Originally Posted by
newfoundglory
The aviation lawyer said, on live TV, that the captain was the one in charge. That was a clear statement which was made.
While I think the chain of command on the ground at the gate is unclear, I cannot see how the answer can be anything else.
The captain had better have a good lawyer in that case, as (s)he could be on a criminal charge of aiding and abetting an assault while acting outside both the UAL conditions of carriage and FAA regulations. Furthermore, almost certainly, the captain will also be sued in civil court for not preventing the action as (s)he was 'in total control'. I would suspect the cost of defending the case, let alone the damages award, could be expensive. The Union better take the captain's side but may not if a criminal offence has occurred, they won't want to put themselves into the position where they will lose millions defending the indefensible.