United Airlines Gets Serious
crazyjoe
Colorado
They drug a passenger off of an overbooked flight. They apologize for the overbooking but not the treatment of passenger
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/1000000…
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/1000000…
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72 comments
I've got a couple personal trips coming up that I won't be considering United (it helps that they're often not the cheapest). I also have a work trip in a few months and will specifically being requesting not to be booked on United by our corporate travel agency.
About 3 years ago a Miami-Dade cop was doing over 100 mph on the freeway in his cruiser off-shift heading home - a female highway patrol officer pulled him over and actually arrested his ass - the police unions were outraged at the speeding cop getting arrested , as a result the highway patrol officer started receiving death treats from other cops and to add insult to injury (IMO) the police unions were so outraged that they manageed to make it that police officers in their cruisers could not be pulled over by other cops no matter what they are doing, unlike an avg citizen - many cops think the law does not apply to them.
They were bumping off passengers to make room for airlines employees, fuck that, they whould have bought tickets for the employees on another airline.
I never understood why stories that affect just one person get such a disproportionate amount of media time, while stories that affect millions often get ignored altogether.
In other words #firstworldproblems.
I'm sure that those 4 employees had to get to their destination to cover a flight and without them that flight and maybe others would have to be cancelled. Thus stranding 100's of other passengers.
In this case they couldn't buy there way out. So they had to remove passengers involuntarily. Unfortunately the poor passenger that got randomly selected refused to give up his seat. What could United do other than call for the police to remove him?
I never had to deal with the public in my job but I did make decisions all day long that affected the poor passenger service agents. I'm glad to be retired.
shark - I am sure that United did not become aware of the last minute need to get the crew members on that flight until after the flight was boarded.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-…
Companies should have a minimum amount they have to offer and a requirement that they give it in cash or prepaid card, not a voucher for future flights. I generally don't take these offers to stay but I might if my hotel were covered up to some reasonable amount for the area and I got $800 or $1K on top.
A number of years ago I did get stuck with my ex in the DCA because of a flight delay and the noise ordinance. She actually managed to talk the ticket agent into covering a night at a Crystal City hotel and getting us on a flight the next day. I can't even remember how she managed that.
On the other hand, I got stuck in Charlotte once and basically got nothing. Unfortunately I was tired and got the first room I could. It sucked.
And believe me, M.D.'s or D.O.'s can be every bit as childish as anybody else. Maybe the guy was an asshole to the cop. I actually think he might be more willing to be an asshole if he was a physician. After all, many physicians probably think they are better than cops (or the airline personnel).
Under these circumstances it is the cops job to remove somebody without assaulting them even if they were an asshole to the cop. After all, the guy was TSA screened (so he had no weapons) and if I remember correctly he was pushing 70. The chance an unarmed 70 year old could inflict any harm to a cop is essentially zero. It was the cops job to get the guy off as seamlessly as possible. The cop ultimately didn't do his job.
The conflict between the cop and the passenger is incidental to the root cause: Bullshit profiteering practices by the airlines which regularly screw paying customers. That's why I hate flying.
I've long felt the airlines in this country get away with a lot of bullshit, too much in fact.
LOL
United has announced a new seating option on all flights: First class, Business, Economy, and Hunger Games
;)
If I pay for a seat, and it's non-refundable, I better damn well have a seat on the plane. They have my money in exchange for a seat on their plane. There is no reason for an airline to oversell their seats if it is a sold out flight.
If someone wants to get off and get a voucher for a flight to Hawaii or somewhere else that is worth more than the flight they are currently on, then let them do it. But the airlines should not have the right to kick you off a flight that you paid for and have a seat on it. It's complete bullshit in my opinion. United Airlines deserves the bad publicity they are getting.
Cash is king! Surely some greedy fuck would pocket the cash and get home a day late after having dinner and hitting the local SCs on the airline's dime. I would have. Pay for my hotel, buy me dinner, rebook me first thing in morning and $500 cash for tasty pussy. I'm in!!
The public got their way and the air lines were free to fly where ever they wanted and set their own fares. This prompted new air lines to pop all over the place offering cheaper fares. They had lower operating costs because all of the planes were brand new and all of their personnel were right off the street at willing to work for cheap wages. The majors of course had much higher operating costs and had to meet the competition. That's when service went down the drain.
Now I hear people crying to get the government to do more regulating. Glad I'm retired.
