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United is pretty much screwed, really have to wonder if they can ever recover from this. Overbooking should be illegal in the first place, or used a charter plane, or a rental car as others have suggested. But even if it isn't United should have been smart enough to offer enough incentive so that they could have gotten volunteers. The few dollars they saved will be a pittance compared to the harm they did to their self image.
Really makes you wonder about the managers in companies like this. I guess it's just another example of Darwinism, survival of the fittest on the corporate level. We can quibble all day about whether these actions were legal, but just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD do it. Just a dumb move by United on every level.
In any event another great example of social media in action. Companies can't get away with crap like they used to. Stockholders and passengers will surely be voting with their wallets. I know I will.
Things like this always seem to blow over. Look at BP and Volkswagen, their sins (especially BP's) were much much worse than United's and a few short years later, all is forgotten.
Amazing story, I guess I had no clue that happens. I guess I can see the airline's POV. They have to have bodies in those seats, unless they just make late comers pay and no refunds. Imagine that outcry.
I'm not taking the airliners side here. But I did hear many flights run on a very thing profit margin. If you factor in the high costs of pilots & crew (are they union?) plus thousands in fuel and other over head. I can imagine some flights don't make much money.
It only makes sense that airliners are going to look at many ways to make the maximum profit they can.
So they are forced to do things like that from a business POV.
Things like this always seem to blow over. Look at BP and Volkswagen, their sins (especially BP's) were much much worse than United's and a few short years later, all is forgotten.
VW I think should be instantly forgiven. They built a very good diesel engine that was efficient and very clean burning but would not meet the ridiculous, unrealistic demands of the EPA. Everywhere else in the world it's fine. To me, they did their customers a service by lying to those idiots.
But the law is the law, I get it. But I wouldn't hesitate to buy a VW if they had a car I wanted. The new Atlas looks nice.
The passenger didn't agree to ANY terms saying he could be bumped and must deboard the plane.
The contract of carrier United tried to weasel behind only applies to those who have NOT boarded. And even at that United didn't follow the contract, since Dao was never given a written explanation on why he was chosen and any compensation offer. He was simply told to get off via a cowardly way by United via airport rent a cops.
United has ZERO basis for any of their actions from a contractual basis. Nada. Zilch.
Why do people have to make stuff up to suit their agendas when the facts are staring at then from the computer screen?
I was wrong. I went over links here and came to a different conclusion.
I'm not taking the airliners side here. But I did hear many flights run on a very thing profit margin. If you factor in the high costs of pilots & crew (are they union?) plus thousands in fuel and other over head. I can imagine some flights don't make much money.
It only makes sense that airliners are going to look at many ways to make the maximum profit they can.
So they are forced to do things like that from a business POV.
????? This incident is about four paying passengers being kicked off to make room for four non-paying passengers.
This made some kind of sense when all tickets were refundable, before computers and online reservations, but it makes no sense now.
And there is no excuse whatever to drag someone off who's already boarded and seated. This hardly constituted a dire emergency. ("Poor planning on your part does not make an emergency on my part.")
I heard that if the 4 crew members did not make it to the other destination a flight would have been canceled. Just staying in the middle here on taking sides but another flight is probably 100+ people versus forcing 4 off.
Actually they are bearing the blame for the actions of the Chicago Dept of Aviation security officers.
UA called them to remove the man.
They stood watching while they assaulted the man.
Is there a video of a UA employee telling them to stop this immediately?
The actions of the Chicago Dept. of Aviation security officers were at the request, direction, and with the approval of the UA employees.
Scapegoating would be if the rent-a-cops showed up out of the clear blue and assaulted one of their passengers and they got blamed for it when they had no involvement whatsoever.
????? This incident is about four paying passengers being kicked off to make room for four non-paying passengers.
I was responding to that posters post about airliners having to do everything they can to make money. i.e. needing every seat filled if possible.
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