United Air forcibly removes passenger on overbooked flight

[Fargo]

Yes, it's great fun to get knocked unconscious and dragged off an airplane for sure. I'm amazed the other passengers didn't simply deplane after that spectacle.

They did, which was why the flight was delayed several hours.

 

[spec4]

Just thinking of my last flight. Had a limo pick us up over three hours before flight. Checked in well over two hours prior. Went through the indignity of the TSA. Dealt with getting some lunch at Midway Airport at noon. Walked to a distant waiting area. Did the boarding thing and got packed in like a sardine. Meanwhile, a thousand miles away my son in law drove an hour to the airport to pick us up.

I would have been very upset if I was thrown off the plane AFTER being seated. Reading through this thread I somewhat appreciate all arguments, but really, can't a better system be worked out?

 

[cobber]

They did, which was why the flight was delayed several hours.

Wasn't clear to me whether they spontaneously got off, or whether United deplaned the passengers.

 

[Fizzerpilot]

Sure. If the person is unhappy, just go to another, and another, and another, and another... hopefully they aren't all unhappy about being removed.

 

[Birds Away]

If the police give you a command it is best to comply. You can sort everything else out later. Failure to comply will almost always lead to bad things happening.

 

[cobber]

Seriously....????

If I am thousands of miles away from home and on a schedule I am not joining a protest. I might have even told the guy who lost the random lottery to get moving so we all could get home.
If I had lost and knowing the outcome of resistance would be LEO removing me I would save them the effort and left. Yes, I would be Pissed. Throwing hands with LEO in the aisle is never a good option regardless.

I understand the urge to get home (which was exactly the same feeling the passenger had before he was knocked unconscious), but that would have been the most sobering flight to remain on, with the United employee occupying the bloodied seat.

 

[Slawburger]

A scalding hot take from actor John Cho...

Never heard of him.

 

[MarkC]

If the police give you a command it is best to comply. You can sort everything else out later. Failure to comply will almost always lead to bad things happening.

^^^^^^^
Always good advice; You are almost NEVER going to be able to sort it out at roadside (or, in this case, in the aisle of the aircraft cabin).

 

[SEIndSAM]

This also illustrates something I learned long ago as a seasoned business traveler.....Never ever take the last flight out for the day to anywhere...

Also, the airline mentioned has ALWAYS been my last resort airline. Rudest flight attendants/gate personnel in the business.

 

[Fizzerpilot]

United is pretty rough... sometimes

 

[cobber]

It appears that the good doctor isn't a stranger to legal issues... or felonies. This apparently isn't his first rodeo.

Link/source?

 

[Mark-DuCo]

The United Airlines training video was leaked today

[video=youtube;rVQcXR2HVhw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVQcXR2HVhw[/video]

 

[Fizzerpilot]

This "doctor" is one sick dude... wow. Read the Indy Star...

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...oXoN-y4Vll8s_cOdeeA5e4HSutnyrBHSHZE9LA_2ZaDBA

Obtaining controlled substances by fraud and deceit.
Corrective action for disruptive conduct. Then testing positive for drugs.
Providing controlled substances in exchange for sex.

 

[churchmouse]

I understand the urge to get home (which was exactly the same feeling the passenger had before he was knocked unconscious), but that would have been the most sobering flight to remain on, with the United employee occupying the bloodied seat.

There seems to be a lot of conflicting info on this. Hard to sort out. The Dr. (by all accounts) is a brash nut job. Could this all have been handled better....yes it could have.
Yes the flight would be somber at best but what a wonderful opportunity to belittle the staff that was filling those seats.

 

[Jeepster48439]

Here is a better link. The one posted by Fizzerpilot goes to a Google Drive location.

David Dao, passenger removed from United flight, a doctor with troubled past

 

[T.Lex]

I haven't really followed this, as I rarely fly these days, but how did they decide THIS was the guy to be involuntarily removed? (Yes, I skipped to the end, so this may've been answered upthread.)

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Here is a better link. The one posted by Fizzerpilot goes to a Google Drive location.

David Dao, passenger removed from United flight, a doctor with troubled past

Oh, so we're in this phase of the news cycle, now. Dude is wronged... so media tries digging up dirt on him. Shameful.

I haven't really followed this, as I rarely fly these days, but how did they decide THIS was the guy to be involuntarily removed? (Yes, I skipped to the end, so this may've been answered upthread.)

Early comments on it were that it was computer-aided. Perhaps random.

 

[Hkindiana]

I think the passengers antics of refusing to comply and screaming were simply a set-up for a future lawsuit. He figured the payout would be more if he was "manhandled"

 

[Fizzerpilot]

It's because he was Chinese. He said so. Also, based on the good doctors past, it may help us understand why he went ballistic. It fits his diagnosis.

 

[T.Lex]

Early comments on it were that it was computer-aided. Perhaps random.

Random would REALLY suck.

If I'm flying with my family, and one of us gets "randomly" picked, the price is going to be REALLY high.

If dude was the last one to get a ticket, or the last one to board or something superficial like that, it would almost be rational.

Would've been even better if they'd gone over the intercom and said, "He ya'all, if we don't get one more volunteer, we're going to kick this guy's ass as we get him out of the plane. Anyone want to save this guy the humiliation and us the lawsuit?"