Man dragged from plane for refusing to voluntarily give up his seat.

[Common Sense 1]

What is the lesson from this story?

NEVER, NEVER fly United!

 

[cpwill]

Well let's be specific here. I'm well aware that a cop would feel justified in such a scenario, but would a judge and jury really agree? I doubt it

A Jury might opt for nullification, but a Judge had better apply the damn law, regardless of his or her feelings on whether or not the law was Just.

If some cop pulled over an 18 year old girl and tried to have his way with her, it would hardly be criminal for her to refuse to comply, no?

It would not be criminal for her to refuse to comply, because rape is illegal. If rape was legal for cops, then yes, her doing so could be breaking the law, which would be the right thing to do in that instance.

 

[Paperview]

 

[Manc Skipper]

I would agree that the gate agent is supposed to follow procedure - at some point, however, a call up before saying "hey, we are about to start physically dragging people off the plane in an age of cellphone video" would have been a wise decision. If that happened and an executive made the call, then United may want to no longer employ that particularly bad judgment.

United had other options. They chose not to take them.




72-Year-Old Retired Marine Runs Down, Kills Armed Man Who Robbed His Business


Yeah, no. Taking something like a man is age-agnostic. 69 is pretty old to be screaming like a 3 year old that unless you are actually being tortured. Had he been older and suffering from Dementia it would have been understandable. Not an able-bodied adult.

Judgemental nonsense.

 

[JasperL]

Yes, the people who pay full fare, or fly a lot, are more valuable as customers than some random person who flies once a year, never signed up for a frequent flier program, and got some bottom-barrel bargain ticket.

If your travel plans are critical on a level like "I need to see patients," pay full fare you cheap ass.

I don't agree. If he can get the seat he wants on the date he wants for $100, that should be fine. No one should plan on getting forcibly removed only because they bought a ticket at a cheap price that the airline agreed to. Seems to me the obvious answer is if the airline needs 4 seats, they keep raising the bid until someone agrees to get off, voluntarily.

 

[cpwill]

Judgemental nonsense.

No, this really was an idiotic decision by United, and the guy's decision to act like this kid was also childish and stupid.

 

[JasperL]

It's easy for bystanders to just up and say "well they shouldn't have seated everyone."

But airline operations are immensely complicated feats of logistics. Stuff is constantly changing. All it takes is one bit of bad weather in Atlanta or a mechanical breakdown in Detroit and the entire situation can change. Without details like this, it's foolish to assume they were just being dumb about it.

I understand why they HAD to get those people on that plane, but their only option just was NOT to stop at $800 then resort to physical violence to get someone off the plane. How much is it worth to get a crew to the right place so a plane full of passengers can take off? Helluva lot more than $800.

 

[lurchadams]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/united-p...oved-flight-refusing-give-seat-134930951.html
If I have a paid for ticket, it should be up to me If I choose to take their incentives to get off.
This is simply crazy of United to do this.

Thanks, Obama!

 

[Hawkeye10]

He was going to get that compensation but then he decided to commit a crime.

Which crime is that?

 

[lurchadams]

In the linked article they needed four volunteers to leave the plane. They got none. So they said a computer program would be used to select four random passengers.

My question. What would you do, other than don't overbook flights? Seems to me a random draw is reasonable.

They also offered volunteers an $800 incentive. These folks all really must've needed to get to Louisville! Seriously, though that was a disturbing video.

 

[SMTA]

Cancellations then mean empty seats which mean lost revenue.

The unfortunate reality is that an airliner needs to be mostly full to be profitable. If it's not a profitable service, we're not going to have it any more.

The average airline load factor is 84%, and they currently enjoy a 15% profit margin, which is very high.

Your premise that they need to run at 100% to be profitable is completely incorrect.

 

[Absentglare]

A Jury might opt for nullification, but a Judge had better apply the damn law, regardless of his or her feelings on whether or not the law was Just.



It would not be criminal for her to refuse to comply, because rape is illegal. If rape was legal for cops, then yes, her doing so could be breaking the law, which would be the right thing to do in that instance.

Unfortunately, the law isn't necessarily known by the subject in the heat of the moment, so we are often left with our own judgements.

