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posted by cmn32480 on Friday April 14 2017, @04:52AM   Printer-friendly
from the paging-ms-Streisand! dept.

On the heels of United's heavy-handed removal of a booked passenger comes another wonderful piece of news from United:

Fearns needed to return early so he paid about $1,000 for a full-fare, first-class ticket to Los Angeles. He boarded the aircraft at Lihue Airport on the island of Kauai, took his seat and enjoyed a complimentary glass of orange juice while awaiting takeoff.
Then, as Fearns tells it, a United employee rushed onto the aircraft and informed him that he had to get off the plane.
"I asked why," he told me. "They said the flight was overfull."

Apparently, due to technical problems, a different plane was used that had slightly fewer seats. So fewer first class seats. So why bump off a first class passenger?

"That's when they told me they needed the seat for somebody more important who came at the last minute," Fearns said.

Seriously, United?

This ended up with Fearns being bumped down to economy class. With no recompensation offered. When contacting them to demand a refund and $25k for a charity of his choice, the reply was no on both accounts. But he was offered the difference between a first class ticket and the seat he was forced to occupy - between a couple that had a fight, refused to sit next to each other and spent the 6hrs of flight fighting. Oh, and $500 in United credit.

I realise this is just one side of the story, but still: this news surfacing the next day and these two events happening in the same week?

"I understand you might bump people because a flight is full," Fearns said. "But they didn't say anything at the gate. I was already in the seat. And now they were telling me I had no choice. They said they'd put me in cuffs if they had to."

You couldn't make this up if you tried.

Indeed, I could not.

For shame, United. For shame.

takyon: United Airlines' Own Contract Denied it any Right to Remove Passenger
N.J. doctor saves woman on United flight where medical supplies were 'lacking' (a completely different story)


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  • (Score: 2) by kaszz on Friday April 14 2017, @04:18PM (1 child)

    by kaszz (4211) on Friday April 14 2017, @04:18PM (#494055) Journal

    United Airline memes..

    Top 10 United Airlines Funniest Memes [youtube.com]
    1) Can't overbook flights if nobody flies @United
    2) Let me check your United Airlines stock today.. aaaandd its gone!
    3) Thank you for flying United Airlines *shaking up*
    4) 4 out of 5 doctors recommend United Airlines, except..
    5) Welcome to united flight 3411, We still need three more "volunteers"
    6) Walking dead: Eeny, meeny, miny, moe... Which passenger has to go?
    7) Pepsi: We just made the worst PR decision, United Airlines: Hold my beer
    8) First class, business class and.. Fight class!
    9) Southwest, We beat the competition not you.
    10) Rocky, I made it on the plane bloody

    Trump sends Kim Jong [wp.com] free airline ticket to discuss his nuclear weapon program.
    Assad vs United Airlines [wp.com] "Uh-oh".
    United, Where you're treated like a king, Rodney King [wp.com]

    Even more memes [bookwormroom.com]
    Even more.. [google.com]

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   2  
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 14 2017, @08:37PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 14 2017, @08:37PM (#494183)

    my favorite:
    United Airlines: Get on the plane as a doctor, get off the plane as a patient.