United Airlines Assault Passenger: What Would You Have Done?

[fountainhall]

I've never ben bumped off a flight. Only once at LAX en route to Tokyo was there an announcement at a United departure gate seeking two passengers in business class to give up their seats. In return, they would be rebooked with guaranteed first class seats on the next flight two hours later. I raced to the desk and was delighted to get one of those seats! In such circumstances I'm happy that airlines oversell flights.

We've all seen the footage and must all have been utterly appalled at the behaviour of the thugs on that United flight from Chicago to Louisville. Now United is in very deep PR shit, whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation. Either United will make the doctor a settlement he cant refuse, and with his high-powered legal team that offer will have to be in the millions of dollars. Or they will elect to go to court as co-defendants along with the plane's captain (after all he was 100% responsible for what happened on his aircraft), the three aircraft police thugs and the City of Chicago for whom they worked. With those lawyers, I expect there will be a second class action suit. Both could result in awards of millions in damages and goodness knows how much in aggravated damages. And with all the negative feelings towards airlines amongst the travelling public, if the case/s go to court, where will United find a totally unbiased jury?

To me this seems an open and shut case. The flight was not oversold. United only sold the exact number of seats on the aircraft. But at what must have been the very last minute (literally minutes) it needed 4 seats for flight attendants on duty from Louisville the next day. Aren't such staff movements choreographed weeks in advance along with their work schedules?

However, a lawyer on CNN this morning suggested that the passenger made the situation worse! Even though he was seated on board, causing no disturbance whatsoever, this lawyer said when the aircraft police told him he had to leave, he should have left. You do what the police tell you to do, no matter your guilt or innocence. He also threw in the fact that this doctor had two convictions for selling drugs to people not entitled to them. These would be mitigating circumstances, he said. How extraordinary! I was staggered! What would a man's past have anything to do with his being forced off a plane with no violence on his part yet ending up with broken teeth, a broken nose, sinus problems and concussion?

Had it been me, I would have done exactly as the doctor. Stayed firmly in my seat and started creating a major fuss asking to see their written authority in writing, asking for the captain and so on. But what would you have done? Having turned down the offered compensation, would you just get up and leave?

[arsenal]

I would have stormed the cabin and taken control of the plane myself, taken off and then parachuted out over my destination. All because the lady loves Milk Tray.
😎

[scottish-guy]

I'm a stubborn cunt - I don't do ANYTHING other ppl tell me and ESPECIALLY the cops for whom I have zero respect - so I'd have stayed put like the doc.

Having said that - if I'd been offered an attractive enough inducement to miss the flight altogether, I'd almost certainly have taken it!

So, a belligerent, financially motivated, stubborn cunt - I wonder where I get that from?

[francois]

I would have taken the offer by United. But if had some sort of connecting flight or urgent matter to attend to, I would do like all the other passengers, just sit there and hope you are not one on the randomly chosen. If chosen would have simply left the flight and the rest of the passengers would applaud, not boo.

Fact is their random selection was an ass to begin with and knew how to take advantage of the situation to his benefit.

[mahjongguy]

I think the United staff at the airport should have called HQ and requested authorization to offer whatever it took to get a volunteer off the plane. I bet that will become standard procedure going forward.

And of course the security thugs should have been trained to remove a passenger without breaking his nose and two teeth, no matter how strongly he is fighting back. He's going to win a huge settlement.

But I would never have acted as he did. Anyone who flies must be aware that since 9/11 it has been a federal felony to disobey any and all instructions from the flight crew, including while the plane is still at the gate. He should have quietly returned to the gate agents, where he could then make as much ruckus as he wished.

[goji]

I would have stayed in the seat. The customer has paid for the ticket, the airlines should honour that.

It is a complete disgrace that United kick a PAYING CUSTOMER off their planes to make room for their own staff. You don't go into Starbucks, order a coffee & then they kick you out so the staff can drink your coffee. So why do airlines think it's OK ?

The law should protect customers from unfair contract terms which allow airlines to trample all over their customers. The US is supposed to be a liberal democracy with protection for citizens, not some kacocracy.

[Nirish guy]

SG said ....."So, a belligerent, financially motivated, stubborn cunt - I wonder where I get that from? "

The same place where Donald got his from I'm guessing - his Ma !! ( and so you yours too I'm sure) ;-)

[fountainhall]

I would have stayed in the seat. The customer has paid for the ticket, the airlines should honour that. .

I noted that those chosen for being kicked off first are the ones paying the cheapest tickets. There is a certain logic to that, but by not increasing the compensation offer to the maximum, the United ground staff have now totally screwed their own airline with payouts that are bound to be in at lest the low millions.

Ironically two years ago I was technically 'denied boarding' on exactly the same route, although mine was part of a round trip ticket on American - Chicago/Louisville/New York/Chicago with the first sector on the first flight in the morning. I booked 7 months in advance, paid $540 online and received the ticket. What I failed to notice was that this was just the itinerary (although it looked exactly like a ticket) and merely filed a copy. When I was double checking all the 15 flights on that trip some months later, I was shocked to discover that not only could I get none of the AA flights using the record locator number, the Chicago/Louisville flight no longer existed on the schedule. Endless phone calls to American finally resulted in a comment that my credit card had been rejected and I had been sent an email giving me a week to provide another form of payment.

I absolutely never received any email at any time after that day of booking. And on that same day I had used the same card to book my flights from Berlin to Chicago and hotels in Chicago and New York with no problem. I even had a go at my bank to check with VISA and eventually heard that no requested payments had been denied. American offered me new flights but at a cost of $2,050 and an impossible roundabout connection to New York. I took the matter up with American head office asking for a copy of the phantom email, presenting the bank evidence and asking why they cancel a reservation on the basis of one email they cannot provide. Why not send an sms at the same time? After some to and fro, a lady from somewhere in the USA called and merely stonewalled. It was my fault, she said, that I had not checked my cc statements and that their confirmation had not been the actual ticket!! Partly true but it left a sour taste in the mouth.

After that, there was no way I would fly AA. I called United and the lady in London could not have been more pleasant. She got me flights very close to those I had originally 'booked' for $950 - less than half AA's last price but still a lot more than my original booking.

Passengers have so few rights. I hope that Chicago attorney does indeed file a class action suit and that some changes may be on the way.

[mahjongguy]

" The US is supposed to be a liberal democracy with protection for citizens..."

It's not possible for a government to protect its citizens in advance from every damage. For that reason, the U.S., more than any other government, provides legal recourse. The airline committed no crime, but it is subject to a civil suit (which is gonna hurt pretty bad, though not as badly as the PR hit). The security thugs committed a crime, an assault, and will be subject to both criminal and civil prosecution. The passenger also committed a felony, though in this case he will certainly not be charged.

If you expect more than that, good luck.

[fountainhall]

How did the passenger commit a felony? He had paid for his ticket, checked in, been cleared through security, accepted on board and was seated. I've heard of passengers being bumped off flights at check-on, but this flight was not over-sold. It was merely that United at the very last minute made a decision to move 4 flight attendants to Louisville. That was an airline issue. That was United's sole decision. And the captain on every flight is in sole charge of what goes on on board. Where was he when he should have been protecting his passenger?

As I said earlier, no way would I have moved from my seat - unless the compensation had reached a level where I felt it was fair - i.e. a lot of cash, not airline vouchers!