Fook United Airlines

[Aloha_Shooter]

The lack of choice thanks to repeated mergers means in most regions there are only a few choices when it comes to air travel. In my opinion this means that no matter how much you pay the companies will never be too concerned with customer service. Your choice is of course to get over it or not fly. While I understand that if I buy a first class ticket that I will in theory get better service than the lowest ticked passenger I can't blame people for opting for the low price option. We already pay the TSA tax, baggage fees, upgraded anything fees, ticket change fees etc. In a world where median wage increases don't go up nearly a tenth as the costs of everything else, again I can hardly blame people for purchasing cheap air fares.

It's not theory, you DO get better service when you pay for the first class ticket. I've seen it, and once or twice benefited from it. The catch is that first class ticket does cost quite a bit but that's how the world works, you get what you pay for. Only in SJW land do people get free stuff no matter what. We as a society opted for and drove the commercial aviation market toward being flying buses so it shouldn't be any surprise that customer service is on par. Virgin offers better service overall but they fly in specific limited markets where they can get the fares that pay for it.

None of that has anything to do with forcible deboarding but then most of us don't tell the airlines or Chicago security, "you'll have to carry me off". Guess what? They did.

[Eric P]

Now is a great time to buy United stock. It took a pounding, but long term prospects have not changed. Few will boycot, but I don't see United loosing any business because of this.

[Madeinhb]

Now is a great time to buy United stock. It took a pounding, but long term prospects have not changed. Few will boycot, but I don't see United loosing any business because of this.

Already did

[brutal]

I'm glad 99% of my flying is booked through corporate travel. I always get taken care of 24x7x365 if there's a problem.

For the few times we fly personal, I used either my status (that I haven't had for 2-3 years now), paid the upgrade to E+, or if I think I'll be flying enough, buy the annual E+ pass. When prudent and flying together for personal trips, we'll almost always opt for one or two low priced upgrades to FC if offered upon check-in. I get only one free bag now (UA card) and without status, the wife gets nothing.

If you're offered an upgrade to FC for $99 or $129, and an E+ is $79 or $99, and a bag is $25/35, why not? So worth it to sit in the front of the bus. Also, if you're FC, whether it was a cheap upgrade offer or not, you're FC when rebooked if needed and you will get taken care of first, usually automatically for the next available flight.

I don't miss flying alot, I do miss getting upgraded often enough on odd routes/times to make me Pavlovian about it.

[clodhopper]

Now is a great time to buy United stock. It took a pounding, but long term prospects have not changed. Few will boycot, but I don't see United loosing any business because of this.

Depends on how you view a "pounding". Day of the incident it was $71. Now it is ~$67. May 21 it was $65. It is still higher than pretty much the last 7 years, just off all time high. Doesn't look like that much of a "pounding" to me, unless you are looking for real small gains. http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/ual

[Ridge]

I've been on one commercial round trip flight since 9/11, and that was 10 years ago. I flew a lot in the 90s; and If I got to where I was going safely, I was happy. I guess I don't know too much about the conditions that exist today, but I'm not too sympathetic of this passenger who violated the terms of his purchase and then disrupted the flight leading to his unfortunate removal from the aircraft.

What on his terms of purchase did he violate?

[Fmedges]

It's not theory, you DO get better service when you pay for the first class ticket. I've seen it, and once or twice benefited from it. The catch is that first class ticket does cost quite a bit but that's how the world works, you get what you pay for. Only in SJW land do people get free stuff no matter what. We as a society opted for and drove the commercial aviation market toward being flying buses so it shouldn't be any surprise that customer service is on par. Virgin offers better service overall but they fly in specific limited markets where they can get the fares that pay for it.

None of that has anything to do with forcible deboarding but then most of us don't tell the airlines or Chicago security, "you'll have to carry me off". Guess what? They did.

First class passenger kicked off of a flight for similar reasons.
https://www.aol.com/article/news/201...seat/22037334/

We both agree that having to be forceably removed from a flight is just plain stupid.

[Madeinhb]

First class passenger kicked off of a flight for similar reasons.
https://www.aol.com/article/news/201...seat/22037334/

We both agree that having to be forceably removed from a flight is just plain stupid.

Yup. I heard about this. Also heard the reason was because "someone more important needed his seat"

[Martinjmpr]

From my facebook feed, a page for the 4th Brigade of the 25th ID:

"4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division with United.



"You guys think United goes hard? We're out here getting ready to throw 390 customers off an airplane in the middle of the night. #coldblooded"

https://www.facebook.com/0DoYouEvenJump0/

[Ridge]

First class passenger kicked off of a flight for similar reasons.
https://www.aol.com/article/news/201...seat/22037334/

We both agree that having to be forceably removed from a flight is just plain stupid.

I am shocked, SHOCKED that AOL is still around!