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They (United) announced a new policy change today, the check-in kiosks and clerks will now ask people to volunteer to give up their seat at check-in. That seems much easier to me since people haven't already been there 2 hours going through security, they still have their luggage (I guarantee if Dr. Dao had given up his seat at that late stage, he would NOT have been able to get his luggage off the plane, this happened to me once and I was stuck in Orlando for 3 days without clothes or even a toothbrush while my luggage flew to Philadelphia without me), so if this was possible, why wait till now to enact it?
I read the list - most of these are either vague or knee jerk reactions to the incident. Most of this ex-Continental leadership needs to finally get ditched.
They (United) announced a new policy change today, the check-in kiosks and clerks will now ask people to volunteer to give up their seat at check-in. That seems much easier to me since people haven't already been there 2 hours going through security, they still have their luggage (I guarantee if Dr. Dao had given up his seat at that late stage, he would NOT have been able to get his luggage off the plane, this happened to me once and I was stuck in Orlando for 3 days without clothes or even a toothbrush while my luggage flew to Philadelphia without me), so if this was possible, why wait till now to enact it?
Delta tried the Check-in idea a few years ago, Very few passengers put in that they would Pre-Volunteer, the ones who did most put in either the Max Number $800 or When they tried letting passenger enter there own number the numbers were even higher.
You still need to check your bag (if needed), go thru security and wait at the gate, They would only pick the Pre-Volunteers when the plane was in the pre-board period.
Delta tried the Check-in idea a few years ago, Very few passengers put in that they would Pre-Volunteer, the ones who did most put in either the Max Number $800 or When they tried letting passenger enter there own number the numbers were even higher.
You still need to check your bag (if needed), go thru security and wait at the gate, They would only pick the Pre-Volunteers when the plane was in the pre-board period.
But they can still get your bags at that point, because if you do curbside check-in that guy could ask me. It's not gate check-in, it's check-in when you get to the airport. I gave up my seat for a free flight once (I ended up with 3 free flights, because there was snow in Detroit and it took that long to get me home, again while my luggage sat waiting for my in Philly). I wouldn't do it for that now because I don't get paid if I don't work, but now that they can offer a lot I don't think they will have any problems. If they offered me $2000 I would say yes for sure unless I was going to a funeral or wedding or something I couldn't postpone. I was at the gate check-in when I volunteered that time. I volunteered because my friend said I was never going to get on (she got me there late and we were at the very back of the gate check-in line, and they were already shouting out requests for volunteers). They did NOT tell me it was too late to get my luggage off the plane, I had to take a cab to Walmart from the hotel they put me up in just to get underwear and a bathing suit so I could use the hotel pool, lol.
The United website said the new policy will happen later this year via an automated check-in system...you can even tell them you're willing to volunteer from the United app, before you even get there if they know by then the flight is overbooked. So the luggage issue will no longer be an issue.
Had to be quite a lot since it wasn't drawn out. At least 5m if not north of 10m
I'm guessing between 3 - 10 million. I doubt it would be more.
Offers start low. Tom D. said it was a fair offer that United made, but it would still be much lower than what a jury might give Dao, and attorneys encourage people to take the offer in most cases because it's easy money for them, and it can be grueling for their client to go through the ordeal of going to trial.
United also wouldn't want the bad press during a trial - which is why they came in with a fair offer. Translated, that probably means a higher amount than they would usually offer someone.
I'm guessing between 3 - 10 million. I doubt it would be more.
I'm guessing under 5 million, maybe just 1 or 2.
1. United was not the party that physically removed Dao or caused him physical harm.
2. United has already changed their policy and would have a track record of applying the new policy by the time it came to trial, thus pre-empting the need for significant "punitive damages".
3. By the time this came to trial, the public might have forgotten about it or no longer care.
4. United still has vastly greater legal resources.
5. At Dao's age, a few million sets him for life and he'd probably rather enjoy the good life now than wait a year or two for a trial.
6. In this case, both parties know that United's first offer is their best offer, since their primary interest in settling is to close it quickly and avoid additional PR damage. Once it drags on a few months United would likely conclude all the harm that can be done has been done so might as well fight it to the end.
1. United was not the party that physically removed Dao or caused him physical harm.
2. United has already changed their policy and would have a track record of applying the new policy by the time it came to trial, thus pre-empting the need for significant "punitive damages".
3. By the time this came to trial, the public might have forgotten about it or no longer care.
4. United still has vastly greater legal resources.
5. At Dao's age, a few million sets him for life and he'd probably rather enjoy the good life now than wait a year or two for a trial.
6. In this case, both parties know that United's first offer is their best offer, since their primary interest in settling is to close it quickly and avoid additional PR damage. Once it drags on a few months United would likely conclude all the harm that can be done has been done so might as well fight it to the end.
Sorry, but think that the good doctor got more, much more than a "few" million, or even just under five.
Those LE officers who removed Dr. Dao from a United plane were summoned by that airline. The event not only occurred on their property at the airline's instigation but the (employees) did nothing to prevent.
This case is seared into the minds of many Americans, even if it went to trial ten years from now the facts and so forth of Dr. Dao being manhandled and physically removed from that plane aren't going to be easily forgotten.
Bulk of your theories fly in the face of even most current legal settlements with persons who endured far less to nil physical harm. That female newsreader from Fox or whatever got twenty-five million (IIRC) just for claiming sexual harassment.
Dr. Dao's age has nothing to do with how this case would play out in court, including damages awarded. A jury could well give him hundreds of millions not particularly befronted about how much longer he would live to spend.
Changing a policy *AFTER* an event has zero bearing on what went on before. LE departments who have been sued to the ground after being found to have assaulted someone in their care don't get a free pass because "hey, we've changed our policies and procedures...."
Dr. Dao had United/UAL by the short and curlies. Thanks to Mr. Internet that filmed footage of event has been seen all over the world and the matter was not going away easily.
Five million dollars after legal fees and taxes is nothing. You'd be lucky to walk away with two million or a bit more. It also does not allow the Dr. to get his "pound of flesh" as it were. Fact UAL/United moved quickly to settle this matter *and* wrapped the thing in secrecy most likely means Dr. Dao got some serious money. Far more than the five million mentioned I shouldn't wonder. If as you seem to imply United had a strong case that their $500/hr. attorneys could win they simply would have said "see you in court".
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