How is it possible that United even allowed more passengers on to an aircraft than there were available seats? Then "Red Jet" demonstrates the customer service attitude that has now made United airlines famous: - the customer is just a serf who should kowtow to the captain of the aircraft over a commercial matter that has nothing to do with the captain at all. United ground staff made a simply massive mistake and then compounded it by involving law enforcement, which seem s to be the only American response to problems these days.
To put that another way, the passenger removed was very lucky he wasn't shot and killed.
Look - I am in no way defending the lack-lustre customer service in the US or their trigger happy gun culture. My point is simply this - they (United) stuffed up and boarded a full airplane and then realised they HAD to position 4 crew on the flight in question. It was extremely poorly handled by United without a doubt, but there was obviously a prelude to the viral videos that those of us who weren't on the plane are not privy to, and after 4 volunteers were sought and they had found no takers at $800 dollars per seat, the only reasonable way to proceed should have been to keep upping the bid until they found someone. The fact that they didn't is a major stuff-up and worthy of all the critique coming their way.
What isn't cool - is that once they had crossed the Rubicon and decided to RANDOMLY pick 4 guests, who were then INSTRUCTED to disembark the aircraft, the only option available to you is to comply with this instruction! As per aviation law, if the instruction came from aircrew, and by civil law if it was issued by the law enforcement officer. The customer in question refused to comply with the instruction and 3 customers (while most probably fuming under the collar) grabbed their hand luggage and left, while the good Doctor elected not to do it, and was physically fighting a lawful ejection from the aircraft.
Think this through guys - if an airline had to rescind the option of involuntarily disembarking a passenger after boarding, it would become completely unworkable and it would descend into anarchy. There are a number of reasons why this could become necessary, including Weight & Balance issues, performance issues, computer glitches where 2 boarding passes with the same seat number has been printed out (has happened to me personally more than once) and of course - upon reversal to manual procedures the chances of this occurring increases. There could be problems discovered with travel document deficiencies, Trump could throw a tantrum and issue a decree banning persons holding a passport of a particular color, etc.
So, if it ever happens that a person in uniform addresses you onboard an aircraft and says: "Sir (or Madam), you will need to get your hand luggage and follow me!" you just bloody well do it, however pissed off you are! There is no other option open to you, but then afterwards - by all means go on social media and pour as much bile as you like onto the airline for their ****ty customer service, - but you HAVE to do what you are told. An instruction to collect your hand luggage and disembark the aircraft is a lawful instruction - there can be no doubt about that in my opinion (needless to say - I'm only expressing MY opinion and you are free to hold a contrary one). Just know this - if I instruct you to disembark an airplane on which I am crew and you fail to comply, I will also call in law enforcement if available, otherwise I will handcuff you, and contain you until such assistance can be found. The passengers were not asked to get up and undress or dance a polka! There was nothing frivolous about it and as pissed off as the Doctor would have felt - if they had "abandoned" the attempt to get the Doctor off BECAUSE he refused, and then picked someone else - imagine the downfall of that! There is a ranking order onboard an airplane for a very good reason, the instruction issued was entirely reasonable and under the circumstances were deemed necessary by the airline and the ensuing law enforcement officer. It's in the fine print on any IATA carriers ticketing conditions (carriage is not assured even if boarding pass has been issued and the plane has been boarded, or words to that effect).