Over booked airline flight disasters

[Sundancefisher]

Crazy. Was flying with kids once when the airline announced it was over booked and needed 6 to come off the depart list. They had a crappy discount...then a slightly better one. Then threatened to have to pick. Then made a better offer and some people took it.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39554421

Why was a passenger dragged off a US flight?

Videos showing a man being violently removed from a United Airlines flight have provoked an outcry on social media.

The footage taken inside the airliner shows a man being violently pulled out of his seat and dragged down the aisle as passengers prepared to take off from Chicago to Louisville on Sunday evening.

The airline in question - United - has tweeted an apology for what happened and says it is investigating.

One 50-second clip of the incident on Twitter was re-tweeted 16,000 times since it was posted that day.

Jayse D Anspach, who posted the footage tweeted: "#United overbooked and wanted four of us to volunteer to give up our seats for personnel that needed to be at work the next day."

"No one volunteered, so United decided to choose for us. They chose an Asian doctor and his wife."

"The doctor needed to work at the hospital the next day, so he refused to volunteer," Mr Anspach added.

"Ten minutes later, the doctor runs back into the plane with a bloody face, clings to a post in the back, chanting, "I need to go home."

Another passenger Audra D. Bridges, posted a video of the incident on Facebook that has been viewed over 400,000 times.

She wrote: "Please share this video. We are on this flight. United airlines overbooked the flight."

"They randomly selected people to kick off so their standby crew could have a seat.

"This man is a doctor and has to be at the hospital in the morning," she added.

"He did not want to get off. We are all shaky and so disgusted."

'Re-accommodating' passengers

Thousands of Facebook comments have been posted about what happened.

One person wrote: "This is infuriating"

Another posted: "OMG So sad to see someone being treated like this. I wont fly United ever again."

But another felt the video raised some unanswered questions.

"There has to be more to this story," he said.

"Usually when a flight is overbooked they offer free flight vouchers to those willing to change flights or go on standby and a couple of people will jump at those as their travel plans may be flexible."

"I feel like this specific incident HAS to be deeper than what we are seeing in this video," he added.

In a statement United airlines told the BBC: "Flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville was overbooked."

"After our team looked for volunteers, one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and law enforcement was asked to come to the gate," the airline added.

The chief executive of United, Oscar Munoz, has since made a statement on Twitter: "This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United. I apologise for having to re-accommodate these customers."

"Our team is moving with a sense of urgency to work with the authorities and conduct our own detailed review of what happened.

"We are also reaching out to this passenger to talk directly to him and further address and resolve the situation," he added.

[Jamie]

PR skills 101..............

WOW, just wow.
I think this could be the absolute worst thing for a company that I have ever seen.
How much did their stock drop today?

[jrowan]

Luckily in Canada we have pushed the major airlines into agreeing to some basic passenger rights (and it is enforceable for the companies who have agreed). Haven't heard anything recently, but there have been discussion in the past about making this required by all airlines operating in Canada.

https://travel.gc.ca/air/air-passenger-rights

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/airlin...ghts-1.2580617

Pretty sure in the States you're SOL

[Weedy1]

Originally Posted by Jamie

PR skills 101..............

WOW, just wow.
I think this could be the absolute worst thing for a company that I have ever seen.
How much did their stock drop today?

Of course it went up. Probably a bunch of republicans buying in.

United Continental Holdings Inc
NYSE: UAL - Apr 10, 3:42 PM EDT
71.73 USD Price increase 0.85 (1.20%)

[jrowan]

Also I'm fairly certain that Westjet and maybe Air Canada have planes designed specifically with extra crew seats (probably not 6 more). I do remember being on flights where some of the flight attendant seats were empty.

They do look less comfortable though.

[J0HN_R1]

While I think United was wrong in both the way they book flights and the way they handle over-booking...

IMHO, the real culprits of this video are the Chicago Aviation Department/US Federal Air Marshal Service.

Those weren't United employees slamming that Asian guy around...

[elkhunter11]

If you go around accepting money by selling something that you don't have to sell, it is usually considered fraud, yet the airlines are allowed to sell seats that they don't have.

