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United Passenger “Removal”: A Reporting and Management Failure

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Re: United Passenger “Removal”: A Reporting and Management Failure

#2
Even if it wasn't a passenger overbooking, it was overbooking in that they failed to properly account for the likelihood of having to ship crews around their network.

If their occupancy ratio was lower, then there wouldn't have been a problem, they could have fit the crew in. If they reserved 4 seats for crew on every flight, again there wouldn't have been a problem.

If they had even reserved 2 seats and run sufficient flights such that the crew got to the target airport in time there wouldn't have been a problem.

If they had brought crew in from two different starting points - it would have been fine.

It's still overbooking, just not oversold tickets.

The airline played the game, ran too lean and paid the price.

Much like an ISP having all their IP traffic going down one pipe, and not having enough room to send out the customer invoices because everyone is watching Netflix.

Re: United Passenger “Removal”: A Reporting and Management Failure

#3
post #2

Even if it wasn't a passenger overbooking, it was overbooking in that they failed to properly account for the likelihood of having to ship crews around their network. If their occupancy ratio was lower, then there wouldn't have been a problem, they could have fit the crew in. If they reserved 4 seats for crew on every flight, again there wouldn't have been a problem. If they had even reserved 2 seats and run sufficie…

In this case, semantics matter. Overbooking is a legally protected practice, but what you're trying to wedge into the definition of 'overbooking' is not.

Re: United Passenger “Removal”: A Reporting and Management Failure

#4
post #2

Even if it wasn't a passenger overbooking, it was overbooking in that they failed to properly account for the likelihood of having to ship crews around their network. If their occupancy ratio was lower, then there wouldn't have been a problem, they could have fit the crew in. If they reserved 4 seats for crew on every flight, again there wouldn't have been a problem. If they had even reserved 2 seats and run sufficie…

Even if that is the case, there are much better methods of dealing with a situation like this than calling a police officer. It seems, like usual for American police, officers are insensitive to anything but violence; no logic, just apply force. The man is lucky they didn't taze him. The crew should have known that. It's good that this policy is about to change, but it is too little too late.

Re: United Passenger “Removal”: A Reporting and Management Failure

#5
post #2

Even if it wasn't a passenger overbooking, it was overbooking in that they failed to properly account for the likelihood of having to ship crews around their network. If their occupancy ratio was lower, then there wouldn't have been a problem, they could have fit the crew in. If they reserved 4 seats for crew on every flight, again there wouldn't have been a problem. If they had even reserved 2 seats and run sufficie…

> The airline played the game, ran too lean and paid the price.

I would argue that the unconscious paying customer with a bloody head paid the price.

Re: United Passenger “Removal”: A Reporting and Management Failure

#6
post #2

Even if it wasn't a passenger overbooking, it was overbooking in that they failed to properly account for the likelihood of having to ship crews around their network. If their occupancy ratio was lower, then there wouldn't have been a problem, they could have fit the crew in. If they reserved 4 seats for crew on every flight, again there wouldn't have been a problem. If they had even reserved 2 seats and run sufficie…

You make good points. Airplanes used to have jump seats, fold down seats, specifically for accommodating these sorts of crew transfers, so that they wouldn't interfere with normal passenger seating. I wonder if the jump seats were removed at some point in order to increase normal seating.

Re: United Passenger “Removal”: A Reporting and Management Failure

#7
post #2

Even if it wasn't a passenger overbooking, it was overbooking in that they failed to properly account for the likelihood of having to ship crews around their network. If their occupancy ratio was lower, then there wouldn't have been a problem, they could have fit the crew in. If they reserved 4 seats for crew on every flight, again there wouldn't have been a problem. If they had even reserved 2 seats and run sufficie…

In this case, semantics matter. Overbooking is a legally protected practice, but what you're trying to wedge into the definition of 'overbooking' is not.

If terms and definitions matter, the legal term you are looking for is actually "oversales", not overbooking which is a colloquial term

Re: United Passenger “Removal”: A Reporting and Management Failure

#8
post #5
post #2

Even if it wasn't a passenger overbooking, it was overbooking in that they failed to properly account for the likelihood of having to ship crews around their network. If their occupancy ratio was lower, then there wouldn't have been a problem, they could have fit the crew in. If they reserved 4 seats for crew on every flight, again there wouldn't have been a problem. If they had even reserved 2 seats and run sufficie…

> The airline played the game, ran too lean and paid the price. I would argue that the unconscious paying customer with a bloody head paid the price.

Well, United stock went down, IIRC, $830 million dollars. That's paying a bit of a price. They may pay for it in lost sales and lawsuits, as well.

The cop got suspended. That's paying a price, too. And it may not be the end of the price he pays.

Re: United Passenger “Removal”: A Reporting and Management Failure

#9
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The airline played the game, ran too lean and paid the price. I would argue that the unconscious paying customer with a bloody head paid the price.

Well, United stock went down, IIRC, $830 million dollars. That's paying a bit of a price. They may pay for it in lost sales and lawsuits, as well. The cop got suspended. That's paying a price, too. And it may not be the end of the price he pays.

UAL is still up for the week. This is a normal fluctuation in the grand scheme of things, it isn't "payback" by any means.

Re: United Passenger “Removal”: A Reporting and Management Failure

#10
post #2

Even if it wasn't a passenger overbooking, it was overbooking in that they failed to properly account for the likelihood of having to ship crews around their network. If their occupancy ratio was lower, then there wouldn't have been a problem, they could have fit the crew in. If they reserved 4 seats for crew on every flight, again there wouldn't have been a problem. If they had even reserved 2 seats and run sufficie…

You make good points. Airplanes used to have jump seats, fold down seats, specifically for accommodating these sorts of crew transfers, so that they wouldn't interfere with normal passenger seating. I wonder if the jump seats were removed at some point in order to increase normal seating.

They still have those, but jump seat travel isn't considered safe by FAA regulations.
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