I think the world is imploding.
United Airlines said: "We are also reaching out to this passenger to talk directly to him and further address and resolve the situation,"
Don't. Sign. Anything.
What are you freaking out about? This is a normal Monday in Chiraq.
I don't think you can say this is Chicago specific. I'm pretty sure they're from Florida. 
I was thinking we are off to a slow start this week.
Just to show that Chicago ain't all bad, I saw a businessman (suit+tie) hand a beer (looked like a Becks) and a sack of McDonalds to a homeless man the other day, right outside Ogilvie. Probably made that dudes week.
First there was the yoga pants fiasco, then they bloody a passenger and drag him off the plane.
United ain't looking so united.
Anyone else boning up on their rights as a paying passenger for when they get into overbooked situations?
Legally, it seems like $1350 is kind of a going rate for the over 4 hour delay and it goes up if you need hotel, your baggage left without you and you paid for a seat upgrade. The news video I was watching where an industry regulator was being interviewed, mentioned that cold hard cash could be demanded since you could conceivably need it to survive the ordeal should you no have other financial instruments.
That all said, what the Security Staff did hauling the Doc off the plane is pretty much legal-by- the- book behavior as long as he was re-accommodated to his destination. Since he hit his own face on the armrest, there should be no legal recourse for violent behavior on the part of Security.
The irony of this whole episode is that the Airlines cost to bump passengers is about to go way up as people are now reading the fine print and learning that the fist offer for compensation tends to be about 1/4 of what the law requires.
Appleseed wrote: What are you freaking out about? This is a normal Monday in Chiraq.
Pretty much my first thought.
I'm kinda stunned that the offer of $800 a seat (and a new flight in 4ish hours) wasn't snapped up by more people. Clearly there is too much money in the world that these people couldn't be slightly inconvenienced for $800.
My family of 4 travelers would have been: "yes please, and if you want to bump us on the next flight, please do".
Then the President of United goes on to endorse the actions
United CEO Oscar Munoz said: "While I deeply regret this situation arose, I also emphatically stand behind all of you, and I want to commend you for continuing to go above and beyond to ensure we fly right."
Did John Stumpf change his name and get a new job in the Airline industry?
I won't give up my seat for less that $500, but that is usually more than enough to get me anywhere in the country.
Seeing United stock tumble, I'm trying to figure out a cheap and easy vacation to book through them now. And it wouldn't even / a stretch, because I prefer United over southwest or delta.
I'm thinking it's like when a cruise ship crashes, prices plummet and customer service peaks for a short time.
KyAllroad wrote: I'm kinda stunned that the offer of $800 a seat (and a new flight in 4ish hours) wasn't snapped up by more people. Clearly there is too much money in the world that these people couldn't be slightly inconvenienced for $800. My family of 4 travelers would have been: "yes please, and if you want to bump us on the next flight, please do".
From what I read the next flight was the next afternoon, as in 20 hours. Getting somewhere 4 hours later isn't a big deal, but 24 hours is (to me)
I've been denied boarding at the gate by AA despite the fact I was holding a boarding pass. Apparently there were storms so they were trading people for fuel. Their solution was to simply deny boarding for the last 8 people that were in line. It didn't get them international bad press, but I got boned. I learned my lesson about being polite when boarding, now I'm the guy who makes sure he's first in line no matter what. Air travel is no longer a genteel business.
Remember that they're not offering you cash to take a later flight, they're offering you vouchers. I've taken them a few times, but only once have I actually had the opportunity to use some. So that $400 or whatever isn't real money.
As for the legging things, that was completely on the passengers. If you're flying on a company ticket, you abide by the requests of the company. It's just that the Outragenet decided it was more fun to have a knee-jerk reaction.
Datsun1500 wrote:KyAllroad wrote: I'm kinda stunned that the offer of $800 a seat (and a new flight in 4ish hours) wasn't snapped up by more people. Clearly there is too much money in the world that these people couldn't be slightly inconvenienced for $800. My family of 4 travelers would have been: "yes please, and if you want to bump us on the next flight, please do".From what I read the next flight was the next afternoon, as in 20 hours. Getting somewhere 4 hours later isn't a big deal, but 24 hours is (to me)
There's a $1300 cap mandated by the DOT for passengers who are delayed more than 2 hours. United was trying to get off cheap and they could have easily rented a car or chartered a flight for their extra crew. Instead the management let the situation escalate to such a point that violence was the outcome.
NOHOME wrote: Anyone else boning up on their rights as a paying passenger for when they get into overbooked situations? Legally, it seems like $1350 is kind of a going rate for the over 4 hour delay and it goes up if you need hotel, your baggage left without you and you paid for a seat upgrade. The news video I was watching where an industry regulator was being interviewed, mentioned that cold hard cash could be demanded since you could conceivably need it to survive the ordeal should you no have other financial instruments. That all said, what the Security Staff did hauling the Doc off the plane is pretty much legal-by- the- book behavior as long as he was re-accommodated to his destination. Since he hit his own face on the armrest, there should be no legal recourse for violent behavior on the part of Security. The irony of this whole episode is that the Airlines cost to bump passengers is about to go way up as people are now reading the fine print and learning that the fist offer for compensation tends to be about 1/4 of what the law requires.
