United Air Lines

[Brian]

I'm told that the 37,000 word (per Anderson Cooper on CNN last night) contract you sign when you buy a ticket entitles the airline to give your seat to someone else.
I've never read it, and I never will. So, it may or may not be true. But, according to CNN, United has a legal right to re-accommodate anyone.

This past weekend my Friday flight from Eugene to Knoxville got messed up due to the weather problems, and I was going to have to spend 2 days, yes 2 days in Minneapolis. There were ZERO available flights on Saturday. I asked nicely if they could route me through SLC where I have family, which they did. So, I got a weekend with my parents and a few siblings. If you fly, crap happens. Smile and make the best of it.

[UtahsMrSports]

I'm told that the 37,000 word (per Anderson Cooper on CNN last night) contract you sign when you buy a ticket entitles the airline to give your seat to someone else.
I've never read it, and I never will. So, it may or may not be true. But, according to CNN, United has a legal right to re-accommodate anyone.

This past weekend my Friday flight from Eugene to Knoxville got messed up due to the weather problems, and I was going to have to spend 2 days, yes 2 days in Minneapolis. There were ZERO available flights on Saturday. I asked nicely if they could route me through SLC where I have family, which they did. So, I got a weekend with my parents and a few siblings. If you fly, crap happens. Smile and make the best of it.

Ah ok that makes sense. Well said.

[Brian]

Given the complexity of flight, it's amazing there aren't more problems than there are....

[UTEopia]

There were a lot of mistakes made on this and the way Airport Police handled the removal simply provided a visual that everyone is reacting to. Never board the plane until you have the seating figured out. A few years back, my wife and I were flying somewhere and we had an overbooked airplane. After making a number of offers and getting no takers, the gate person called about 20 names of people on the flight to meet with the gate person. He then explained that they were overbooked by 4 seats and as there were not takers, the policy was to identify those who were flying on the least expensive ticket and explain that if there were no volunteers, 4 would be selected by random from the 20 people he had identified. He upped the offer from $400 to $600 and a couple of people bit. My wife and I looked around and decided of the people standing there, we would be better able to handle the delay than the others and decided we would wait. It was a relatively short wait (3 hours or so). I felt that the gate person handled a tough situation about as well as it could be handled.

[Two Utes]

Given the complexity of flight, it's amazing there aren't more problems than there are....

And I would argue strenuously that there aren't more problems because most of us behave somewhat reasonably when this stuff happens to us, unlike the good doc.

[tooblue]

The airline's actions are not justifiable, except and only because there is an airline oligopoly. The more we just accept it, and behave the "right" way in such circumstances, the more complicit we all are. In a democratic society, where the free-market can't provide a solution for such situations. Greater protections and rights need to be secured for passengers, to the benefit of all.

While I agree, the 'victim' responded poorly to the situation. His behavior does not afford airport security the right to assault him. Yes, it was assault, as evidenced by the officer in question being suspended immediately for his actions.

The reality is, passengers do have rights, guaranteed by law. We are all simply not aware, because the airlines don't want us to be aware that when bumped etc. a bumped passenger is entitled to more compensation than is often indicated:

I got bumped from a flight. Then I sued:
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/amp.cnn....one/index.html

How one Delta airlines passenger turned multiple overbooked flights into $11,000:
http://globalnews.ca/news/3371450/ho...ts-into-11000/

Last month I flew to Utah for a weekend to visit my parents. I was joining my wife who was there on business. My original ticket was for a trip to Europe last summer for an artist residency. Unforeseen circumstances forced me to cancel that trip, leaving me with a voucher on KLM. At the threat of the voucher expiring, I was able to book a ticket and fly direct to SLC on Delta. It was not without difficulty.

Despite the fact Delta, KLM and Air France are partners, or rather a conglomerate; and despite the fact that, in north America, when you call to speak to a KLM ticketing agent, you are actually re-directed to Delta Airline agents. Delta refused to honour the voucher for their airline. I politely asked the Delta agent with the heavy southern accent to transfer me to an actual KLM agent. She did, kinda, transferring me to a French language only Air France ticketing agent. Fortunately, I speak French. After we laughed about the rigidity of her American counterparts, she booked me on a direct flight to SLC. I enjoyed a wonderful weekend at the foot of the Wasatch mountains and even found time to hang out with Two Utes.

Fast forward to my return flight home. Flying separate airlines, I left a day before my wife. Just prior to boarding at SLC International, the gate agent began broadcasting for passengers willing to accept a voucher for $400 and take a later flight. No takers. A few minutes later she upped the voucher to $600. Again no takers. Eventually, she got around to calling up passengers individually. I was first on the list. She explained that the airline did not anticipate a full flight and booked much of the cargo area for cartage. With a flight full of passengers, the plane would be overweight. She also indicated that she had a very important passenger who absolutely needed to get on that flight. A Delta frequent flier who was making a fuss because his "needs" were more important than everyone else's. Besides, she said we noticed you booked this flight via KLM, via Air France.

Never mind the value of my original ticket to Europe was much more expensive than the cost of the ticket I was flying on to SLC. Never mind they made me pay $300 to change that more expensive ticket for a less expensive ticket. They were now politely asking me to fly to Atlanta, stay the night at a hotel of their choosing and get home by 7:00 am the next day.

I looked at her and said: "I'll do it if you give me a $1000 voucher and put me on a direct flight tonight, on any which airline you like." She said: "I can't do that sir. The best I can do is give you $800." I asked if their was a direct flight to my destination the following morning. She looked it up and there was. I said: "I'll take the $800 and that flight." She agreed. Happily, I got to spend more time hanging out with my parents, Two Utes and even Mormon Red Death. Since then, I've learned I should've held out for the $1000 ... that's how much she was really allowed to give me.

[Mormon Red Death]

As much as the passenger acted like and infant and two utes and concerned points are valid lets not forget all the things that United airlines gets from the public. Publicly funded airports with publicly funded security and public funded traffic control. This isnt to mention the huge barriers to entry that with space at airports (by again government regulations) and such. They owe a paying customer and taxpayer (presumably) better. They should have upped the $ and if they are so worried that everyone will take advantage of that then simply dont overbook.

[Two Utes]

As much as the passenger acted like and infant and two utes and concerned points are valid lets not forget all the things that United airlines gets from the public. Publicly funded airports with publicly funded security and public funded traffic control. This isnt to mention the huge barriers to entry that with space at airports (by again government regulations) and such. They owe a paying customer and taxpayer (presumably) better. They should have upped the $ and if they are so worried that everyone will take advantage of that then simply dont overbook.

I never said passengers don't have rights. I would have sued their asses for my losses due to them making me go the next day had I been the doc. But you simply shouldn't get to act like a two year old because you didn't get your way. I'm not surprised it's coming out today the the doc is bad man. He's clearly an idiot.

[LA Ute]

Airline Apologizes For Strapping Man To Roof Of Plane Due To Oversold Flight

roof-701x395.jpg

[hostile]

http://www.sltrib.com/news/5186614-1...e-traveling-to
Couple removed (peacefully) for allegedly sitting in the wrong seats. They were flying to their wedding on Costa Rica.

[U-Ute]

Airline Apologizes For Strapping Man To Roof Of Plane Due To Oversold Flight

roof-701x395.jpg

Better than middle seat


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[Rocker Ute]

Better than middle seat


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I love the middle seat because then I have TWO people to talk to the whole time!


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[U-Ute]

I love the middle seat because then I have TWO people to talk to the whole time!


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I prefer to think of them as left AND right pillows


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