[OldNewGuy]

Just another day and another black eye for United - a few weeks ago they had another dust-up with overbooked flights (don't remember the details, but they handled it badly).

Now this - and of course all the United staff apparently forgot that cell phone cams and Facebook exist.

The "United Breaks Guitars" episode caused their stock to drop by a significant percentage within 48 hours once the band member wrote a series of three songs after United Customer dis-Service refused to compensate for repairing a very expensive instrument for a Canadian customer. And now the incident is apparently part of the curriculum at the Customer Service indoctrination at United.

I refuse to fly 'em unless I've got no choice . And I fly quite a bit - collected over 88,000 Aeroplan points last year from Air Canada alone, plus Delta, Quantas, Lufthansa and WestJet.

O.N.G.

[Redfrog]

I had a client in from Italy on a hunt for coyotes. He was having so much fun, he wanted to stay a few days extra.

He called air Canada expecting an upcharge of a few hundred bux to reschedule for later in the week. They wanted over 3 grand besides the ticket he had paid for.
Next day we arrive at the checkin in Calgary and Air Canada tells him he can't fly as they have overbooked the flight. He said no problem, rebook me and pay for a couple days with the guide and we're good.

No way! they were prepared to give him...........zip...nothing.

All this after he tried to rebook and they wanted 3 Gs for the inconvenience.

Within about 3 minutes he convinced them that it was in their best interest that he got on the plane.

Service.

[2 Tollers]

Nothing as bad as the one noted for United but I did have one experience.

I was flying Edm to San Antonio via Denver. Left Edm with first class boarding passes all the way through. Get to Denver and the connection was way over booked -- I heard double at the desk. I got bumped which was not good due to the business meeting schedule. After a pointed discussion they fit me in a crew seat at the back and gave me a $500 voucher which bounced when the travel agent tried to redeem it on another flight I was taking a couple of months later. I do my absolute best to try and not fly with United.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

If you go around accepting money by selling something that you don't have to sell, it is usually considered fraud, yet the airlines are allowed to sell seats that they don't have.

Exactly, what a croque.

[Okotokian]

Airlines are the Devil. All of them. They can treat customers like no other business can.

[bobinthesky]

Quote,
"The footage taken inside the airliner shows a man being violently pulled out of his seat and dragged down the aisle as passengers prepared to take off from Chicago to Louisville on Sunday evening."

The reason he was being dragged down the isle is because the security personnel bounced the guys face off an chair armrest and he was unconscious and bleeding!

[silverdoctor]

Wow. Enjoy the PR nightmare and impending lawsuit.

[Deb]

I don't think it's airline specific, although United is probably my least favorite airline.

What I got out of this article is that best practice is to pay ahead of time for a seat assignment and make sure you confirm your reservation as soon as the airline allows.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/air-...line-1.4060820

[rugatika]

From what I've read they were perfectly within their rights to eject anyone they want. Refusal to obey them means you get the old heave ho. When you get on a plane, you essentially become the property of the airline. People seem OK with it for the most part. They still fill the planes up. Seems like a savage way to travel to me.

[michaelmicallef]

Some airlines don't know the difference between cargo and passengers. Air Canada is one and United is the other. I go out of my way to avoid both.

[tractor1971]

Staying away from Air Canada and United served me well up to this point, I am not planning on changing my attitude.

[Big Grey Wolf]

I understand it is stated in fine print they have right to ask you to leave plane, if you resist order by security they have right to physically remove you. This was obviously not handled well. I would suggest last people to arrive at gate should be first to loose their seats. Sure would load planes faster.

[The Elkster]

Originally Posted by rugatika

From what I've read they were perfectly within their rights to eject anyone they want. Refusal to obey them means you get the old heave ho. When you get on a plane, you essentially become the property of the airline. People seem OK with it for the most part. They still fill the planes up. Seems like a savage way to travel to me.

