Doctor Dragged From United Plane After Computer "Solves" Overbooking Problem

[Doli]

2 hours ago, J. X. Maxwell said:

Don't overbook

Unfortunately that's not an option for airlines because sometimes people don't show up and that mean an empty seat, an empty seat that could have gone to another paying customer. 

[SarK0Y]

3 minutes ago, Doli said:

Unfortunately that's not an option for airlines because sometimes people don't show up and that mean an empty seat, an empty seat that could have gone to another paying customer. 

strange conception: if passenger had paid for seat, but didn't appear ==>> company gained money + less weight to take off.

[Doli]

Just now, SarK0Y said:

strange conception: if passenger had paid for seat, but didn't appear ==>> company gained money + less weight to take off.

...or still get the money from the person that didn't show up if they have a nonrefundable ticket and fill the seat and get more money.

[SarK0Y]

 

2 minutes ago, Doli said:

...or still get the money from the person that didn't show up if they have a nonrefundable ticket and fill the seat and get more money.

here smells laundry scheme.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

There is absolutely no reason for this gentleman to have been forcibly dragged out, bloodied up and ultimately taken to the hospital...all because (really) United overbooked their flight.  They could have handled this so much better ... I do not blame the victim at all in this.

 

Major PR hit for United and hopefully they will change their practice ... though I doubt it as in a few days this will be "yesterday's" news and be forgotten.  

 

This should never happen to a passenger ... simply because the plane is overbooked.

 

 

Saw this on Twitter ...

 

 

Fitting.

[Nogib]

2 hours ago, FloatingFatMan said:

NO ONE deserves to be treated like that.

He certainly did.  He literally ASKED for it to go down that way.

[Breach]

In the EU many passengers literally want to be denied boarding - it's automatic 600 EUR (well, not automatic, sometimes you have to go via a 3rd party which keeps roughly 25%, but then you don't have to deal with lawyers if the company decides they'll their chances). Overbooking seems to be quite popular in the US - I guess it has to do with refund/exchange ticket policies.

[Breach]

50 minutes ago, Jim K said:

There is absolutely no reason for this gentleman to have been forcibly dragged out, bloodied up and ultimately taken to the hospital...all because (really) United overbooked their flight.  They could have handled this so much better ... I do not blame the victim at all in this.

 

Major PR hit for United and hopefully they will change their practice ... though I doubt it as in a few days this will be "yesterday's" news and be forgotten.  

 

This should never happen to a passenger ... simply because the plane is overbooked.

 

 

Saw this on Twitter ...

 

 

Fitting.

Well, he was essentially denied boarding. At that stage he should have left and sued them for statutory or situation-specific compensation for breach of contract. Now, the airplane is a private property and the airline can kick you out whenever they want (though if they do they risk ending up with the PR disaster this is). He can of course sue for excessive force, but the fact is he failed to comply with the instructions of the airport authorities which won't help him.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

7 minutes ago, Breach said:

Well, he was essentially denied boarding. At that stage he should have left and sued them for statutory or situation-specific compensation for breach of contract. Now, the airplane is a private property and the airline can kick you out whenever they want (though if they do they risk ending up with the PR disaster this is). He can of course sue for excessive force, but the fact is he failed to comply with the instructions of the airport authorities which won't help him.

Doesn't change my view in any way ... a passenger should not be physically harmed simply because United overbooked a flight.  They should have looked at alternative methods ... not get law enforcement involved because of their mistake.

 

Also, if you are going to deny me boarding ... you should do it before I've boarded.

[Breach]

3 minutes ago, Jim K said:

Doesn't change my view in any way ... a passenger should not be physically harmed simply because United overbooked a flight.  They should have looked at alternative methods ... not get law enforcement involved because of their mistake.

Yes, I agree that paying passengers shouldn't be physically harmed, but what are they supposed to do when they say 'get out' and he says 'I won't' (assuming this is what happened here)? Find a more vulnerable passenger? Stay on the tarmac until someone decides to leave?

[Breach]

1 hour ago, SarK0Y said:

strange conception: if passenger had paid for seat, but didn't appear ==>> company gained money + less weight to take off.

Indeed, they get the money anyway, plus they save fuel so it's a win already. Selling the same seat twice just to make even more money sounds like... a very crooked way of doing business. Not to mention that selling your seat also to someone else implies that they're never going to provide you with the service to begin with...

[Jim K Global Moderator]

5 minutes ago, Breach said:

Yes, I agree that paying passengers shouldn't be physically harmed, but what are they supposed to do when they say 'get out' and he says 'I won't' (assuming this is what happened here)? Find a more vulnerable passenger? Stay on the tarmac until someone decides to leave?

