Anonymous wrote:The thing is, airlines (United being among the worst, but certainly they're not the only offender) make a strategic decision about things like this. A situation where: a) they are overbooked, b) they have crew who need to get to a certain destination by a certain time, and c) no one will accept the pittance that they are willing to bribe people with for taking a later flight will not arise often. When making policy decisions (e.g., overbooking, using the computer to bump passengers who have paid in favor of crew members), they bank on the majority of times where this is NOT going to happen.

There was no way for them to know which situation it was going to be where someone was going to actually refuse to move from their seat, but once it got to the point where there were airport cops standing around his seat, they were essentially committed to the course of action and the result that we see in those videos.

The policy doesn't have to be that way. Frankly, I don't think they should be allowed to sell more tickets than seats, ever, because they also often have cargo underneath that adds to the weight of the plane. I've been in situations where humans have been told that the plane was in an overweight situation due to cargo and that they'd have to take the next flight. I've accepted vouchers later travel in order to accommodate other people when I'm not in a rush. But the airlines themselves create this situation when they sell more tickets than seats. If they made a different choice, they would not find themselves in this situation at all.

Anonymous wrote:The thing is, airlines (United being among the worst, but certainly they're not the only offender) make a strategic decision about things like this. A situation where: a) they are overbooked, b) they have crew who need to get to a certain destination by a certain time, and c) no one will accept the pittance that they are willing to bribe people with for taking a later flight will not arise often. When making policy decisions (e.g., overbooking, using the computer to bump passengers who have paid in favor of crew members), they bank on the majority of times where this is NOT going to happen.

There was no way for them to know which situation it was going to be where someone was going to actually refuse to move from their seat, but once it got to the point where there were airport cops standing around his seat, they were essentially committed to the course of action and the result that we see in those videos.

The policy doesn't have to be that way. Frankly, I don't think they should be allowed to sell more tickets than seats, ever, because they also often have cargo underneath that adds to the weight of the plane. I've been in situations where humans have been told that the plane was in an overweight situation due to cargo and that they'd have to take the next flight. I've accepted vouchers later travel in order to accommodate other people when I'm not in a rush. But the airlines themselves create this situation when they sell more tickets than seats. If they made a different choice, they would not find themselves in this situation at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should be illegal to deny a person their flight if they paid for the ticket and checked in on time. We need a law. This incident makes this obvious.

Would you be willing to pay 25% more for your tickets for this? Most airlines overbook since they get many no-shows. If they didn't oversell, they'd need to raise prices.

Well, most tickets are non-refundable, so even if you don't show up, the airline still gets your money.

And what other industry is allowed to sell people something that doesn't actually exist? The airlines make a choice to oversell; fine. But they should bear the costs of that, not their passengers. If that means shelling out 4 times the ticket price when they have to kick someone off a flight, then that's what it means.

Anonymous wrote:This poor man is 69 years old I think. With his face/image plastered all over the internet without his permission. On the one hand it is good for videos to show how poorly people get treated in situations where it is likely the offending party (United) will deflect, deny, victim blame; but on the other the videos have gone viral and this poor man never agreed or gave his permission for them to be distributed. We all know what he looks like. Some speculate he isn't mentally sound when he renters the plane, etc. who know?! I wasn't there. I am not him. I think of my elderly father, who is 70. Holy shit, being manhandled like that, dragged out of a plane, everyone standing around taking videos but no one offering their seat. Imagine how he feels today. I would be embarrassed, even when United is totally in the wrong. Poor guy.

Anonymous wrote:Response from United CEO doesn't really help the situation. Just so you know what happens if United has to re-accommodate you...

https://twitter.com/united/status/851471781827420160/photo/1

I think the passengers who had to witness this debacle should get some accommodation as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should be illegal to deny a person their flight if they paid for the ticket and checked in on time. We need a law. This incident makes this obvious.

Would you be willing to pay 25% more for your tickets for this? Most airlines overbook since they get many no-shows. If they didn't oversell, they'd need to raise prices.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should be illegal to deny a person their flight if they paid for the ticket and checked in on time. We need a law. This incident makes this obvious.

Would you be willing to pay 25% more for your tickets for this? Most airlines overbook since they get many no-shows. If they didn't oversell, they'd need to raise prices.

Anonymous wrote:I was involved in a situation like this with Independence Air. They boarded too many people, and someone had to go. They picked someone who was going to see her dying father. She was crying and wouldn't leave. Finally, my husband and I insisted that we get off instead. They gave us 10 free passes!

Anonymous wrote:I was involved in a situation like this with Independence Air. They boarded too many people, and someone had to go. They picked someone who was going to see her dying father. She was crying and wouldn't leave. Finally, my husband and I insisted that we get off instead. They gave us 10 free passes!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should be illegal to deny a person their flight if they paid for the ticket and checked in on time. We need a law. This incident makes this obvious.

Would you be willing to pay 25% more for your tickets for this? Most airlines overbook since they get many no-shows. If they didn't oversell, they'd need to raise prices.

Well, most tickets are non-refundable, so even if you don't show up, the airline still gets your money.

And what other industry is allowed to sell people something that doesn't actually exist? The airlines make a choice to oversell; fine. But they should bear the costs of that, not their passengers. If that means shelling out 4 times the ticket price when they have to kick someone off a flight, then that's what it means.