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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

#71

Post by Klathmon »

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

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 completely trashed from being searched. It only makes the cost more expensive, and it doesn't really help with the "invasive screening" (oh, i don't need to take my shoes off any more... i'm still getting scanned or felt up)

Plus I had to take a day off of work to go answer a bunch of stupid questions, pay them $80-ish per person, and give my fingerprints.

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

#72

Post by macintux »

fixermark wrote: post #55
macintux wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trying to remember the last news story about someone being dragged out of a hotel room they've already checked into.

Trying to remember the last news story about someone being asked to leave their hotel room, refusing to do so, having police called, and continuing to refuse to do so. People being kicked out of hotel rooms because of scheduling errors does happen. It's pretty rare.

I'd be surprised were it legal to have the police drag someone out of a room they've paid for and been checked into, merely because another guest wants that room.

Sure, you can ask, but on what legal basis do you have to apply violence?

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

#73

Post by golergka »

So, this is a guy who apparently wasn't VIP enough:

> Fearns, 59, is president of TriPacific Capital Advisors, an Irvine investment firm that handles more than half a billion dollars in real estate holdings on behalf of public pension funds.

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

#74

Post by shimon_e »

mirimir wrote: post #59
shimon_e wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not true. Airlines can remove a passengers for safety reasons whenever they need to.

OK, also for safety reasons. "We have a VIP who needs your seat." is not a safety reason.

United is the airline pulling this $#!^. The problem isn't the regulations. The problem is United's execution. There is a reason why United isn't popular amongst premium paying and frequent travellers. I was avoiding their flights way before all this bad PR.

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

#75

Post by Klathmon »

douche wrote: post #70
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…

Your door-to-door time with those two trips is probably not that far apart, when you factor in time getting to and from the airport, waiting for security, waiting for luggage, and delays. Plus driving is cheaper and less stressful...

But am I wrong in thinking it shouldn't be that way? Why is the "really fast bus in the sky" so much worse in just about every way? Is it like this in other countries?

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

#76

Post by marcosscriven »

The crux of the article, for me, is this:

"What United and all companies need to do is to train and empower workers to deal with specific issues as they arise,” she said. “Don’t just follow whatever is written in your policies."

Unfortunately that's so often the case - one may as well be conversing with a robot in many customer service situations. I can only imagine it's just as frustrating for the disempowered service reps.

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

#77

Post by mirimir »

rbcgerard wrote: post #33
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.

Apparently united position is that you haven't "boarded" until the door has closed and plane has left the gate

It must be defined somewhere in law or regulation.

Based on http://www.askthepilot.com/how-to-speak-airline/ it seems like "boarding" means to enter the plane.

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

#78

Post by ptero »

At the moment I wish United gets beaten up well for forced passenger removal earlier this week. However, IMO this article just tries to pile onto the "United stinks" meme and is poorly written (more emotions than facts). Some things missing (for me):

1. When did this happen? The article makes it look like this just happened, but does not mention a date. I suspect the omission is on purpose (if so, boo!; if not, sorry, but please add event date).

2. The fact that the guy bumped off is rich is irrelevant (and going on and on about it dulls the message).

3. The fact that the seat the guy was downgraded was noisy (people arguing on both sides) is irrelevant.

IMO the main point is valid -- the person was first to the seat and in general whoever gets into the seat first keeps it in case of a seat collision or a duplicate ticket. He should not have been asked to free it to another passenger (who should have been downgraded instead and compensated somehow). But conflating this with unrelated issue to get on a "United stinks" meme is a cheap trick. My 2c.

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

#79

Post by nkkollaw »

This getting ridiculous.

The removal was awful, and they did deserve all the bad press. This article however is just trying to ride the wave to get some clicks.

There are millions of people who travel every day. Stuff like this must happen hundreds of times every day on pretty much every airline.

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

#80

Post by douche »

mpweiher wrote: post #29
paulgb wrote: post #9

He and the doctor may have a solid legal case: http://lawnewz.com/high-profile/united-cites-wrong-rule-for-... I hope for United's sake these are anomalies and not a pattern of behavior.

> ...not a pattern of behavior. It's actually far worse than just a "pattern of behavior", it is how United and other airlines (mostly US, but rest of the world is catching on) have deliberately structured their enterprise and the entire customer experience. Everything revolves around "privilege". Even 20 years ago, this used to be bad. On most European airlines' flights, you just waited at the gate until your flight…

Flying Lufthansa or SwissAir or Norwegian - basically any of the the European national carriers - is orders of magnitude better than the US carriers. It's like what flying was like 20 years ago.

Even the cut-rate European outfits like WOW are better.

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