Fook United Airlines

This is very much on United. They ran into a contingency that they had poorly planned for and decided that their customers should be negatively impacted rather than finding a better way. That's why folks don't like to fly, because they're the consumer and being treated like crap.

When this is all said and done, United could have chartered a private flight for their crew and still come way out ahead.

I wonder if an airline could survive if they catered to their clientele instead of the current fight for the bottom of the market with fees for everything? You won't be squeezed into your seat, they'll make sure you have a good experience, and you'll pay a premium for the service.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gman

This is very much on United. They ran into a contingency that they had poorly planned for and decided that their customers should be negatively impacted rather than finding a better way. That's why folks don't like to fly, because they're the consumer and being treated like crap.

When this is all said and done, United could have chartered a private flight for their crew and still come way out ahead.

I wonder if an airline could survive if they catered to their clientele instead of the current fight for the bottom of the market with fees for everything? You won't be squeezed into your seat, they'll make sure you have a good experience, and you'll pay a premium for the service.

---

Or put their crew on another airline that night. This happens all the time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Madeinhb

Or put their crew on another airline that night. This happens all the time.

---

Yep.

As I said again on this thread. $ talks and united failed to get volunteer with $$$$$.

There are always "price" for pax flying day late.


See post #24.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Madeinhb

Or put their crew on another airline that night. This happens all the time.

---

It does happen frequently. But they lose the ability to ensure the crew gets moved when using another airline. They fly space positive on their own flights (and their code share flights). If the other airlines are full or run later then they run the risk of down-line delays or cancellations due to being bumped or timed out on their regulatory duty/rest.

It's a crap sandwich. They should've handled it better. There will always be last minute and unplanned crew movements though. Many people got bumped around the country that day. Most just didn't get socked in the eye and YouTube'd as it happened.

In 19 years as a airline pilot, I've deadheaded on other airlines exactly twice. I seem to dead head quite a bit. But it's always on my own airline. There are lots of variables. The frequency between the two cities for example. I think the airlines handled this poorly, but I also feel that the guy is a POS. Why they didn't just continue to raise the offer is beyond me. Especially IF they are authorized to go up to $10k.

But I don't have much sympathy for the DR.

What's your reasoning for not sympathizing with the guy?

The value of any voucher is largely irrelevant - e.g. NO amount of voucher-based compensation would get me to give up my seat under any conditions, as:

1. I (like many non-recreational flyers I'm sure) don't look at price as my main consideration - it's all about the scheduling. All travel is expensed to employer regardless of cost, and reimbursed within a week or two....

2. When flying for personal reasons, I'm using miles anyway (flights for last vacation cost something like $10-$15 per ticket, which was all tax/fee stuff, not ticket price). I could wipe my ass with a $10k voucher with no loss/inconvenience, because it would never get used anyway. In other words, there is absolutely no upside or incentive to that.


If they change the regs to require airlines to provide a straight-up cash payment for reimbursement (check would be good also), that -might- (depending on the amount) motivate one to try and rearange their scheduling.....

ETA: The guy was in his seat, which he paid for, period - end of story. As far as I'm concerned, short of deboarding the entire plane for an unrelated cause, at that point it was a done deal, and to hell with the "may be denied boarding" language on the ticket. If I buy a BMW, can they decide at the last minute to give me a VW instead? Keep the money and tell me to get lost? Heeeeelllllll no.....

Also, most tickets are non-refundable except in very limited circumstances, even with trip insurance. United charges a $200 fee just to change your flight (plus fare difference) until you hit Premier Gold or higher, so between that and the non-refundable ticket, empty seats due to passengers not showing up are still making money....

If they choose to bring charges on the guy, I can definatively say that were I to be on that jury, I'd be making one hell of a push for either a not-guilty verdict, or even jury nullification if necessary, regardless of what the charges were...

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

I have never deadheaded on another airline, it's always your own metal unless they are in dire straights. Cargo and charter is very different.

This was a cluster for sure, but it was republic airlines, not united. It was Chicago police/security who was called to remove the unwilling passenger. It says on the agreement when you purchase you may be denied boarding. Lots more facts about this guy and the situation before the videos started rolling.
While the timeliness of the deadhead crew getting on the flight was poor, it was still necessary to get ~76 people on another flight moved to their destination.

This happens every day on every airline and this guy made it a point to be a problem. While it could have been handled with more money or just delaying the flight long enough that someone finally got off on their own accord, there also didn't have to be a change in the Drs mind and to run back onto the plane and refuse to get off. More facts and passenger eyewitness accounts are coming out. Don't be too quick to kindle, especially involving a convicted felon like this "Dr."

I also didn't see any passenger sitting there say NO, obviously this guy needs to get home, I'll take the voucher and go home tomorrow.

In the end, social media loves to vilify anything and anyone. every flight I've flown this week has been completely full and going into the summer it will remain the same way. So if you are pissed off and don't want this to happen to you, buy a first class ticket or at a minimum buy directly from your airline of choice, not on a 3rd party site to save $1.

In today's airline world their goal is to maximize butts in seats. People have become too cheap to pay for this service. Airlines get you in a small tube traveling almost 600 MPH miles above the ground typically at a price less than it costs if you were to drive and over 10x the time savings. Yet people want to see fares that cost less than a taxi or uber and they think they should get food and snacks and drinks and premium service when they are paying more for their bag to ride in a cargo pit then they are for themselves.

At the end of the day I'm sure the Dr. will get some sort of settlement, even though I prefer to have all the facts come out and if what I am hearing is true I'd like to see charges brought against him. But I'll withhold most judgement until the facts actually do come to surface.

So if you are pissed off and don't want this to happen to you, buy a first class ticket or at a minimum buy directly from your airline of choice, not on a 3rd party site to save $1.


Absolutely. Most people are unaware those cheapflights.com money savers give you no recourse with the airline. You have to deal with the 3rd party. We had an issue with seating one year. Bottom line, i was told. If there's an issue you need to take it up with the vendor you purchased the ticket from. had you dealt with us directly, you would have had options.

When we have to fly it's worth the extra $$ going first class.