United Airlines, I hate you deeply.

[tlombard]

United said the customer 'refused to leave the plane voluntarily'??? If you are FORCING the passenger off the plane then there is NOTHING voluntary about it. Be honest, his options were to just take the BS you were forcing upon him or get roughed up. He got roughed up.

[Famous Mortimer]

He did what I'd have done. I hope this costs UA a huge pile of cash. Why do planes get to treat their paying customers like less than dirt?

[tlombard]

After reading something else about this, I'm kind of afraid that United will manage to weasel out of this and not get hammered as hard as they should with a settlement because it wasn't their actual employees that did the roughing up from what I gather. I could be wrong but once he refused to leave the plane, can't it be considered trespassing and there was clearly a police jacket involved so won't United just put the blame on the police who will then of course never face any consequences.

[Tim]

Can anyone explain why someone with a ticket to a seat has to leave if the flight is overbooked? Don't they have a right to that seat?

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

Can anyone explain why someone with a ticket to a seat has to leave if the flight is overbooked? Don't they have a right to that seat?

Pretty sure you do not have the right to that seat. The airline can revoke it at any point for any reason. Don't have the terms of the agreement in front of me, but...yeah, that's my understanding.

[MrCrowesGarden]

Can anyone explain why someone with a ticket to a seat has to leave if the flight is overbooked? Don't they have a right to that seat?

I'm sure it's safety regs or something like that. The airline must give you cash for your seat if you get booted for overbooking (unless you agree to accept vouchers, which you shouldn't do because the money is generally worth more.)

That said, the airline employees weren't needed until today. It's a 4.5 hour drive from Chicago to Louisville. Get them a rental car, hell get them a freaking limo, there was no need to bump a passenger.

[Tim]

Thanks.

[ghostrunner]

Or just keep offering a bit more money to those you're asking to give up a seat. Avoid the police, bad PR, and lawsuit.

I'm kind of surprised more people didn't bite at the $800 offer. I'd have taken that.

[ghostrunner]

This could go in the cop thread

[tlombard]

He 'fell' just like he didn't 'voluntarily' leave the plane.