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United drags passenger off the plane because of overbooking.

WalnutBaron

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Or what would have happened if one of the four "randomly selected" passengers who were asked to give up their seat ended up being an 83-year-old lady who had a cut rate ticket with no frequent flier status? I'm guessing the gate agent would have found a different "solution".
 

Marathoner

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TUGBrian

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I wonder what would'a happened if they had announced that the plane would not move until the passenger in seat xxx is off the plane, one way or another -- you figure it out.

Would other passengers have dragged him to the door and pushed him out? :ponder:

I think its pretty much a given that the flight isnt going to push back from the gate until all the seating is sorted out.
 

WinniWoman

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You can look at it that way. They are a business, they do need to make a profit. They answer to their stockholders. They are betting that people won't show, be delayed, whatever, and they will have empty seats.

Yes, but if they lose their bet then THEY should be the one to take the hit. If they cannot make money doing business in an honest and ethical way, and not make their customers miserable, then they shouldn't be in business.
 

WinniWoman

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Business 101: you don't leave potential revenue on the table. An empty seat is lost potential revenue.

Kurt

Yes- but again- you must do business in an ethical way or get out of the business.
 

WinniWoman

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Do you think that your dentist is greedy because the dentist tries to put patient into every available time slot? If your dentist charges a fee for no-show, does that make your dentist greedy?

You don't have to tell me about it. I work in healthcare and I know exactly what goes on. That said, at least in our facility, we do not make the patients miserable. If anything, we take the hit- the employees and the docs take the strain that having to volumize creates. We accommodate people by squeezing them in and don't take lunch, for example- this on an almost daily basis. We don't tell them- too bad- you can't have a test until next month. We don't tell them when they arrive that they really didn't have a guaranteed appt. and they have to leave (bumped)and come back another time- too bad. And they haven't even paid us yet!

But that is what the airlines do. There is a big difference.
 

x3 skier

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I'm getting off this plane, sorry thread, since it started going in circles 10 pages ago. And I expect Brian to refund 10 years of dues :D. ;)

Cheers
 

"Roger"

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Could be a problem. Brian still needs two more "volunteers."

On a more serious note, NPR had a game theorist on this morning discussing how airlines could be more effective in dealing with overbooked situations. The first suggestion (repeated many times on this thread) is to do something before people board the plane. The second was to talk to people privately and not to the entire group. Apparently Delta already does this and talks to people individually as they check in explaining that there is an overbooked situation, would they be willing to take an offer. The third suggestion was the most interesting. Start at a very high price (e.g. - $2000) saying that they would pay up to that price depending on the number of volunteers and hopefully get a surplus of volunteers. Then say that they have too many volunteers and keep lowering the price until they hit the right number (or close to it and randomly choose from the remaining willing volunteers).
 

vacationhopeful

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I think the song "We won't take it any more" sums up the feeling of many (regular and causal) commercial airline flyers.

Fees and fees on top of the ticket price, smaller seats and less leg room, overworked cabin attendants, security screenings ... all this frustration starts with even trying to get a decent price & buying the ticket ... it is like an insider game and the less you know, the more you pay.

I have been MANY times at the Southwest terminal gate ... with a passenger who has NEVER flown SWA. They THINK the C-5 is a seat number and ask when do they board? How do you tell a couple or a parent with a small child or an older person ... they are among the LAST to board and will likely be in a middle seat?
 

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I'm getting off this plane, sorry thread, since it started going in circles 10 pages ago.

Cheers

The United Airlines CEO said Dr. Dao was horrifically mistreated and now the 'good' doctor has hired two prominent personal injury lawyers that filed "bills of discovery" for more evidence.
Dr. Dao won't even need to work his court appointed one day a week!
 

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Heard on the am news that UA is now refunding $ to all passengers on that flight
 

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I am sympathetic to the doctor but he isn't exactly an innocent. According to the AP he is a felon who lost his license for several years for over prescription of drugs. That may or may not make any difference but i think it needs to be said. There is also a new video that shows he was totally compliant up to the point of removal.

A solution that now seems to be seriously considered is that United would just cancel the whole flight and will not forcibly remove anyone again. I think this may be the best solution. Once the flight is canceled, everyone will leave the plane and United can do what they want. We will have to wait and see what United establishes as their procedure in other like incidents.
 

WinniWoman

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I just read an article that said that airlines are regulated by the government as to how much they can actually offer in an overbooking situation. Maybe that is why United did not offer a better deal?
 

WinniWoman

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I am sympathetic to the doctor but he isn't exactly an innocent. According to the AP he is a felon who lost his license for several years for over prescription of drugs. That may or may not make any difference but i think it needs to be said. There is also a new video that shows he was totally compliant up to the point of removal.