 

[Common Sense 1]

Officer on leave after dragging United Airlines passenger off plane

Officer on leave after dragging United Airlines passenger off plane | Reuters

An aviation security officer who dragged a passenger off of an overbooked United Airlines (UAL.N) flight to make room for employees has been placed on leave, Chicago authorities said on Monday.

It was the second instance in less than a month of public outcry regarding the airline.

The officer -- one of three involved in the Sunday night incident -- did not follow protocol, according to a statement from the Chicago Department of Aviation, and as a result "has been placed on leave effective today pending a thorough review of the situation."

"The actions of the aviation security officer are obviously not condoned by the Department," the statement said.

 

[cpwill]

Unfortunately, the law isn't necessarily known by the subject in the heat of the moment, so we are often left with our own judgements.

Then you take on responsibility for your own judgments.


But that is why laws need to be simple and predictable, rather than complex and unpredictable.

 

[Cardinal]

It is a always fascinating when people clueless about how businesses operate render opinions that drip ignorance.

Any company constantly flexing its muscles and kicking their customers in the teeth will be short for this world.

And not kicking them in the teeth? For that the airline will sell you a "no assault" option for $100 extra.

Thank you for flying United!

 

[Mac77]

You ever read the fine print?

No I dont

When I pay for something I expect to receive it.

So did this man

The fine print may save United in a legal battle but in the court of public opinion I think this will cost them dearly

All those millions they spend on positive advertizing and what will the public remember?

That United dragged a paying customer off a flight to make room for one of their employees to ride free

 

[Fearandloathing]

United are idiots.

Were I CEO of United - and I was faced with this choice - I would have said just forget it, rent a plane if you have to, quietly offer a passenger 2 grand to vacate their seat, anything - but find another way to get the crew to their destination. And if that makes their next flight late....so be it.
No amount of late flights is worth the horrible publicity this stunt will cost them.
Dragging a guy from his seat kicking and screaming? How stupid can United get?

Jeez...when will all companies learn, you cannot pull this kind of **** anymore and just wait til it goes away. This will NEVER go away completely. Almost EVERYONE has a phone with a camera on it. Anything controversial you do with others around WILL be on YouTube in a matter of hours...guaranteed.

Volkswagen figures it will be 20 to 30 years before they can fully restore confidence. Here we have a wonderful visual irony; Fly United against a visual backdrop of this man being mauled.

Here they have a heavy video and their president is in full "newspeak" with statements vetted by lawyers. Fly United will never be the same sales gimmick but will become synonymous with not arriving.

 

[Top Cat]

Their random selection process probably didn't include their first class passengers, I'm guessing? This is pretty shameful.

I know it's unfair, but if security comes and tells you to get off the plane, you get off the plane and deal with it later.

Wanna bet United never does this again? Total Fail.

 

[Top Cat]

The reason for the random draw, was so 4 United employees could fly.

Beautiful publicity.

 

[Top Cat]

View attachment 67216167

That didn't take long. SNL here we come.

 

[Crosscheck]

The goons who removed him way overreacted. The right to remove a passenger doesn't imply to right to use any means.

Am just surprised they didn't use their taser on the passenger.

When they finally did remove the passenger I wish someone would have video taped the kind of warm welcome the other passengers gave the flight staff member who took that seat.

 

[Top Cat]

Keep offering more and more incentives to passengers to take the next flight. Offer enough and you will get volounteers

I got $1,000 back in 1987. My boss was with me. They needed two volunteers for a commuter flight. It was all businessmen. Finally he said **** this. We both have a day off! lol

 

[SMTA]

And not kicking them in the teeth? For that the airline will sell you a "no assault" option for $100 extra.

Thank you for flying United!

Might be a market for I Survived United hats.

 

[Top Cat]

Yes, the people who pay full fare, or fly a lot, are more valuable as customers than some random person who flies once a year, never signed up for a frequent flier program, and got some bottom-barrel bargain ticket.

If your travel plans are critical on a level like "I need to see patients," pay full fare you cheap ass.

Yes I'm sure you would have gone with a smile on your face.... my ass

 

[Captain America]

Boycott United.