Man Dragged off United Airlines/Flight Overbooked, April 2017

[Cryptic]

Here we go again. You say he forced his way onto the plane, and you have provided no evidence for this, presumably because none exists.

He was escorted off the plane. He then gets back on the plane after being told not to. Yes, he forced his way on the plane- not a good idea. I speculate that if I ignore instructions to stay off of a commercial jet, bad things might happen to me also.

 

[shadowdancer]

Gee, he was escorted off the plane. He then gets back on the plane after being told not to. Yes, he forced his way on the plane- not a good idea.

No its your opinion that he forced his way onto the plane. Remember that without evidence/sources to back up claims made on Websleuths, they have to be treated as opinion/rumour as per the terms and conditions that we all agreed to when we signed up to use this site.

 

[Ironside]

Whether or not better administrative decisions could have been made are irrelevant. The man signed a contract allowing modifications to be made to travel. The reasons for such modifications can be good, bad, or indifferent. When the man decided to force his way on a plane, he was risked getting hurt. He got hurt, and now blames the big evil company with deep pockets.

To be fair we don't yet know if this guy blames United. He may be blaming the security who actually removed him from the plane. Or perhaps he feels ashamed of his beatdown caused by his refusal to budge thus an entire planeload of people were inconvenienced.

Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

 

[Cryptic]

To be fair we don't yet know if this guy blames United. He may be blaming the security who actually removed him from the plane. Or perhaps he feels ashamed of his beatdown caused by his refusal to budge thus an entire planeload of people were inconvenienced.

Good point.

 

[gitana1]

Airline staff claims he took a swing at security/police and he has a history of anger management issues, magical thinking and "poor decision making" these things are absolutely relevant. IKD who you are, if you are the slightest bit aggressive with police you are asking for trouble.


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None of the fellow passengers who were captive audiences stated he took a swing.

The contract allows the airline to change the travel plans- period. Before boarding or after boarding are not relevant.


Nobody has a "right" to fly on a particular flight. Likewise, the man was free not to buy the ticket with a contract allowing changes and also free to charter a private flight where there is no chance of being bumped.

In short, Freedoms of religion, speech, bearing arms, petitioning the government etc are rights. Travelling on a particular flight is not.

This is not Nazi Germany or North Korea where jack booted ****s have the right to bodily drag a person out of a business and smash his face in just because he refuses to give up what he purchased, unless that person is causing a disturbance. And quietly refusing to give up the seat he paid for is not causing a disturbance. (He didn't start screaming until they laid hands on him).

What United did may constitute false imprisonment. What the police did may constitute a violation of his due process rights per the constitution and is likely police brutality.

The fact that United may have clauses about being able to change travel plans doesn't change that.

See, such a clause essentially protects the airline from being successfully sued by someone who has a cancelled or delayed flight due to weather, security issues, strikes, whatever. It doesn't protect them or the police from suit due to booting a seated passenger because they want the seat for employees, or demanding he be bodily dragged from his chair or by smacking his face all over the pace as he's manhandled off the plane.

I know some want to believe that the corporate contract allows united to do what it wants. Period. There are a couple attorneys on here who are explaining that that is untrue.

 

[shadowdancer]

None of the fellow passengers who were captive audiences stated he took a swing.



This is not Nazi Germany or North Korea where jack booted ****s have the right to bodily drag a person out of a business and smash his face in just because he refuses to give up what he purchased, unless that person is causing a disturbance. And quietly refusing to give up the seat he paid
for is not causing a disturbance.

What United did may constitute false imprisonment. What the police did may constitute a violation of his due process rights per the constitution and is likely police brutality.

The fact that United may have clauses about being able to change travel plans doesn't change that.

See, such a clause essentially protects the airline from being successfully sued by someone who has a cancelled or delayed flight due to weather, security issues, strikes, whatever. It doesn't protect them or the police from suit due to booting a seated passenger because they want the seat for employees, or demanding he be bodily dragged from his chair or by smacking his face all over the pace as he's manhandled off the plane.

I know some want to believe that the corporate contract allows united to do what it wants. Period. There are a couple attorneys on here who are explaining that that is untrue.

Exactly, some posters are very keen to state what United have the right to do within the contract, but a contract by its very definition is a two way street. The passenger has rights within this contract too.

 

[GA_Peach]

Despite what the contract said (civil matter), security did not have a right to remove him from the plane. Law enforcement is not authorized to use physical measures to resolve a civil disagreement. This situation is a disaster for United, and I do believe that they will pay dearly.

Gitana, great post above! Thank you.

ETA - Another complicating factor is that the flight was not oversold. United needed to make room for non-paying fares, their employees. Based on what I have read online today, this distinction is not insignificant from a legal perspective. Likewise, the legal "experts" claim boarding does not equal traveling.

 

[LaneGirl]

Not to mention that a person is legally entitled to up to 1350 cash/check (if the next flight is more than 2 hrs) which was never offered. Most people don't know that. In fact I didn't until this incident.

800 travel voucher and sorry we are removing you by force.

 

[GinaSeikwa]

Not if 'boarding' is equivelant to 'travel'. My bet is that the fact that he was seated does not preclude him from being bumped.

