United Airlines violently drag passenger off overbooked flight

[dessiato]

Some little time ago there was a story of a man booking a last minute, first class, full fare rate ticket. He was seated and given a drink. Then he was told that someone, more important than he, wanted his seat. He refused, and was told either move or be arrested. He ended up in coach. He was a billionaire business owner who demanded full refund and several thousand in recompense. He got $500 and the difference between first and coach repaid. That was United again.

Can't find a link. But it seems this newer incident is not an unusual attitude for this airline.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

It's shocking that you can pay for goods and services and then get your teeth knocked out if your custom becomes inconvenient to the corporation.
The fact the corporation will now be punished through ticket sales and law suits is all that prevents it being full on fascism.

 

[petee]

Some little time ago there was a story of a man booking a last minute, first class, full fare rate ticket. He was seated and given a drink. Then he was told that someone, more important than he, wanted his seat. He refused, and was told either move or be arrested. He ended up in coach. He was a billionaire business owner who demanded full refund and several thousand in recompense. He got $500 and the difference between first and coach repaid. That was United again.

Can't find a link. But it seems this newer incident is not an unusual attitude for this airline.

i read that too

United passenger threatened with handcuffs to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

 

[FridgeMagnet]

It doesn't really make much difference to them anyway; they have loads of money to settle lawsuits and they're basically in a monopoly for internal flights. What are you going to do, take the train?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

It doesn't really make much difference to them anyway; they have loads of money to settle lawsuits and they're basically in a monopoly for internal flights. What are you going to do, take the train?

But at least the state aren't backing it so Americans can breath easy, for now.

 

[Yossarian]

Delta now says it will offer up to $9,950 to passengers getting bumped. Previous limit was $1,350, which is also apparently what airlines are required to pay in compensation to bumped passengers taken off planes against their will. United now look even stupider for calling the cops after only offering $800.

Overbooked flight on Delta? You now could get nearly $10,000 to give up your seat

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Premium advertising slot.

 

[DotCommunist]

It's shocking that you can pay for goods and services and then get your teeth knocked out if your custom becomes inconvenient to the corporation.
The fact the corporation will now be punished through ticket sales and law suits is all that prevents it being full on fascism.

verhoeven was a visionary. We are all citizen-consumer units now etc

 

[squirrelp]

I think it's also important to say in this case the issue was not overbooking of the flight but 'deadheading' when passengers are expected to make way for an airline employee.

I think airlines should be allowed to overbook - air travel is not environmentally friendly and if these things are going in the air, they should go up full to capacity.

But yes you can't remove someone when they have already sat down under a prevention of boarding rule. Stop them at the gate.

 

[Orang Utan]

I think airlines should be allowed to overbook - air travel is not environmentally friendly and if these things are going in the air, they should go up full to capacity.

Surely it would be better to not overbook and issue the rest of the tickets to staff and last minute types?

 

[NoXion]

Surely it would be better to not overbook and issue the rest of the tickets to staff and last minute types?

Don't be silly, that would be sensible and rational. Which is why it doesn't happen already.

 

[Orang Utan]

Further proof that capitalism sucks, as if any more were needed

 

[bi0boy]

Further proof that capitalism sucks, as if any more were needed

Your method would result in emptier planes, which isn't good from either a capitalist or an environmental POV, or from the POV of people who want to travel that route.

 

[Orang Utan]

Your method would result in emptier planes, which isn't good from either a capitalist or an environmental POV, or from the POV of people who want to travel that route.

I'm not sure how you reasoned that.

 

[NoXion]

Your method would result in emptier planes, which isn't good from either a capitalist or an environmental POV, or from the POV of people who want to travel that route.

A few empty seats are not going to explodinate the planet.

 

[bi0boy]

I'm not sure how you reasoned that.

If you don't overbook, then there will be no-shows and therefore empty seats. You can try and fill these with people hanging out at the airport on the off-chance or crew members, but that won't always be possible.

If you overbook, you've got a full plane and your problem is just about giving cash handouts to people denied boarding.

Full planes compared to planes with empty seats means less pollution per passenger mile, more cash for the airline per seat, and cheaper fares for people on that route.

 

[bi0boy]

A few empty seats are not going to explodinate the planet.

Neither are they going to capitalisate it.

 

[NoXion]

Neither are they going to capitalisate it.

Either way, the airline company is going to be shedding money. Might as well do it in a way that doesn't involve tossing passengers out of seats they paid for, or being unable to move their own staff around.

 

[Orang Utan]

If you don't overbook, then there will be no-shows and therefore empty seats. You can try and fill these with people hanging out at the airport on the off-chance or crew members, but that won't always be possible.

If you overbook, you've got a full plane and your problem is just about giving cash handouts to people denied boarding.

Full planes compared to planes with empty seats means less pollution per passenger mile, more cash for the airline per seat, and cheaper fares for people on that route.

so the system clearly doesn't work.
anyway, i'm sure on domestic US flights, it wouldn't be much of a problem to fill seats at the last minute.
it's greed, not environmental concerns, that causes these problems

 

[bi0boy]

so the system clearly doesn't work.

On the contrary, it has been working very well for sixty years.

anyway, i'm sure on domestic US flights, it wouldn't be much of a problem to fill seats at the last minute.

Maybe not, when flights are within a country and run multiple times per day to the same destination. Not sure you'd get randoms on a flight from London to Beijing for example.

it's greed, not environmental concerns, that causes these problems

The cause is irrelevant, it's the outcome that is important.

 

[Orang Utan]

On the contrary, it has been working very well for sixty years.

not sure why you would think that.
it hasn't been working well at all.

 

[bi0boy]

not sure why you would think that.
it hasn't been working well at all.

based on what

 

[Orang Utan]

based on what

based on flights being overbooked and people not being able go on flights they've booked. it seems to happen regularly.

 

[bi0boy]

based on flights being overbooked and people not being able go on flights they've booked. it seems to happen regularly.

Involuntary denied boarding is vanishingly rare, especially outside the US. You're far more likely not to be able to fly on a flight you've booked on due to it being cancelled (for weather, lack of crew, mechanical reason etc).

 

[Orang Utan]

Involuntary denied boarding is vanishingly rare, especially outside the US. You're far more likely not to be able to fly on a flight you've booked on due to it being cancelled (for weather, lack of crew, mechanical reason etc).

anecdotally, i know of it happening quite a lot.
'Lack of crew' is also another shit excuse which proves how broken the system is

 

[bi0boy]

anecdotally, i know of it happening quite a lot.

Ah yes, anecdotes.

In 2015, 0.007% of passengers were denied boarding in the US. It would have been much lower in other countries where overbooking is less widespread.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Do they not have trains in America? Why is every cunt flying everywhere?

 

[bi0boy]

'Lack of crew' is also another shit excuse which proves how broken the system is

How does that prove anything? Having spare crews sitting around twiddling there thumbs is very expensive so it's inevitable that there will be occasional problems. How much more would you be prepared to pay for your tickets to have extra pilots lounging around in airports?

 

[NoXion]

Do they not have trains in America? Why is every cunt flying everywhere?

From what I understand, while one can cross the continental US on a passenger train, journeys are complicated because it's a bigger country with a lower density of railway stations.

 

[Gromit]

Do they not have trains in America? Why is every cunt flying everywhere?

Cheaper to fly.

I think the order goes like this (from cheapest to most expensive);

Coach
Plane
Private limo
Jet pack
Space Shuttle
Train