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USA Today: UA forcibly remove random pax from flight

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USA Today: UA forcibly remove random pax from flight

Old 11th Apr 2017, 18:09
  #381 (permalink)  
 
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The instant that he refused to deplane wasn't he in violation of failing to comply with crew member instructions (FARS)?
This will be a very interesting test case if it ever makes it to the courts, as this is the key legal issue. I'd strongly argue that no he wasn't. FARS covers crew instructions made in the interest of the safety of the aircraft and any/all of its occupants, NOT random and unreasonable instructions of any crew member unrelated to flight safety. As many of the more knowledgeable posters pointed out over and again in the past 20 pages, this was essentially a commecial dispute completely unrelated to flight safety, and arguably in breach of the CoC (as this was clearly not a case of DB). A good analogy would be if a crew member would ask you before takeoff to pay them another $500 irrespective of what you already paid, or you will be thrown off the plane. Would you need to comply ?
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 18:26
  #382 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by Airbubba
That's a valid question. The plane had a Republic crew but I'm told the ORD gate agents were United employees.

Was the deadhead crew definitely Republic? Or were they mainline United?

Did an operating crewmember order the passenger to deplane? Or was it a gate agent?
Plane at the ramp, doors open. So who is in charge? Def. not the Captain.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 18:27
  #383 (permalink)  
 
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Jumpseat Full?

Just back from a great day fishing. Lots of cod and blood.
Just like on overbooked United flight.
Cod or Torsk is also a general insult in Norway,,,,,,

Anyway.
I am up to date until ca midnight last night, so I have not read all the wise words off late.
I work for a company that has 400 737- 800 and 3 Learjets for teck support and NEVER overbook. So my American experiance is limited.
Can anyone please tell me how many jump seats this rig has and why they were full.
I have two up front and two extra in the back on my 738.

I take it these were already full.
Can anyone from United please inform us on SOP on this?

In Norway they are talking about banning overbooking as we speak.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 18:43
  #384 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by BluSdUp
Can anyone please tell me how many jump seats this rig has and why they were full.
I don't think the number of jumpseats really matters. They had their plane full of paying customers already in their seats. Now they need two or four additional seats to carry staff. No volunteers? Hire a bussiness jet just like any other decent airline.

Around here, that security guard would face criminal charges for just touching that passenger and go to jail for what he actually did to him. The policeman who watched it and let it happen would be suspended immediately and permanently.

The other Star Alliance partners should really consider whether or not United really fits their profile.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 18:46
  #385 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by ExDubai
Plane at the ramp, doors open. So who is in charge? Def. not the Captain.
Honest question: who is then? Who holds the authority to command someone to deplane, one way or the other ?
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 18:59
  #386 (permalink)  
 
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No question this whole incident is fubar, but the UA-bashing is quite something to behold as well. Especially the "boycott United" stuff.
If I withheld my SLF $$$$ from a carrier based on non-safety-related fubar incidents, I wouldn't be left with a domestic (US) carrier to carry me.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 19:01
  #387 (permalink)  
 
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Whats next

United part of Star Alliance, oops, No more AirCanada, SAS and Lufthansa for me!
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 19:05
  #388 (permalink)  
 
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New statement from Munoz

United has issued a revised statement with a pledge to reveal the results of their internal review by the end of the month.

Statement from United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz on United Express Fight 3411
April 11, 2017

The truly horrific event that occurred on this flight has elicited many responses from all of us: outrage, anger, disappointment. I share all of those sentiments, and one above all: my deepest apologies for what happened. Like you, I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way.

I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right.

It’s never too late to do the right thing. I have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix what’s broken so this never happens again. This will include a thorough review of crew movement, our policies for incentivizing volunteers in these situations, how we handle oversold situations and an examination of how we partner with airport authorities and local law enforcement. We’ll communicate the results of our review by April 30th.

I promise you we will do better.

Sincerely,

Oscar
United - Newsroom - News Releases
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 19:14
  #389 (permalink)  
 
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Was this a case of SOP "overbooking". I doubt it very much. My guess would be something went skew whiff with roasters and crews had to be rushed over so the hell with consequences, pax had to be pulled out by their feet, screaming and yelling with finger nails tearing at the carpet at the last minute.
The curious thing though is the computer must have had the right sort of software to instantly do a quick national lottery and award the winning prize to the lucky pax. So it is no one`s fault really and no one can be blamed but the computer. Just another example of COMPUTER SAYS NO.

