Who left this gate open? And where's my horse?
Never mind taxis or rent-a-jet, there are about 10 direct flights per day Chicago to Louisville (though not all from ORD), plus the non-direct options. Five of those flights are UA and two of which would probably have got him to his destination in time to see his morning patients.
Put yourself in this guys shoes, he was apparently agreeable to what was offered until he learned that "we'll put you on another flight" did not necessarily mean on the "next scheduled flight". In fact, it seems like they were going to put him on the 4th next available flight, or later.
How would you feel about that?
Could they have not bumped someone on the later flight that night, someone who had not yet already boarded an aircraft and occupied their seat, to get this fellow home before midnight?
Or is overbooking so frequent that cascading "bumps" is vetoed?
Did none of those other flights present acceptable options for offer to either a) the other UA passengers, or b) the DH crew?
Or is a veto of the use of opposition airlines also part of UA's policy? Probably is, right?
This for the same reason that they give travel vouchers and not cash. Who wants to give a passenger cash that he might use to sample the opposition's services.
Seems like there were lots of available and acceptable options. Just none that were listed in the passenger service manual.