A solution that now seems to be seriously considered is that United would just cancel the whole flight and will not forcibly remove anyone again. I think this may be the best solution. Once the flight is canceled, everyone will leave the plane and United can do what they want. We will have to wait and see what United establishes as their procedure in other like incidents.


You have got to be kidding...
 

Passepartout

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I am sympathetic to the doctor but he isn't exactly an innocent. According to the AP he is a felon who lost his license for several years for over prescription of drugs. That may or may not make any difference but i think it needs to be said.
WHY does it 'need to be said?' This has absolutely NOTHING to do with this passenger who had a paid seat that he was already in, being forcibly removed.

Actually, the fact that the airline is being pilloried here is not the issue. They were bound by published maximums they were authorized to offer bumped passengers (which should be waived-but that's a different issue). As soon as the Airport Police were told to remove this particular passenger, it became a matter of police brutality, not an airline issue.

Jim
 

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A solution that now seems to be seriously considered is that United would just cancel the whole flight and will not forcibly remove anyone again. I think this may be the best solution. Once the flight is canceled, everyone will leave the plane and United can do what they want. We will have to wait and see what United establishes as their procedure in other like incidents.

That would seen to be a harsh solution to a problem that has far more reasonable solutions. And, it doesn't really benefit anyone. Passengers are pissed and United has lost a full flight's worth of revenue.
 

rickandcindy23

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Does the doctor's past really have anything to do with this? I don't think so. He is a human being and was treated badly after paying money for a seat. That is how I see it.

As for cancelling the entire flight, that sounds rather childish. "Well, if you won't play the game, we are done with all of you."
 

Luanne

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I am sympathetic to the doctor but he isn't exactly an innocent. According to the AP he is a felon who lost his license for several years for over prescription of drugs. That may or may not make any difference but i think it needs to be said. There is also a new video that shows he was totally compliant up to the point of removal.

A solution that now seems to be seriously considered is that United would just cancel the whole flight and will not forcibly remove anyone again. I think this may be the best solution. Once the flight is canceled, everyone will leave the plane and United can do what they want. We will have to wait and see what United establishes as their procedure in other like incidents.
And I read something that there are two Dr. Daos and the information that is being circulated about him being a felon is wrong. So, who to believe.
 

Passepartout

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Well, now it is announced by his lawyer, that Dr Dao suffered a broken nose, lost two front teeth, got a concussion, and would require reconstructive surgery. I suspect that O'Hare's attorneys are checking their insurer's legal coverage. Obviously, United will also be named, but it was Airport Police that caused the physical damage.

Jim
 

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I posted what i did about his background in response to the post that called him "the good doctor." I said I was sympathetic to him but he is not really Mr. Clean and I think people see it that way. He is a paying customer-that alone means he should be treated with respect but don't think he is not without his own history. If that history is correct, I feel less sympathetic to him than I otherwise would.

The idea of canceling the flight is not as unreasonable as you may think. It solves the problem and then United can do what they want including offering a new flight but with restricted access. Of course, you would not do this all the time but it would work in a heirarchy of actions to avoid this PR disaster. Of course soliciting "volunteers" for pay outs up to FAA limits would be a first step, but additional procedures need to be in place if that is ineffective. Canceling the flight altogether would empty the plane without incident. Many people blame United CEO, Munoz for this, but the truth is he is much better than his predecessor. I used to be a UA 1K but stopped flying them due to customer service issues.

What i think is wrong is that the airport police are suspended for doing what they were ordered to do. They were told to get him off the plane and I don't think they were given any conditions. Also once it started not a single UA employee said stop or tried to intervene. It is a case of the little guy paying the price for the action they were ordered to do.

United will have to settle this and probably not at trial. The Dr. Has one of the top lawyers in the nation representing him. As an attorney, I can tell you he will get a substantial money settlement that will mean he will never have to work again. I am sure the press conference is a tactic to improve the chances of that huge settlement.
 
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Jimster

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Well, now it is announced by his lawyer, that Dr Dao suffered a broken nose, lost two front teeth, got a concussion, and would require reconstructive surgery. I suspect that O'Hare's attorneys are checking their insurer's legal coverage. Obviously, United will also be named, but it was Airport Police that caused the physical damage.

Jim

LOL of course UA will be named- they have the money!! No lawyer would sue those barely minimum wage airport police without suing UA. This will be a huge settlement and it will all come from UA.
 

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I have been MANY times at the Southwest terminal gate ... with a passenger who has NEVER flown SWA. They THINK the C-5 is a seat number and ask when do they board? How do you tell a couple or a parent with a small child or an older person ... they are among the LAST to board and will likely be in a middle seat?

Small children and "older" people who need additional time to board, are boarded before group B.
 

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I'm getting off this plane, sorry thread, since it started going in circles 10 pages ago. And I expect Brian to refund 10 years of dues :D. ;)

Cheers

im calling security...
 
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