They should have thought about that before they let the passengers on the plane.  Not ... "whoops...we got 4 United employees ... get off."   Or...I don't know ... by time all of this was arranged that could have probably given the 4 employees a rental car, some per diem and asked them to drive to Louisville (300 miles)...they probably would have beat the plane anyway

 

What shouldn't have happened is this victim, who was in his seat and obviously wanting to get home (regardless of reason), getting beat up and sent to the hospital.  

[Ravensky]

1 hour ago, T3X4S said:

Let me get this straight - you are hoping this guy who was dragged out - sues, wins, receives billions of dollars ?

yes for his basic rights being violated...

[SarK0Y]

3 minutes ago, Breach said:

Selling the same seat twice

here is the intriguing question: twice or more.

[Breach]

3 minutes ago, Jim K said:

They should have thought about that before they let the passengers on the plane.  Not ... "whoops...we got 4 United employees ... get off."   Or...I don't know ... by time all of this was arranged that could have probably given the 4 employees a rental car, some per diem and asked them to drive to Louisville (300 miles)...they probably would have beat the plane anyway

 

What shouldn't have happened is this victim, who was in his seat and obviously wanting to get home (regardless of reason), getting beat up and sent to the hospital.  

20/20 hindsight, I'm sure they'd have done a number of things differently. You call airport security, you automatically should know that an escalation could ensue and you make headlines. So United did something dumb, but I'm sure tensions were high at that stage and they didn't want to show weakness in front of the other passengers. On the other hand the goons are airport staff and though obviously mediation skills are unlikely on their job descriptions should have handled this better.

[Pam14160]

Well all the internet lawyers have made their appearance,  and have straighten out this mess so that all of us slow witted fools can now fully understand what is right and what is wrong.  Thank you all you highly smart lawyers, not really sure who the smarter lawyers, those of you here on Neowin or those on CNN, CBS, NBC, Fox newx, ex. 

[Dysphoria]

 

[Quillz]

2 hours ago, Zagadka said:

Whether he was technically wrong or right will be immaterial. This is disaster for their PR. They need to learn that freaking everything will be recorded by 20 people on their phones, and this just looks plain horrible. That appearance is all most people will see; thugs beating a man and dragging him down the aisle. There will definitely be a suit, a massive PR hit, and probably a (slight) change in policy for every airline.

There will potentially be a change in policy, but only as long as this remains in the public's memory, which won't be long.

[Quillz]

14 minutes ago, Pam14160 said:

Well all the internet lawyers have made their appearance,  and have straighten out this mess so that all of us slow witted fools can now fully understand what is right and what is wrong.  Thank you all you highly smart lawyers, not really sure who the smarter lawyers, those of you here on Neowin or those on CNN, CBS, NBC, Fox newx, ex. 

The people on Neowin here are almost surely smarter than the talking heads on most cable news networks.

[Defcon]

The cops are even more guilty than United but of course they will never be charged. They violently beat a man who was clearly not a threat. Their job is to try and deescalate situations and help people but of course in practice they do the exact opposite. 

 

I'm pretty sure if this guy tries to sue he's going to be charged with resisting arrest and assaulting the police which is a felony.

 

This kind of brutality is pretty standard procedure now and no one gives a damn anymore. 

[Defcon]

1 hour ago, Nogib said:

He certainly did.  He literally ASKED for it to go down that way.

He asked to be beaten up by thugs? You are one piece of work. Let me guess you also support the cops spraying ice cold water on protesters and firing at them right?

[SarK0Y]

16 minutes ago, Pam14160 said:

Well all the internet lawyers have made their appearance,  and have straighten out this mess so that all of us slow witted fools can now fully understand what is right and what is wrong.  Thank you all you highly smart lawyers, not really sure who the smarter lawyers, those of you here on Neowin or those on CNN, CBS, NBC, Fox newx, ex. 

no, i'm not a lawyer & never was but situation looks curious enough.

[Joe User]

3 hours ago, FloatingFatMan said:

He didn't interfere with anyone. They interfered with HIM.

 

 

2 hours ago, Ravensky said:

HE didn't interfere with them, they started it... 

LOL, no.

 

Read your contract. 

[Joe User]

1 hour ago, Nogib said:

He certainly did.  He literally ASKED for it to go down that way.

 

LOL, no. 

 

Paul Blart's airline cousins didn't follow proper procedures. They'll get a few days off, and somewhere an insurance company will pay out a few hundred thousand.

 

[Joe User]

55 minutes ago, Breach said:

Yes, I agree that paying passengers shouldn't be physically harmed, but what are they supposed to do when they say 'get out' and he says 'I won't' (assuming this is what happened here)? Find a more vulnerable passenger? Stay on the tarmac until someone decides to leave?

He's non violent. You arrest him when he leaves.