Man dragged off overbooked United Airlines flight

[cctaylor]

The overbooking is not just about getting double payment for seats as many people will be running behind schedule and have a flexible ticket so just take the next flight. The seat in the original flight could be empty and unpaid for so overbooking is about keeping them full.

I remember once LHR arriving early for an afternoon flight with BA. Asked at BA desk if any chance of getting on the earlier flight. They said flight was full but they would put us on standby and to wait nearby. In the end six standby people got on that flight. Presumably leaving six spaces on the later flight for people with flexible tickets.

 

[molee]

I believe the law is on the side of the carrier, not the passenger.

The law is the law Cav (see above), what you believe is completely irrelevant.

 

[Cav]

The law is the law Cav (see above), what you believe is completely irrelevant.

The above is wrong. Carriers can refuse to carry any passenger for any reason they see fit and are entitled to eject any passenger who refuses.

 

[flatpopely]

The above is wrong. Carriers can refuse to carry any passenger for any reason they see fit and are entitled to eject any passenger who refuses.

Correct. Just like a pub, train, bus they can decide they don't want you on a particular service or to serve you; refund for prepay of course.

I suspect the passenger involved saw ££££ signs. What was the pathetic screaming all about?

They were allowed to ask him to go, he refused.....end of story.

 

[PsB]

I suspect the passenger involved saw ££££ signs. What was the pathetic screaming all about?.

How about being assaulted and punched in the face by a set of airport goons?

Seems the passenger in question was a doctor. Maybe he had something to do the next morning, like attend to patients. United's suggested alternative transportation was a flight the next day at 2 pm.

 

[Tony Lockhart]

Correct. Just like a pub, train, bus they can decide they don't want you on a particular service or to serve you; refund for prepay of course.

I suspect the passenger involved saw ££££ signs. What was the pathetic screaming all about?

They were allowed to ask him to go, he refused.....end of story.

The sale of an airline ticket is a contract. Yes, there are conditions, but United did not abide by them.

Millions of people around the globe now have in their minds that they'd rather fly with a different airline the best United can hope for is damage limitation. This could have a greater impact than losing an aircraft.

 

[flatpopely]

How about being assaulted and punched in the face by a set of airport goons?

Seems the passenger in question was a doctor. Maybe he had something to do the next morning, like attend to patients. United's suggested alternative transportation was a flight the next day at 2 pm.

Proof he had surgery next day.........I suspect he wanted to make a point wth a dollar factor in mind.

If it was me being asked to leave with a cash incentive and no right to stay I'd go, with a grumble. He had no right to stay on board, unless he declared he owned the plane. If he had doc stuff to do next day and if he had explained in the right way I bet they would have moved someone else.

 

[flatpopely]

The sale of an airline ticket is a contract. Yes, there are conditions, but United did not abide by them.

Millions of people around the globe now have in their minds that they'd rather fly with a different airline the best United can hope for is damage limitation. This could have a greater impact than losing an aircraft.

How did they not abide?

United will carry on as normal, you need to fly and they have a service......

 

[PsB]

FP,
Why do you say he had no right to stay? He had bought a ticket and in effect had a contract with United, with a confirmed seat reservation (we know this because they let him board the plane in the first place). Please explain the legal mechanics here.

Proof of injury: did you see the look of his face, with blood all the way from his mouth to his ear?

 

[flatpopely]

Why do you say he had no right to stay? He had bought a ticket and in effect had a contract with United, with a confirmed seat reservation (we know this because they let him board the plane in the first place). Please explain the legal mechanics here.

They can cancel the contract before the goods are delivered.
If you book a hotel and pay for it before hand they can cancel your booking on the day or when you arrive. You have no RIGHT to their service and they can cancel at any point.

As a parallel we use couriers to ship our goods all over Europe. Believe it or not none of them guarantee it's delivered. You have to take insurance out to cover the possibility of non delivery. Most people will say that's bollocks.....believe me it's true.

 

[PsB]

Have you seen what Matthew posted in #81? What makes you think this lawyer's analysis is wrong?

 

[ted]

This won't hurt United at all. People will feign outrage, but will buy the cheapest most convenient flight for their purposes. Just like they always do. Any settlement the gentlman recieves will be at the discretion of the airline. Sound and fury, signifying nothing.

 

[twotone]

This won't hurt United at all. People will feign outrage, but will buy the cheapest most convenient flight for their purposes. Just like they always do. Any settlement the gentlman recieves will be at the discretion of the airline. Sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Doubt it, who wants to take the chance of being dragged off a plane and being assaulted? I'd rather fly Ryanair

 

[James]

They can cancel the contract before the goods are delivered.
If you book a hotel and pay for it before hand they can cancel your booking on the day or when you arrive. You have no RIGHT to their service and they can cancel at any point.

So, by that logic you have no RIGHT to what you bought and paid for regarding insurance in the event of a claim? How convenient is that. I don't know about the UK, but here we are protected by the Consumers Guarantee Act, which gives additional protection over and above contract law, e.g. you cannot contract out basic obligations of service.

 

[1964meb]

He was treated like scum. Shame on the airline. Deep shame. Good Luke to sucking those ****ers for dosh as compensation for his humiliation and the airlines aggressive 'money first' ideology.

People come before profits ..... Don't the they? Shouldn't they?....

M

 

[andyoz]

Doubt it, who wants to take the chance of being dragged off a plane and being assaulted? I'd rather fly Ryanair

Ryanair are charging €10 for it...just tick the "Priority Disembarking" option when booking

 

[Guest432]

ship our goods all over Europe.

If that's your attitude to customer service you won't last very long and I certainly won't ever buy anything from you.

The rules don't mean thing, they are a customer facing company and perception is everything. They have lost much more in share price and future revenue than they needed to by just offering 4x passengers $10,000 each to disembark.

If you want an example look at Rega, they are perfectly entitled to say "fvck off your broken CD player is 20 years old" but they don't. I'm sure many can attest that anytime a problem is reported here Rega pop up and offer to fix it and normally for free.

UA have a lot to learn (and a need to employ staff who have a modicum of common sense and decency)

 

[Bob McC]

From the Reddit dicussion of this:



https://np.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoo...filled_with_united_related/dg3xvja/?context=3

Sadly wrong reddit

 

[TPA]

The legal position is the least of their problems, US$1b off your share price tends to upset investors.

 

[Cloth-Ears]

Virgin America are much more gentle in their passenger removal methods.

They tickle you with a feather until you can't sit any more, then lead you back into the terminal by laying a tempting trail of Ferrero Rocher in front of you.

Aeroflot - they just use a mallet.