United Airlines - Board the plane as a doctor, leave as a patient!

Avenged7Fold · 11 Apr 2017 at 10:21

Didnt see a thread on this, so here it is:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39554421

So story is that they overbooked a flight and asked passengers to volunteer to leave. No one wanted to go so they picked the 'volunteers'. Apparently the couple they picked were doctors and the man required to be in work the next day, so didn't want to go. Security was called and he was dragged off. He made it back for a bit with a few bruises and a bloody nose (cant see it in the video but witnesses say so).

I think that likely the security were called and just told to escort the guy off but not for any specific reason just like 'escort the guy out, he wont leave when we asked'. They got rough when he struggled and he panicked thinking that if people saw the way security were treating him, they would stop the injustice.

In a statement United airlines told the BBC: "Flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville was overbooked."

"After our team looked for volunteers, one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and law enforcement was asked to come to the gate," the airline added.

Great customer service!

How do you even overbook a flight?

Surely you are aware of how many staff you will have on the plane and how many customers have booked with you?

fretted · 11 Apr 2017 at 10:36

Planes are overbooked all the time, as normally there will be passengers who no-show.

Hotwired · 11 Apr 2017 at 10:48

I liked the reason I read in passing which was that they needed 4 seats to send 4 of their own staff to the other end for a shift.

McGray · 11 Apr 2017 at 10:50

They are so sued.

drs101 · 11 Apr 2017 at 10:50

the lawyers must be queuing around the block to take this case, this guy will get a massive payout

IronWarrior · 11 Apr 2017 at 10:52

https://twitter.com/alanferrier/status/851509604127322113 lol best so far

MikeTheNative · 11 Apr 2017 at 10:53

I'm not sure he will, they are entitled to remove any one from the flight and they called the police when he didn't leave and they were the ones that removed him.

MooMoo444 · 11 Apr 2017 at 10:56

Surely them being Doctors would have made them 'priority' passengers so to speak. Would have made more sense to pick out some holiday makers.

Ayahuasca · 11 Apr 2017 at 10:56

Must be rather degrading to get manhandled off a flight like that, I see the security guy who dragged him away has been suspended already which is the rather tragic side to social media if the guy was just following rules/orders.

Daaaavvveee · 11 Apr 2017 at 10:57

Why did the doctor make a run to get back on the plane though? Surely after getting thrown off you would just walk away? Maybe it was the adrenalin.

The airlines can throw anyone off however for any reason I believe.

Dis86 · 11 Apr 2017 at 10:59

I nearly posted something on this yesterday. Absolutely disgusting. The fact that they're also legally allowed to do it is abhorrent.

MikeTheNative · 11 Apr 2017 at 11:01

MooMoo444 said:
Surely them being Doctors would have made them 'priority' passengers so to speak. Would have made more sense to pick out some holiday makers.

They asked for volunteers and when nobody volunteered the computer picked people at random.

Em3bbs · 11 Apr 2017 at 11:02

I wonder how many more people will kick off now after being selected at random.

Glaucus · 11 Apr 2017 at 11:03

Resisting security and airport security at that in america, and running bqck onto the plane, what did he think was going to happen?

Why didn't united just offer more money, or is there a legal amount set up for this situation. But not sure why united are getting the flak for the security guys and doctors actions.

McGray · 11 Apr 2017 at 11:04

MikeTheNative said:
I'm not sure he will, they are entitled to remove any one from the flight and they called the police when he didn't leave and they were the ones that removed him.

They weren't Police.

A2Z · 11 Apr 2017 at 11:04

fretted said:
Planes are overbooked all the time, as normally there will be passengers who no-show.

But surely the no show has still paid for the ticket, so the airline are not losing any money so why do they need to fill the seat anyway?

Apparantly they offered $800 and free hotel to anyone who would get off the plane..I would have jumped at that!

Surfer · 11 Apr 2017 at 11:07

How much money/compensation did UA offer? Was it £800 + hotel + flight next day? I think?

tbh i would take that in a heartbeat.

Its a contract though you pay for something, they have accepted your money so they must deliver their side of the deal. But the compensation for breaking their side of the contract is ok...i would have taken it.

MooMoo444 · 11 Apr 2017 at 11:07

A2Z said:
But surely the no show has still paid for the ticket, so the airline are not losing any money so why do they need to fill the seat anyway?

Apparantly they offered $800 and free hotel to anyone who would get off the plane..I would have jumped at that!

They don't need to fill the seat, they're just getting paid twice for it this way. Most of the time it works but sometimes not.

Dis86 · 11 Apr 2017 at 11:08

A2Z said:
But surely the no show has still paid for the ticket, so the airline are not losing any money so why do they need to fill the seat anyway?

Apparantly they offered $800 and free hotel to anyone who would get off the plane..I would have jumped at that!

Probably would have cost him more in lost income

Ayahuasca · 11 Apr 2017 at 11:08

A2Z said:
Apparantly they offered $800 and free hotel to anyone who would get off the plane..I would have jumped at that!

That's chump change to a doctor though and iirc he had work in the morning wherever he was travelling.