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And why would anyone think people who fly on airplanes have no legal rights anyway?
It's spelled out in the terms and conditions that you can be bumped.
There's no doubt United fumbled this by allowing the passengers to board before realizing they needed space for crew members, and maybe the whole overbooking/bumping policy needs to be reviewed and refined. But the bottom line is this: when an airline crew tells you to get off a plane, their decision is final and you'll either get off under your own power or be dragged off by guys with badges. In fact I can't figure out why this jackass wasn't arrested for interfering with a flight crew. IMO United is making a big mistake by trying to appease this guy and bend over backward apologizing and all that. They're sending a message that if you don't want to listen to the directives of a flight crew, all you have to do is throw a big hissy fit and you'll get special treatment.
There's no doubt United fumbled this by allowing the passengers to board before realizing they needed space for crew members, and maybe the whole overbooking/bumping policy needs to be reviewed and refined. But the bottom line is this: when an airline crew tells you to get off a plane, their decision is final and you'll either get off under your own power or be dragged off by guys with badges. In fact I can't figure out why this jackass wasn't arrested for interfering with a flight crew. IMO United is making a big mistake by trying to appease this guy and bend over backward apologizing and all that. They're sending a message that if you don't want to listen to the directives of a flight crew, all you have to do is throw a big hissy fit and you'll get special treatment.
Using your "logic," UA should double down on this guy. Show him who is in charge here. Maybe send a couple men with plastic badges to the hospital to haul him out of there for being a malingerer and making UA look bad.
Since this policy of assaulting and robbing people of the transportation they've purchased is working out so well, they should probably skip the $800 voucher for future flights offer and just tell passengers, "Tough tomatoes" when they steal their flight from them.
They can use the money they save on vouchers to pay their legal fees.
Aren't the police supposed to use minimum force and be able to justify their actions
As for people being overbooked, they have committed no criminal offence and the issue is usually contractural civil matter rather than a criminal offence.
It should be noted that the police are usually reluctant to get involved in civil disputes, however due to the current high levels of security and paranoia at airports, it seems airlines and the police can get away with just about anything.
Unless a person is breaking the law and putting people and property in danger then excessive force can not be justified imho.
Using your "logic," UA should double down on this guy
That's YOUR "logic," not mine. Don't project your inability to see the options between the extremes on me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
Regardless of what's in the airlines' fine print, involuntary bumping is legalized theft.
No it's not. It's part of what you've agreed to and they are required to provide compensation if they can't re-book you within an hour
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brave New World
Aren't the police supposed to use minimum force and be able to justify their actions
As for people being overbooked, they have committed no criminal offence and the issue is usually contractural civil matter rather than a criminal offence.
It should be noted that the police are usually reluctant to get involved in civil disputes, however due to the current high levels of security and paranoia at airports, it seems airlines and the police can get away with just about anything.
Unless a person is breaking the law and putting people and property in danger then excessive force can not be justified imho.
Police are authorized to remove trespassers. Once he was ordered off the plane and refused, that's what he became, and the police used the amount of force necessary to affect that removal given his refusal to leave the plane under his own power. We authorize police to deal with trespassers because we want to discourage people from resorting to self-help. If the passenger believes there is a contract dispute, he's not entitled to a favorable resolution on the spot. It can be worked out later through direction negotiations between the relevant parties, or through arbitration, or through the court system.
Last edited by Bitey; 04-13-2017 at 09:50 AM..
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