But this has gone far enough. As of now I am boycotting commercial air travel.
I will get around by ground transportation, rubber tired, steel wheels, bicycles, or general aviation.
SJG
As in most issues, there is a happy medium and being a capitalist, I leave it up to the airlines to clean up their act. We currently have several business models: you fly cheap but have to pay for every little thing, or you can pay one price. Seat room is way too little, but some airlines address that too either with added fees or just a higher ticket price.
Spirit Airlines is always rated the worst...yet they fill every plane because it's the cheapest way to fly. That's how free markets work.
Airline regulation had always meant that they had extremely high quality people are procedures at every level. So there were less problems.
It was not price competitive, but it was not intended to be either.
SJG
Not true, I am staying very close to home now, so it does not matter. But I do plan to be traveling greatly. For a number of reasons, but especially the ways which passengers on commercial flights are treated like prisoners now, I will not be using commercial air travel.
Even a small sail boat and a folding bicycle would be enough for me to move throughout the California coast with pleasure and ease. Any strip clubs right at the marinas?
Catalina 250, fixed ballast
http://www.bing.com/images/search?view=d…
SJG
https://www.amazon.com/Cruising-guide-Fr…
More people like to sail south than north, as that is how the wind blows. So there are less people for the big boat races than for the trailer size races.
To go north, if not on the highway. Then either you sneak along going windward in the mornings, often on aux power, or you make big tacks, possibly getting 1/3 of the way to Hawaii. For myself, with adequate crew, this latter way looks the most attractive and the most fun.
SJG
http://www.bing.com/images/search?view=d…
SJG
Catalina 250 wing keel, with wheel steering and Honda 4 cycle outboard. Not sure if they are offering a trailer with it. It can trailer, not bad. But water ballast sits lower and is lighter and so it trailers easier. But I want fixed ballast.
Great way to get around costal California!
Could go to Ensenada. :)
Could go to Cabo San Lucas. :)
Lots of professional sailing bums in Cabo San Lucas. Out in the water everyday, but going for months without running aux power for either propulsion or battery charging.
SJG
model 445
http://catalinayachts.com/yachts.cfm?act…
http://catalinayachts.com/yachts.cfm?act…
13' 7" beam
for serious off shore use, always want the propane kitchen, not that diesel generator stuff.
Going north along California coast, say to San Francisco, usually means going windward. Doing it with just two tacks can mean getting as much as 800 miles from land. Lots of fun, but only if you are well prepared.
http://catalinayachts.com/ViewPic.cfm?pi…
Double wheels ( for heel ), fancy cockpit navigation gear, center table with fold up wings. All really neat!
Has it all, even gimbaled oven.
The US yacht building industry cratered with the 2008 crash. Catalina used to make many more models. Big boat dealer at Jack London Square in Oakland. But could just accept delivery in SoCal. And of course there are used ones all around.
Catalina has always seemed like a very capable by still sensibly priced make.
But distance sailing is an around the clock undertaking. Best to have trained up a crew on shorter outings.
Always need both storm sails, and a whole host of other backup and safety gear.
Oyster, made in the UK, very big. To go much bigger, need custom builder.
Marlow-Hunter, Florida, another builder which has always seemed sensibly priced, and has also gone through many upheavils. 50 Center Cockpit. Some people like Center Cockpit, some do not.
http://www.marlow-hunter.com/large-keelb…
Lagoon, 70, part of the French Benetau Group, catamarans
http://www.cata-lagoon.com/lagoon_sevent…
62'
http://www.cata-lagoon.com/lagoon_620_uk…
Benetau makes some stuff in South Carolina.
Jeanneau, 64', part of Benetau Group, warning, they list prices!
http://www.jeanneauamerica.com/en/boats/…
Benetau working boats:
http://www.cnbpro.com/index_fr.php
Their main place is Bordeaux.
SJG
Sammy Hagar - Standing Hampton [Full Album] (Remastered)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIuDt0di…
Magical Battle of Britain: Past and Present Perspectives, a curious episode in the later life of Dion Fortune.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAM-lc8H…
I know there are two sides to every story. And I've known people who work in airport security. Some airline passengers are jerks. But I still say that United Airlines, once a highly regarded company, has at a minimum got a serious PR problem.
SJG
To Perfect This Feast - The Gnostic Mass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhUpJubH…
Mexico City
http://doxyspotting.com/?p=136307
Georges Delerue: Platoon - Finale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of_SZH1s…