Oscar might be nominated for next years Oscars.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 19:31
  #390 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by West Coast
You do know that Airlines can't simply offer whatever they want, or whatever a pax wants?
You said that before, but you didn't explain who is stopping them. Without evidence I have difficulty believing this unsupported claim.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 19:40
  #391 (permalink)  
 
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Just my opinion...

If it had happened to me...and I was told to get off the airplane, I would not refuse. I would ask why, maybe complain, but never think to refuse to get off when told by the airline crew and especially any security crew. I really don't see any validity in refusing to get off when told.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 19:45
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Originally Posted by Carbon Bootprint
United has issued a revised statement with a pledge to reveal the results of their internal review by the end of the month.
United - Newsroom - News Releases
It only took 24 hours for him to walk back his second press release. These arrogant CEOs make decisions based on what they read about their airline on "social media," vs. doing what is right. Idiot!
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 19:47
  #393 (permalink)  
 
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That really doesn't justify United's response though. What a PR disaster. CEO needs to go - he has handled this situation worse than the titanic handled an iceberg.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 19:59
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Given his behavior, if this doctor was my personal physician, I'd be looking for a replacement.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 20:07
  #395 (permalink)  
 
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Don't think we'll see an end to the practice of overbooking flights. Statistics show there are always a percentage of no-shows and yield management reigns supreme.
Canada is introducing a passenger's rights bill federally but the minister has conceded that over booking is a fact of this business's life and the bill will focus on fair compensation for various results of inconveniences suffered due to circumstances within an airline's control.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 20:12
  #396 (permalink)  
 
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Gertrude

I offered the reference a number of pages back.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 20:23
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Originally Posted by stator vane
If it had happened to me...and I was told to get off the airplane, I would not refuse. I would ask why, maybe complain, but never think to refuse to get off when told by the airline crew and especially any security crew. I really don't see any validity in refusing to get off when told.
Ok... so you enter a taxi, tell the driver where to go, and before it starts moving, someone shows up and the driver asks you to leave because he should take the other person instead of you.

If it happened to you, you would leave without complaining, right?

People these days are seeing their rights being eroded right in front of their eyes and are expected to say nothing, just comply with authority. Unless you want to end up in a FEMA camp somewhere.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 20:29
  #398 (permalink)  
 
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Apologies, if this thought has been mentioned earlier folks.

I just wonder what the position would have been, if the same `Over Booking` situation had happened at a NON US airport, where the Security / Police etc, might behave a little less like the Gestapo!
I like most of us, do not have all the facts regarding this incident, however it does reinforce my long held decision, to avoid any travel to & through the US if at all possible & also to avoid any US carrier at all costs.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 20:31
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I'm surprised United have not come up with the "this flight was operated by Republic Airlines so nothing to do with us" line. That certainly is what happens when one of these US franchised carriers has an accident.

Let us stop writing about "overbooking". It didn't happen here. the correct number of passengers turned up and boarded. Then the carrier decided, for their own convenience, to send four of their personnel on the flight by removing four of the passengers.

Munoz's groupies in the PR team write his various comments, without any retraction of his disgraceful victim-blaming comments they previously wrote over his name. In any other decent organisation he would have offered his resignation over those comments by now, "encouraged" by his board of directors.

The thugs who did the extraction seem to be from a grey area between police and security staff. It is stated above that they are not allowed to carry guns. In the USA this must really grate on them and lead to hiring low calibre personnel. In the UK the perpetrator would be in custody by now while criminal assault charges were considered, his colleagues would be down for aiding and abetting, and the gate staff who gave them the "go boys go" command would be looking at the wrong end of a pink slip.

I wonder how the background of the passenger hit the media so fast. Did United's PR dig for dirt about him, then spread it among their contacts in the media.
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Old 11th Apr 2017, 20:31
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If I withheld my SLF $$$$ from a carrier based on non-safety-related fubar incidents, I wouldn't be left with a domestic (US) carrier to carry me.
A sad indictment of the industry?
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