Originally Posted by
Old Carthusian
West Coast
"I as a worker bee however concern myself as to whether the process given to the employees was followed. Given what I can see at this point, highlighted by Oscar's letter indicate to me they were."
Following the process is of course important up to a point but then blindly following it no matter what the outcome creates incidents like this one. What is important in this sort of situation is the perception not the actuality. A passenger being dragged off a plane in this manner will be seen as a company far exceeding its rights (even though the opposite might be the case). Once the situation got violent, perception and sympathy in this case would rest with the passenger and never with the airline. If the passenger had been violent then of course the sympathy would rest with the airline staff.
In a 'moral society' it is seen as wrong to drag a 69 year old man out of a seat and off an aircraft so that aircraft crew can fly. It is more the sort of thing that is perceived as happening in police states and other less liberal nations. To then argue as Munoz does that processes were followed then adds may we say 'insult to injury'. It also sends the message that customers are not valued and that a sense of perspective is lacking among United staff and management. Note that I am not arguing that this is the case but that this is how it will be seen. The company cannot win and needs to 'stop digging'. This situation is a fairly standard over-application of the rules and as I mentioned needs an abject apology from the airline to the passenger.
Amen.
And add me to the lengthening list of folks who genuinely, sincerely doesn't wish to ever have a seat anywhere in an aircraft that has West Coast upfront.
Can someone expand on how 'the computer' selects someone 'at random'?