make it to destination, flight in the morning is cancelled "inconveniencing" 70 passengers there, which leads to more missed flights and more juggling of reservations, possibly another cancellation at the next stop but certainly a delay which could cause more missed connections.

 
It was completely booked. They did not overbook the flight. The problem is that they needed to bump a completely booked flight in order to move a flight crew. It's semantics, but it's kind of relevant in this situation.

People are complaining about airlines and their usual practice of overbooking flights is what caused this scenario. But that's not what happened here.
Thanks. Yes, that is a distinction that doesn't matter to the person in the seat. Any scenario that ended in this guy being dragged off of the plane shouldn't have happened is pretty much the bottom line for me.

This a one in a million scenario so it's really not important and will be forgotten about in a couple days. Ultimately United will have a "don't drag a person from their seat rule unless they are wasted, threatening people, etc." rule which is a win for the customer.

 
It possibly has a bigger effect than "mildly inconveniencing" UAL. Crew doesn't make it to destination, flight in the morning is cancelled "inconveniencing" 70 passengers there, which leads to more missed flights and more juggling of reservations, possibly another cancellation at the next stop but certainly a delay which could cause more missed connections.
All of that is their fault.  Plan better.  Don't sell as many seats. Hell, charter them a private jet out of an hour's salary for the CEO if you have to. 

I once had to book a limo to drive my date and I from Boston to Maine for a wedding because we did too much blow the night before. If I can get myself and another person out of a city I don't know and across two states while hung over on the tail end of a cocaine bender I'm pretty sure an airline with $37 billion in annual revenue can work something out.

 
All of that is their fault.  Plan better.  Don't sell as many seats. Hell, charter them a private jet out of an hour's salary for the CEO if you have to. 

I once had to book a limo to drive my date and I from Boston to Maine for a wedding because we did too much blow the night before. If I can get myself and another person out of a city I don't know and across two states while hung over on the tail end of a cocaine bender I'm pretty sure an airline with $37 billion in annual revenue can work something out.
Driving was not an option. Other flights on other airlines were not an option (apparently).

Also, it wasn't a matter of selling too many seats or poor planning. It was a result of events during the day and a need to juggle crews to avoid further delays/cancellations.

 
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Driving was not an option. Other flights on other airlines were not an option (apparently).
Not even a limo service?

Anyway, it would still be United's fault.  Plan your crew assignments better.  Hire more people.  Don't sell as many tickets.  So many solutions.

 
Driving was not an option. Other flights on other airlines were not an option (apparently).
Charter a flight? Find a different crew to go to Louisville?

United's inability to staff Flight A should not result in problems for a confirmed, ticketed, seated passenger on Flight B.

 
It possibly has a bigger effect than "mildly inconveniencing" UAL. Crew doesn't make it to destination, flight in the morning is cancelled "inconveniencing" 70 passengers there, which leads to more missed flights and more juggling of reservations, possibly another cancellation at the next stop but certainly a delay which could cause more missed connections.
Don't airlines typically have backup crews on call?  I remember once having a flight slightly delayed because the primary crew that was supposed to fly the flight got delayed, and they had to bring in the backup crew.

 
Driving was not an option. Other flights on other airlines were not an option (apparently).
I don't feel like we've been given a satisfactory answer on this until just this morning.  They had to land that crew by 10pm or it would have been pointless, and they would have had to CNX a outbound flight in the morning.  They got there at 10:02 which apparently was close enough.

 
Not even a limo service?

Anyway, it would still be United's fault.  Plan your crew assignments better.  Hire more people.  Don't sell as many tickets.  So many solutions.
No, appears to be some union rule. No doubt it's their fault just not seeing many options and to say it was a mild inconvenience to UAL is missing a bit of the picture.

 
I don't feel like we've been given a satisfactory answer on this until just this morning.  They had to land that crew by 10pm or it would have been pointless, and they would have had to CNX a outbound flight in the morning.  They got there at 10:02 which apparently was close enough.
Right, there wasn't anything "concrete" in the news about it but that was the general idea about the need to get the crew to Louisville. Federal regs and/or union rules required the crew be there 10 hours (I think) before the departing flight.

 
Don't airlines typically have backup crews on call?  I remember once having a flight slightly delayed because the primary crew that was supposed to fly the flight got delayed, and they had to bring in the backup crew.
They probably did. In Chicago (hub). And they needed to get to Louisville.

 
Charter a flight? Find a different crew to go to Louisville?

United's inability to staff Flight A should not result in problems for a confirmed, ticketed, seated passenger on Flight B.
I'd think it would take some time to get a chartered flight approved and in the air and they'd miss their cutoff. An available crew would likely be in Chicago.

The problem everyone has is the "seated" (boarded) part and while I agree and I'd ##### up a storm if asked to leave I (at this point) believe it's within their rights to do what they did. As has been said many times if the passenger doesn't react the way he did we never hear about this. If he reacts the way he did but security doesn't forcefully remove him, especially the resulting injury, we might hear about it but it's not nearly the story it is now. Either way, this will be forgotten news before the end of the week. SQUIRREL!

 
This would be a non story if cell phones be required by law to be turned off upon boarding in case passengers need to be physically dragged off and assaulted by air marshals  before takeoff.

 
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Driving was not an option. Other flights on other airlines were not an option (apparently).

Also, it wasn't a matter of selling too many seats or poor planning. It was a result of events during the day and a need to juggle crews to avoid further delays/cancellations.
Sounds like poor planning to me.

:shrug:

 
The problem everyone has is the "seated" (boarded) part and while I agree and I'd ##### up a storm if asked to leave I (at this point) believe it's within their rights to do what they did.
United's own contract of carriage would seem to indicate otherwise.

 
Daughter just brought up an interesting point. Trump is dominating the news of course, then this. It's almost like the school shooting this week didn't even happen. Sad.

 
Daughter just brought up an interesting point. Trump is dominating the news of course, then this. It's almost like the school shooting this week didn't even happen. Sad.
Not to be harsh but the body count was pretty low.  Need 10+ to really get notice. 

 
Hilarious people are blaming unions.  Any solutions unavailable to United in realtime due to union agreements, or plane availability or anything else is due to their lack of foresight.  FFS, they are an airline.  They hire thousands of people who's job it is to plan for this exact type of thing.  United failed, not customers or unions.

 

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