Don't get overbooked on United.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39554421

Saw this earlier and was appalled. There has to be more to this than is reported surely?

Saw this earlier and was appalled. There has to be more to this than is reported surely?

Yes there is.

One report I've seen that after being removed a first time he someow got back on the plane! Which made it even worse.

I'm not saying UA are blameless and they could have handled it better by explaining why 4 of their staff had to get to Louiville (likely to work on other flights and not because they were on free staff travel) and increasing the VDB compensation.

[Darren Wheeler]

<mods hat off>
Absolutely appalling treatment.

Whoever thought that would look good in the court of public opinion is clearly a few fries short of a happy meal.

Initially I felt sorry for Oscar Munoz, CEO of United, until I saw his comments saying the passenger was "disruptive and beligerant". From what I've seen, he was quite calm and passive with a very good reason not to be IDB.

Louisville is a 5 hour drive from ORD. Surely United could have offered cash and a taxi to Louisville first?

I have never and will never book UA by choice and this just underlines that. It was such a shame that they trashed Continental when they acquired it, that used to be the best US domestic airline ...

There are so many wrong things in the this tale of how UA handles customer service and the customer experience, culminating in an allegedly serious assault of a fare paying and seated passenger by law officers acting on UA's request. It's shocking and puts leggings-gate to the side!

Seen on social media - "United, the airline that puts 'hospital' into hospitality"

Once issue that I am slightly confused about.

If he was on board and clearly seated, they then looked for volunteers for Denied Boarding of which there was 3, eventually.

Why was he singled out to be the fourth? What was the logic that made it so that he was the one who had the IDB? Similarly, how had they got into the position where he had boarded, presumably having had his BP scanned, and they not be aware that they were going to need the four additional seats for crew deadheading?

I guess similarly, the question needs to asked, was their jump seats and crew seats in the cockpit that could have been used (Looks like an Embraer A/C so probably not the later?)

I can't answer all your questions but

Why was he singled out to be the fourth? What was the logic that made it so that he was the one who had the IDB?

Simon in the Telegraph was explaining how although it was supposedly chosen at random by computer, it really isn't, it's based on any flying club membership, how much they paid for the ticket, the ticket class/fare bucket, when they booked. Indeed Simon was saying that he and many others exploit these rules to obtain cheap tickets on popular routes with sometimes the hope of being denied boarding and obtaining compensation (but not the complimentary beating).

Once issue that I am slightly confused about.

If he was on board and clearly seated, they then looked for volunteers for Denied Boarding of which there was 3, eventually.

Why was he singled out to be the fourth? What was the logic that made it so that he was the one who had the IDB? Similarly, how had they got into the position where he had boarded, presumably having had his BP scanned, and they not be aware that they were going to need the four additional seats for crew deadheading?

I guess similarly, the question needs to asked, was their jump seats and crew seats in the cockpit that could have been used (Looks like an Embraer A/C so probably not the later?)

His wife was also IDBd. As were two other people.

They had asked for volunteeres but no one did hence the need to IDB.

If these UA staff were flying for work i.e. needed to be in Louisville to operate other flights then it might not have been possible for them to use jump seats whereas staff on freebies can (no leggins allowed though). The other option to drive was also likely impracticable - it's a 5 hour drive which would have counted against their duty hours possibly leading to more cancellations.

There is atill a lot missing from this story such as when did UA realise they needed 4 seats and why didn't they deal with the IDBs at the gate and increase the VDB amount until they got the 4 seats they needed. Offer people enough until someone gives in if it was that important to fly these staff/

Did UA make a complete and utter mess of this? yes they did but I think it was more cock up than conspiracy.