Since they knew the situation before allowing people to board, why didn't they prevent people from boarding until the stand by employees had seats?

Then what does it get you? I'm not disagreeing with you, in fact, I agree with the assessment.

I haven't flown that much in the last 2 or 3 years but did so frequently in years before that.

It just boils my blood that you can buy something that is specific at least on your end but that the carriers have carte blanche to whatever moves them and the passenger gets no say in the matter even though consideration was given.

For the most part I've had good luck but this makes me cringe. From my perspective when the carrier advertises a flight from X time to Y destination for Z dollars, AND you accept those terms with payment, that should be the end of it.

Jeez, I'm going to have to take a deep breath now. ;)

Rest assured, the employees probably had not arrived at that point.

And while we are on that point: what about jump seats? Were there not enough for the employees? I've seen "Catch Me if You Can". :p

Just choose your airline carefully, often, there is a reason one is the lowest bidder.

The harder they push over booking to crowd the flights, the less they can offer that ticket for. Chooseing a slightly more expensive airline with different practices will help keep this from happening to you.

Personally, I drive from NC to California for kart racing instead of flying. Yes it adds four more days to my trip, but no damaged luggage from careless handling, and I can take a bottle of water in the car without getting it confiscated.

Very likely. A second video of the guy now bleeding from his mouth repeatedly saying "just kill me".

this.

That's how they used to do it (although they started at something like $200). Someone would eventually give up his seat. They also used to give free tickets on a future flight. My brother would sign up for a seat on a Christmas eve flight and always get a free ticket when they bumped him. For years we never saw him until Dec 27.

The articles that I read said that the four people who were asked to leave were picked randomly by computer. Not sure what the fact that he's Asian has to do with anything...

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I guess I must have a greater optimism for human nature than you do. I honestly cannot see a jury convicting anyone who came to the aid of a little old Asian man being beaten and dragged by a couple of security thugs. He must have thought he was back in Communist China or something. This kind of thing is just not supposed to happen here.

If you look at the numbers sometimes the airline has to bump passengers for weight and balance issues. Here is an example.
A CRJ 200 has a max landing weight of 47,000lbs.
If the flight is short enough say less than 200 miles and the weather is poor at the destination, an alternate airport is legally required. So the airplane has to carry enough fuel to go from A to B then possibly C.
Because of the extra fuel required by the alternate it can put the airplane in an overweight situation. (For landing at "B"). Therefore passengers will need to be bumped. Bags will not be taken off because the smaller airplanes are nose heavy and need the weight in the back for the W&B.


The airlines routinely bump passengers for oversold situations. It's very common and the DOT says it's perfectly legal.

Or they can get bumped for relocating crew or mechanics. Gate agents hate this and usually make the crew as uncomfortable as possible. Giving middle seats or seats in the back.

United does seem to be the worst. I've had the most problems with them.

They did once end up paying me $9,000 for delays on an international flight, though. :)

I used to love Continental, and do still fly them when it suits because I live near a hub, so pretty much always get non-stop to where I'm going, BUT since United took over, they've gone to crap. Granted, I think everyone else is crap too these days.

My last flight was with Delta, and it went OK. I only flew them because they are the only option for that particular airport which makes them convenient.

First let me say this was handled extremely poorly BUT 1)the pilot has the final say on everything about that aircraft, if he or his representative says get off the plane you get off the plane PERIOD, there are compensation requirements for that scenario, aircraft crews have flight time limits . it is quite possible they had a crew that was "timed out"(likely took a few delays throughout the day) and couldn't complete the flight so they had to fly in another crew to take over, they will use jump seats as much as possible before kicking a revenue passenger(I have actually been bumped from a jump seat before, air traffic controllers on fam training are THE lowest priority). once they get past the volunteers and they say get off the plane you have NO option but get off the plane the only choice is walk or be"escorted" as this guy was. For being a Dr. he surely wasn't very bright.

I travel a lot. The worst experiences I have had have been with United, one of the best customer service experiences I had was also with United (they actually put our family home on a Delta flight...).

I am supposed to be flying to Bakersfield for a conference in a few weeks... with United. Maybe I should have taken the Delta option now because like that Dr, I am the type that would refuse to leave my seat.

I have also witnessed the auction to give up your seat before but never 'bit'. My dad and brother have done this before and then not bothered to use the flight credit before it expired - I think they count on this. Often they offer cash, a later flight, and a free domestic ticket.

Lets pretend that an invited guest came over to your house for supper. Suddenly a family member arrives just as the meal is being put on the table and you realize that you don't have enough food for everyone.

Do you kick out the guest? If you are United, yes.

Can you legally assault the guest if they don't leave immediately? United seems to think so.

If you were this guest, and you were first kicked out and then assaulted, would you still want to be friends? United seems to think that this is a mere PR fracas but everyone should still be friends.

apples and oranges, If I invite you to my house I will feed you, even if it is what I was going to eat. What you are not comprehending is that United is running an airline, all airlines can overbook or were you not aware of that? now say you asked me for a ride to the airport and i was taking my family too but the suburban breaks and all I have left is my 530i I then decide that you will have to call a cab or uber or whatever else and you say no im not getting out of the car guess what? I will drag your dumb ass out of the car. end of story

When I flew a lot it was Delta that was know as the "Air Nazis" I guess United has taken that title. Interesting watching the video on YouTube the next video was of a guy and his wife discussing the unlawfully treatment of the passenger that was dragged off the plane with another passenger being told by the flight attendant that they had to leave the plane also.

United's stock to a little hit today. It will be interesting to see how far it falls.