The airplane was still in the "boarding" process. Main cabin door was open and push back had not occurred

 

[Betty P]

Exactly, some posters are very keen to state what United have the right to do within the contract, but a contract by its very definition is a two way street. The passenger has rights within this contract too.

Passengers also have Constitutional rights. Just because they enter a contract with a business, it doesn't mean they give up their right to not be assaulted.

 

[Quiet Time]

What is now really pissing me off is how they are now exposing his past records. (medical?)

Does this mean they will now expose the crew's and employees past records for everyone to see?
How dare them, so inconsiderate. Hasn't United already done enough to this guy?

MOO

 

[Cryptic]

This is not Nazi Germany or North Korea where jack booted ****s have the right to bodily drag a person out of a business and smash his face in just because he refuses to give up what he purchased, unless that person is causing a disturbance. And quietly refusing to give up the seat he paid for is not causing a disturbance.

Sigh, he purchased a ticket subject to conditions that he agreed to. Airlines do have the ability bump people and have done so for generations.

They will also be bumping people today, tomorrow and next year. If you think that you cannot be bumped, you are mistaken. Likewise, trying to enter a commerical plane after being told not to is risking injury.

 

[tlcya]

United‏Verified account @united Follow

​

United CEO Oscar Munoz: I’m sorry. We will fix this. http://uafly.co/XuR1Bs

ETA text of statement issued in the tweet


Dear Team,

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

https://hub.united.com/united-expre...8629.html?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

 

[Cryptic]

Passengers also have Constitutional rights. Just because they enter a contract with a business, it doesn't mean they give up their right to not be assaulted.

He voided that right through his own actions. Likewise, my constitutional rights are limited on private property. For starters, I must comply with the limitations of the owner. If you are the owner, then I must comply with your rules- not mine.

 

[GinaSeikwa]

Despite what the contract said (civil matter), security did not have a right to remove him from the plane. Law enforcement is not authorized to use physical measures to resolve a civil disagreement. This situation is a disaster for United

Except that they do have the right to have a non compliant passenger removed and I am wondering at this point if he exhibited behaviour that the crew had concerns about. The aircraft was absolutely still in the boarding process. Manifest still had not been delivered, main cabin door open. Crew deadheading are travelling as positive space holders and do have the right to bump passengers. It happens that a crew is coming off another flight and running to board their deadheading flight as said flight is already being boarded and those issues can't be caught prior to beginning the boarding process. Late arrival Deadheading crew happens everyday at airports around the world. Once security was called it was on them to properly manage the situation

 

[cricket49]

United‏Verified account @united Follow

​

United CEO Oscar Munoz: I’m sorry. We will fix this. http://uafly.co/XuR1Bs

ETA text of statement issued in the tweet


Dear Team,

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

https://hub.united.com/united-expre...8629.html?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

I was in the process of posting this response by Oscar Munez. I guess money talks and with United Airlines stock plummeting they decided to do damage control.

The whole situation was outrageously handled and the airlines failed in every area. I feel so bad for this man and his family for what they have endured.

 

[Cryptic]

Despite what the contract said (civil matter), security did not have a right to remove him from the plane. Law enforcement is not authorized to use physical measures to resolve a civil disagreement. This situation is a disaster for United, and I do believe that they will pay dearly.

What? If I cause a disruption over a dress code at a restaraunt, refuse to leave, my bet is that the police can take me out.

Law enforcement routinely removes people from private property over civil matters. I have seen law enforcement toss people out of sporting events for failure to comply with dress codes, not sitting down etc. My bet is that I"ll see it in the future.

 

[Cryptic]

Exactly, some posters are very keen to state what United have the right to do within the contract, but a contract by its very definition is a two way street. The passenger has rights within this contract too.

And his "rights" regarding forced bumping are pretty much non existent.

 

[shadowdancer]

What? If I cause a disruption over a dress code at a restaraunt, refuse to leave, my bet is that the police can take me out .

But if in the process of taking you out, you sustained a blow to the head and had blood pouring from your mouth, I would consider that assault. Its not acceptable to say that assault is ok because the victim was doing x and y wrong and therefore was asking for it.

The law does not work that way.

 

[Hraefn]

An attorney who represents the man who was forcibly removed from a United Express flight says his client is being treated at a Chicago hospital for injuries he sustained in the incident.

Chicago attorney Stephen L. Golan says David Dao's family is "focused only on Dr. Dao's medical care and treatment." He says the family "wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received."

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...senger-in-video-was-convicted-of-drug-charges

The Louisville doctor dragged off a booked United Airlines flight to make room for airline workers who wanted onto the plane has hired a high-profile Chicago attorney.

Tom Demetrio, of the prominent Corboy & Demetrio law firm that is routinely in the mix on high-profile personal injury and aviation cases, is part of Dr. David Dao's new legal team.

Dao is also represented by Stephen L. Golan of Golan Christie Taglia, who issued a brief statement on Dao's behalf Tuesday — not long after United's CEO issued an apology for the infamous incident, which has been seen around the world.

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/201...rbooked-dragged-passenger-lawyer-tom-demetrio