Who CARES if it was legal?? It was MONUMENTALLY STUPID.
Why in the world would they allow passengers to board when they don't have enough seats? Did someone miss their counting lesson?
What's the cost in negative PR going to be? Legal actions? Lost revenue? $10 million? More?
If this was medical, it would be called malpractice. Legal or not.
They bumped them because they needed to get THEIR OWN personel to Louisville. They are in the berkeleying airline business- they couldn't find a plane?? I'll bet there were 50 private planes sitting idle at OHare that could have been rented in a moment's notice. I'll also bet a United exec had his own private jet sitting idle.
It's PATHETIC. Inexcusable.
There is absolutely NOTHING textbook about it.
BTW, read those "rights" more carefully. $1350 is not the average. The DOT allows for a reimbursement of up to 4X the fare paid, CAPPED at $1350. And that's ONLY for situations in which the passenger did not reach their destination within 4 hours of original scheduled arrival. They don't owe us.
In reply to SVreX:
United’s stock (UAL) is off ~4.00% which translated to ~900 million in lost market cap.. The overall market is down today but even if you normalize for that, their PR disaster has still cost them ~770 million.
I wonder if I could develop a "Bump Me" app?
If you get bumped for any reason, you hit a speed- dial for a direct line to a legal rep who specializes in just this area. Let them talk to the gate-person as your fiduciary. He should be able to max out the payment and ruin their day at the same time.
I am just wondering about the poor bastard United Employee, who after all of that (the concussed doctor came back and bleed on the plane so they had to clean it up and left 2 hours late) who got on that plane and sat in his now empty seat!
Uncomfortable to say the least.
Its not all bad!!
Pentagon Awards Contrct to United Airlines to Forcibly Remove Asaad
This is an example of FAKE news!
Keith Tanner wrote: As for the legging things, that was completely on the passengers. If you're flying on a company ticket, you abide by the requests of the company. It's just that the Outragenet decided it was more fun to have a knee-jerk reaction.
Keith, I love ya, but I disagree with you on this one.
We are talking about a 10 year old girl wearing grey leggings. A company policy that restricts this is sexist and archaic. Note that her Dad was wearing shorts, well above the knee, and no one complained.
If their policy said anyone with vagina had to put on a burka before flying on a pass ticket, would we find that OK?
There policy said no Lycra or Spandex (both brand names). Did they ask what brand? Form-fitting? Last time I checked, 10 year old girls have forms that pretty much resemble a 2x4. I guess that means a cardboard box would not be allowed because it was too form fitting.
Did their policy allow restricting it? Perhaps. Was it a good policy? Heck no.
Datsun1500 wrote:KyAllroad wrote: I'm kinda stunned that the offer of $800 a seat (and a new flight in 4ish hours) wasn't snapped up by more people. Clearly there is too much money in the world that these people couldn't be slightly inconvenienced for $800. My family of 4 travelers would have been: "yes please, and if you want to bump us on the next flight, please do".From what I read the next flight was the next afternoon, as in 20 hours. Getting somewhere 4 hours later isn't a big deal, but 24 hours is (to me)
Chicago to Louisville is about a 6 hour drive. I'd have rented a car on their dime and just driven myself.
SVreX wrote:Keith Tanner wrote: As for the legging things, that was completely on the passengers. If you're flying on a company ticket, you abide by the requests of the company. It's just that the Outragenet decided it was more fun to have a knee-jerk reaction.Keith, I love ya, but I disagree with you on this one. We are talking about a 10 year old girl wearing grey leggings. A company policy that restricts this is sexist and archaic. Note that her Dad was wearing shorts, well above the knee, and no one complained. If their policy said anyone with vagina had to put on a burka before flying on a pass ticket, would we find that OK? There policy said no Lycra or Spandex (both brand names). Did they ask what brand? Form-fitting? Last time I checked, 10 year old girls have forms that pretty much resemble a 2x4. I guess that means a cardboard box would not be allowed because it was too form fitting. Did their policy allow restricting it? Perhaps. Was it a good policy? Heck no.
When you're flying as a company representative, you abide by the company's rules. If you don't want to abide by those rules, then you pay for your own ticket. It's pretty straightforward really. Kinda like those signs at security that say that you can get searched, if you don't want to get searched then turn around.
And yes, if you were flying to an area where not wearing a burka was considered insulting then it would be reasonable for an airline to request that you wear one if you're flying as a representative.
I may have a different view on this because I have worked in the industry and I have flown as a company representative on airlines. You are held to a higher standard. We live in an age of asymmetrical warfare, where someone can make a huge fuss that goes viral if they don't get what they want. Corporations are basically being held hostage to it. But sometimes, the whiny customer is wrong and the company has to decide if they want to stick to their own standards or simply bow down to the lowest common denominator.
The girls that were denied entry due to leggins weren't ten years old. That girl's parents had a dress they could put on her so they were able to board the plane.
I agree with Keith. My wife used to be a flight attendant and we'd fly for free. When we did, we always dressed up. Always.
The family might not have known, but the ladies definitely knew better than to wear leggings.
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