United Breaks Faces

[whiic]

Fly United Or Else! (by Mister Metokur)

I honestly don't understand why overbooking doesn't carry a 10 year jail sentence for airline CEOs, at the very least if it cannot be resolved by voluntary means (basically having a reverse auction increasing prices until enough volunteers appear).

And maybe airline's own employees should take second place. It's not like they need professionals to break guitars at some other airport. Everyone is capable of destroying luggage.

[Hobart Escin]

Absolutely no excuse for this incident happening under any circumstance. United's idiotic and insensitive response only served to pour gasoline on the flames.

This is why you fire CEOs. United stock fell 6 percent overnight in response to all of the negative publicity this has generated, so maybe this will help that happen.

[sixgun]

I'm sure they would've had enough volunteers if the price was right. Now they have a big lawsuit, falling stock, public opinion and reluctant customers. A very stupid action on their part. Don't people think anymore ? So many lawyers wanting any excuse to get your money. That doctor will probably own that airline when it's over.

[dvm]

Overbooking is BS and should be illegal. Flying is a big enough hassle without worrying you may not have a seat. Most tickets are non refundable so they already have the money for your seat so the excuse that they lose money when the plane isn't full is also BS. I remember when flying was easy and enjoyable instead of a giant stressful pain in the A**. The airlines are not responsible for all the reasons flying sucks but they sure don't help with policies like overbooking.

[Oracle427]

An internal email was leaked too showing that there is a different story and discussion within the airline.

http://mashable.com/2017/04/10/united-a ... pI_gIf8gqT

Whether or not the passenger was irate and disruptive, it is risky business to write something like that and now have it splashed all over the internet. They just made a bad situation worse...

I used to fly regularly for business and it was very common to hear an announcement like this offering x dollars for people to go on standby. That announcement was always done before anyone boarded. I've never seen a case like this. It was a lose-lose situation once the passngers had boarded. If this guy refused and they backed off, then anyone would take that to mean that they can refuse as well. Somewhere upstream things really got off track.

All that said, I don't understand this whole overbooking practice. It just seems like a lot of trouble for little gain.

[Jacques]

Another odd twist is a story on flightaware- evidently Ryanair approves of United's actions, intends to integrate it into their own policy and charge the "offending" passenger an additional 15 € for the procedure! Sounds like a joke, but anything is possible with Ryanair.

I was talking with my wife about how much flying commercially has changed. I used to really enjoy it, to the extent of picking flights that may have multiple legs that take you further away from your destination on the first leg...if possible. My last two flights were spent with someone's elbow firmly implanted into my ribs. I think I'd rather drive, to be honest.

[bullfox]

This is why I would rather fly the Connie and try to make the Straocruiser play nice.

[whiic]

An internal email was leaked too showing that there is a different story and discussion within the airline.

http://mashable.com/2017/04/10/united-a ... pI_gIf8gqT

Yeah. Ironically the official statements make United seem even worse than the leaked message. Maybe they knew the official line will cause PR harm but could (and would) be used in court against them (as it could be considered admission of guilt). The law, it's application and ambulance hunting lawyers force corporations to act 10x more assholish than they already want to be (and just the baseline before that multiplication was "let punch and throw paying customers off the plane after they've already boarded").

They might also have "leaked" the message as a way to make better PR, while maintaining "plausible deniability" on whether the admission of partial guilt is actually from the CEO. Using pretend-leaks to push ones true opinion is quite possible. It's information warfare out there.

Whether or not the passenger was irate and disruptive, it is risky business to write something like that and now have it splashed all over the internet. They just made a bad situation worse...

That's where the reverse auctioning would be handy. Just increase the price to payback the ticket and eventually some passengers volunteer to postpone the flight to another one. Instead, they only offered initial 1000 bucks but didn't raise it after that, then chose people randomly (including a doctor who had a patient waiting, potentially meaning more than 1000 bucks worth of damage for accepting 1000 bucks of compensation). They basically picked a person who possibly couldn't afford to cancel his trip. Some other person would have volunteered if offered a higher than the initially offered compensation.

[TonyW]

Jacques,

I saw something on Facebook about Ryanair charging for doing this, but the FB page I saw (Waterford Whisperer - based in Ireland) is a parody website. I suspect, but don't know for certain, that what is being discussed here would not be permitted in the EU, at least I hope that's the case.

Regards,

Tony

[whiic]

Another odd twist is a story on flightaware- evidently Ryanair approves of United's actions, intends to integrate it into their own policy

To which I'm not surprised. As a European, I don't even have experience with United but I do have with Ryanair. Flying with them is like navigating a minefield. You can get an international ticket for 5 bucks but be vary you don't go a gramm over cabin luggage limitations or your travel just turned very expensive. That one bag in the compartment obviously is worth more than ten people in the pressurized cabin.

...and charge the "offending" passenger an additional 15 € for the procedure! Sounds like a joke, but anything is possible with Ryanair.

Charge 15 euros for what procedure? For being refused a flight or for resisting removal? It would be quite Orwellian if all postponed passengers got charged 15 eur for not being let to fly (with the ticket they already bought). It would be like in China, where relatives must purchase the bullet that is used to execute their family member.

[whiic]

I saw something on Facebook about Ryanair charging for doing this, but the FB page I saw (Waterford Whisperer - based in Ireland) is a parody website.

Poe's Law. It's applicable to so many groups, whether it is financial, political or religious in nature.

I suspect, but don't know for certain, that what is being discussed here would not be permitted in the EU, at least I hope that's the case.

That's probably because USA has that thing called MUH LIBERTAH, and because of that contractual SMALLTEXT (POSSIBLY IN ALLCAPS but possibly without) is legally enforceable. FREEDOOOOM! (Ironically you still can't smoke pot. That's a bit too much freedom.)

EDIT: I'm just checking if embeds work. Video not related to United... yet.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_5FkCs6n_A[/youtube]
Just for those who didn't get the reference made in the poll's third option. Poe's Law is also applicable here, just pointing that out.

[n421nj]

I feel bad for the security guys who got roped into the whole thing. United will try to make them the bad guys.

[Bruce Hamilton]

Airlines overbook flights because they know a certain percentage will not show up for whatever reason, and it's cheaper for them to comp you into giving yours up than it is to fly with the seat empty.

[MarcE]

Airlines overbook flights because they know a certain percentage will not show up for whatever reason, and it's cheaper for them to comp you into giving yours up than it is to fly with the seat empty.

Since when do people pay their ticket when boarding the plane?

[Scott - A2A]

We certainly don't need a law against over booking - the last thing aviation needs is more regulations and laws, it's already way over regulated.

The free market is doing it's magic. United is in trouble, and now all other airlines have had a wake up call and passengers will benefit. No laws needed.

Scott.