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United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

latimes.com

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Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#101

Post by user15672 »

bitwize wrote: post #62
mirimir wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, we know now that it's illegal to remove customers after boarding, unless they do something illegal. Saying no isn't illegal.

It is a federal crime to not follow crewmember instructions, so...

No, it's not. It's a federal crime to assault a crewmember. It's a civil offence to intefere with a crewmember while they are carrying out their duties. This can be escalated to a criminal offense but this is not usual for just being difficult. Interference is usually in regards to safety.

Bumping a well behaving passenger in preference of a "more important" one doesn't really fall into either category.

Considering the passenger in this story has already consulted legal counsil, I'm thinking the lawyer agrees that he did nothing wrong.

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#102

Post by EtherOr »

I wonder if this is a staged attempt (on the part of United, if not also the passenger) to prove that the prior instance was not about race or class (e.g. economy vs. first). "See, we do it to everyone!" Could this latest behavior be used as defensive evidence in a court case alleging discrimination?

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#103

Post by randallsquared »

Klathmon wrote: post #71
jghn wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This was me for a long time, but then I got precheck. It is such a night and day difference that I'm back to flying

Even with precheck (which i got as well), it didn't really change anything. I still need to show up just as early (as my local airport often has a longer line for precheck!), i still can't pack more than some stupid amount of liquid, or have my shit thrown out because I used a X-oz plastic bag which is too big!!! I still can't check bags as they just won't ever show up, or will show up damaged, have items stolen, or…

I must fly into and out of only the best airports. I've only ever had one thing thrown out; I've never had anything in my checked baggage damaged (and if I'm going for more than overnight, I always check my bag, even though I could carry it on, to avoid fighting for space with other passengers' carryons); the scanning doesn't perceptibly affect me; and I regularly show up at the airport less than an hour before boarding.

I live 45 minutes from CLT, with an office 45 minutes by taxi[0]from JFK, and when I fly into JFK, I can leave the house at 5am and be at the office by 10am.

[0] account_banned on Uber the first time I ever tried to use it, so, taxi it is.

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#104

Post by gambiting »

adekok wrote: post #8

Can someone read this: https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/contract-of-carriag... and explain where it allows them to refuse transport to a well-behaved passenger after boarding ? Rule 21 seems to apply, but nothing there looks like "United can refuse to transport you 'just cause'". I've seen lots of people claim this behavior is legal, all without a shred of evidence to back them up.

Quite simple - United defines boarding as having everyone seated and the doors closed. Until that point you haven't boarded yet, as stupid as that sounds.

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#105

Post by nxtrafalgar »

tici_88 wrote: post #17

Travelling in the US or with US airlines is not looking very good right now. Not just the United incident(s) but also TSA, Trump travel restrictions, flights constantly overbooked, massively late etc. I wonder if it will start impacting traveller and tourism numbers at some point. I think anyone who doesn't really need to be in the US and/or is planning travelling with kids is likely to have some second thoughts at t…

I am constantly surprised when reading about the US. You would think that there would be more similarities with New Zealand, my home country.

Anecdotally; I flew to Australia a few months ago on an economy-class ticket purchased at very short notice. My trip through both Auckland and Melbourne airports was very pleasant, and I had no need to even interact with any of the personnel the whole way through. The flight was full but not overbooked and we arrived early.

Reading the stories about travel to the US is very discouraging and erases any desire I had to visit. I suppose there isn't much of an incentive to improve anything in the US, because the economy doesn't rely on tourism to the same extent we do here.

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#106

Post by gambiting »

URSpider94 wrote: post #37
JustSomeNobody wrote: post #25

If I paid full-fare and I'm already seated, who could possibly be more important than me?

on United -- it was almost certainly a Global Services passenger. Those folks get whatever they want.

What's a Global Services passenger?

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#107

Post by gm-conspiracy »

tici_88 wrote: post #17

Travelling in the US or with US airlines is not looking very good right now. Not just the United incident(s) but also TSA, Trump travel restrictions, flights constantly overbooked, massively late etc. I wonder if it will start impacting traveller and tourism numbers at some point. I think anyone who doesn't really need to be in the US and/or is planning travelling with kids is likely to have some second thoughts at t…

It's only been ~15 years.

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#108

Post by tyfon »

tici_88 wrote: post #17

Travelling in the US or with US airlines is not looking very good right now. Not just the United incident(s) but also TSA, Trump travel restrictions, flights constantly overbooked, massively late etc. I wonder if it will start impacting traveller and tourism numbers at some point. I think anyone who doesn't really need to be in the US and/or is planning travelling with kids is likely to have some second thoughts at t…

The company I work at (in Norway) had planed to take all 70 employees to NYC this summer to celebrate a milestone reached.

We just moved the whole thing to Paris instead as we had issues with all of the above, including employees that have visited "dangerous" countries.

The thing that pushed everyone over was when our former prime minster was harassed[1] at the border for having been to a meeting in Iran. It says in his passport that he was a former prime minster, but apparently none is safe from the US border guards.

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/03/former-norwa...

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#109

Post by coldpie »

Klathmon wrote: post #71
jghn wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This was me for a long time, but then I got precheck. It is such a night and day difference that I'm back to flying

Even with precheck (which i got as well), it didn't really change anything. I still need to show up just as early (as my local airport often has a longer line for precheck!), i still can't pack more than some stupid amount of liquid, or have my shit thrown out because I used a X-oz plastic bag which is too big!!! I still can't check bags as they just won't ever show up, or will show up damaged, have items stolen, or…

Some TSA clown once told me I had to throw away my water and we just stared at each other for a bit. "My water, seriously?" "Yep, your water." "Water." "Water."

Fuck the TSA and fuck the terrified Americans who keep voting to keep them.

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#110

Post by gm-conspiracy »

jghn wrote: post #67
Klathmon wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anecdotally I've noticed that for like 5 years now my friends and family have a pretty severe aversion to flying anywhere for anything. From needing to show up hours before the flight, to the invasive screenings, the insane restrictions on what you can and cannot bring, the sentiment that if you check any baggage it's basically as good as gone, the ever increasing cost, the delays, and even things like the worry abou…

This was me for a long time, but then I got precheck. It is such a night and day difference that I'm back to flying

Ah, yes, being extorted to not remove your shoes.
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