Passenger Forcibly Removed From Overbooked UA Flight

[njba]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Reports I have seen state he came back to his seat (beside his wife) on that aircraft.

It was when he came back on that the shots of him bloodied were taken.

According to the Chicago PD's statement he was taken to "Lutheran General Hospital" for treatment to his injuries.

 

[turtlemichael]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

My feeling is that it was atrociously managed. There is no doubt in my mind that someone would have blinked and been prepared to deplane if the price had been right. Instead UA took what seemed to be the easier and cheaper option of removing a passenger forceably. If they had doubts as to what they should do they could have contacted senior management. After all, they had time to get security. The outcome is incredible damage to their reputation and no doubt incredible damage to their bottom line. I'll have a bet that they'll be in hot retreat tomorrow.

 

[JohnK]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Disgraceful email from a CEO who "just doesn't get it"!

The whole airline industry doesn't get it and have been allowed to get away with these appalling practices for way too long.

Everyone on that flight must fly that night. The 4 crew needing to be somewhere in the morning do not have any priority over any paying passenger and that includes both before and after boarding.

Personally I would love for everyone of my flights to be cancelled and offered USD800 + accommodation for the night. That money buys me airfares for a month in my commute but know that won't happen here in Australia.

As for the crew giving orders it's laughable. Telling me to get out of my seat and off the aircraft is not an order. It's stupidity. They would need to call the authorities but I'd ensure the delay was even greater. Yes I can also play stupid games too.

 

[moa999]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Reports I have seen state he came back to his seat (beside his wife) on that aircraft.

It was when he came back on that the shots of him bloodied were taken.

I think he came back on, and then security made everyone de-boarding, whereon the man went to hospital.

Then everyone else reboarded making for the total 3hr delay

 

[amaroo]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Pretty distressing display all round! Including the women that screamed OMG 28 times in a 28 second video .... OMG!

 

[Flying mermaid]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Seen a few videos over the last year or so, which seem to demonstrate that even the slightest hint of an unhappy customer is enough for some FAs in the USA to throw them off planes. I think it has got out of hand. Sure if a customer escalates, or is abusive do something about it, but not interpreting every slight remark as "I don't have to take this, I have the power here" you are in a service industry and a bit of sucking up of remarks goes with the territory. My staff had to in my business.

In this case - really badly handled and should never have got to that point. However (having watched the video), I just can't imagine any scenario (unless maybe I had a dying child I needed to get to), where I wouldn't have got up and walked out with the police. Just can't imagine screaming and resisting like that!

Note to self - never fly United!

 

[paxman]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Meanwhile this is how this is playing out for UA. Way to go guys!

https://youtu.be/HV28_ENzFog

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Discracefully handled by UA and the Authorities.

No doubt that the UA PR Department are currently waving the white flag and are in full blown crisis mode. UA will attempt to stay quite, hoping this incident passes in good time.

I can't see how this appalling situation is going to be forgotten about by the masses anytime soon.

 

[Mattg]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

I don't really have much to say that hasn't already been said. This is disgusting. I generally will side with the airline in incidents where a passenger gets kicked off a flight, provided there is a valid reason. But I don't think there's any excuse United could possibly provide that would justify such brutality.

There's only one thing that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet... how do we know that this guy was actually a doctor? (I'm not doubting it, and either way I don't think it matters... but I don't know if anyone has actually checked this?)

 

[kpc]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

But I don't think there's any excuse United could possibly provide that would justify such brutality.

But the United CEO has tried....i hope this will lead to his much shortened reign as CEO..

 

[moa999]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Seen a few videos over the last year or so, which seem to demonstrate that even the slightest hint of an unhappy customer is enough for some FAs in the USA to throw them off planes.

Agree.
And from some reports after being selected via the 'ballot' the pax was asked to leave multiple times and refused each time becoming more and more beligerent.

Only then were security called. Now of course their behaviour was abhorrent.

 

[njba]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

There's only one thing that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet... how do we know that this guy was actually a doctor? (I'm not doubting it, and either way I don't think it matters... but I don't know if anyone has actually checked this?)

Good point; I assume we'll know more in the days to come, once he starts talking to the media.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Good point; I assume we'll know more in the days to come, once he starts talking to the media.

It's been confirmed he is a doctor. Someone has retrieved his medical certification. Not that it makes any difference if he was a doctor or not... the airline erred in its handling.

 

[njba]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Not that it makes any difference if he was a doctor or not... the airline erred in its handling.

Indeed! I simply did not want the debate to take on further element of character assassination, and having that confirmed was the quickest route to quash that line.

 

[exceladdict]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Meanwhile, the internet is loving this.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/64oinr/the_front_page_is_filled_with_memes_in_reference/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Showerthou...nited_has_so_many_overbooking_problems_maybe/

https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/64n4gv/southwest_airlines_new_slogan/

https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/64jmsz/united_airlines_attempting_to_calm_panicking/

Perhaps the best ones

https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/64k6iq/did_you_hear_about_the_doctor_on_the_united_flight/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Showerthou..._tsa_failed_in_its_mission_to_prevent_people/

 

[dfcatch]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

White House says United episode 'troubling' - Apr. 11, 2017

 

[get me outta here]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Apparently United stock down 4% overnight, China especially affected UA price adversely.

 

[serfty]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

New statement (mea culpa?) from UA president:

The truly horrific event that occurred on this flight has elicited many responses from all of us: outrage, anger, disappointment. I share all of those sentiments, and one above all: my deepest apologies for what happened. Like you, I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way.

I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right.

It’s never too late to do the right thing. I have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix what’s broken so this never happens again. This will include a thorough review of crew movement, our policies for incentivizing volunteers in these situations, how we handle oversold situations and an examination of how we partner with airport authorities and local law enforcement. We’ll communicate the results of our review by April 30th.

I promise you we will do better.

Sincerely,

Oscar

 

[get me outta here]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

Well, the "Communicator of the Year" award winner finally remembered or learned the first rule of what to do when the corporate s**t hits the fan.

I bet that 'police' person dragging the man off the plane is pleased to be on leave and unreachable.

New statement (mea culpa?) from UA president:

.

 

[opusman]

Re: Pax forcibly removed from United overbooked flight

There's now discussion that this was actually a "denied transport" situation rather than "denied boarding" (since he'd already boarded), and as such may have actually been in contravention of the contract of carriage since the "denied transport" rules don't allow for this situation.