No, contrary to what many sheeple think, a company can NOT enforce any rule, any way they want, at any time they want, no matter what their "literature" says or what you signed. FYI, any company rule has to be consistent with legal precedent and human rights regs or it may well be totally voided not matter who signed or bought anything. Word to the wise. If you get someone to sign off that they agree to their own murder...don't do it!...that contract may not be legally binding! I know...the guy signed right..their word and honor m'right?! But just sayin' in case someone was getting idea's based on Rugs input. LOL

[robson3954]

Right or wrong, if they tell you you're going to be forcibly removed from the plane, get off the ****ing plane. Sort it out later.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by robson3954

Right or wrong, if they tell you you're going to be forcibly removed from the plane, get off the ****ing plane. Sort it out later.

Better still, don't buy the ticket.

Of course there are times there are no other viable options, but when there is, I take them.

I'd rather drive for 12 hours then to be treated like dirt for handing over my money.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by michaelmicallef

Some airlines don't know the difference between cargo and passengers. Air Canada is one and United is the other. I go out of my way to avoid both.

That's all you are is cargo, no more no less, except in a airborne emergency your bumped up to "souls on board"...now fork out the cash hammerheads!

[bigskinner]

From what l seen and read , he was a drunk native , and the overbooked story was an excuse to get him off the plane , he made up a story about being a DR .
And as they pulled him off he banged his mouth on a seat amrest , and carried on screaming profanitys , SO , don't believe all what you see.

Most airlines wont let you on ,lf your drunk.

[kingrat]

Originally Posted by robson3954

Right or wrong, if they tell you you're going to be forcibly removed from the plane, get off the ****ing plane. Sort it out later.

X2 can't fix stupid.

[Sundancefisher]

Apparently the airline was supposed to offer up to $1350 to be bumped and stopped at $800.

I was ask to delay flying to Heathrow from Calgary. We were at the airport at 8 am for a 10 am flight. They offered $400 to be delayed to 6 pm.

Not worth it. It was air Canada and they bumped 6 people.

Crazy way to do business. You sell seats and have their money. Fly seats empty or stand by passengers.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by bigskinner

From what l seen and read , he was a drunk native , and the overbooked story was an excuse to get him off the plane , he made up a story about being a DR .
And as they pulled him off he banged his mouth on a seat amrest , and carried on screaming profanitys , SO , don't believe all what you see.

Most airlines wont let you on ,lf your drunk.

I have read several reports over the years if people being removed from aircraft for being drunk - the airline doesn't have to make up an iced booking story to do that and I doubt very much they did in this case either .
Cat

[bobinthesky]

Originally Posted by bigskinner

From what l seen and read , he was a drunk native , and the overbooked story was an excuse to get him off the plane , he made up a story about being a DR .
And as they pulled him off he banged his mouth on a seat amrest , and carried on screaming profanitys , SO , don't believe all what you see.

Most airlines wont let you on ,lf your drunk.

I watched the video and I heard no profanities being screamed, especially after they banged his head off the armrest because he was unconscious after that!

Not sure what you read but the news I just read says the passenger was Chinese, not a drunk native.

[marxman]

Originally Posted by robson3954

Right or wrong, if they tell you you're going to be forcibly removed from the plane, get off the ****ing plane. Sort it out later.

You lose in this situation. They would not change their policy. Im glad some people have the courage to make headway for the rest of us

[silverdoctor]

Originally Posted by bigskinner

From what l seen and read , he was a drunk native , and the overbooked story was an excuse to get him off the plane , he made up a story about being a DR .
And as they pulled him off he banged his mouth on a seat amrest , and carried on screaming profanitys , SO , don't believe all what you see.

Really?

The passenger who was dragged from an United Airlines flight is 69-year-old grandfather Dr David Dao.

Footage of the Vietnamese-American being hauled off the overbooked flight at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Sunday caused outrage on Monday.

Dr Dao was heard in videos captured of his shocking eviction saying he needed to get home to Louisville so he could see patients.

DailyMail.com can reveal Dr Dao is a father of five and a grandfather, who specializes in internal medicine. Four of his five children are doctors.

His wife Teresa, 69, is a pediatrican who trained at Ho Chi Minh University in Saigon and also practices in Elizabethtown, Kentucky - about 40 miles south of Louisville.

Feel free to read the rest here.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-revealed.html