Sunday, April 30, 2017

Airlines Have Crossed the Line this time & it's Time We Push Back...


By now everyone just about everywhere has heard about the United Airlines debacle where a paid passenger was forcibly removed from a United airlines flight 3411 on Sunday, April 9, 2017. The flight was from Chicago, IL to Louisville, Kentucky. According the United, at first, the plane was "overbooked" and they had to remove four passengers. What happened next is a nightmare, not just for the passenger that was forcibly removed but for every passenger that gets on a plane. First, I know from experience that every flight I’ve ever been on that the airline knows before they let people board that they are overbooked or not. So, how did United Airlines let all the passengers on board, let them sit down and get settled and anxious to get going, and then, decide they are overbooked? Sounds like a bad case of miscommunication and management here in more than one way? Second, yes the airline may have had the right to remove passenger(s) when they overbook the flight, but how should they do it? Should they do it? What happened to offering compensation until all the number of volunteers needed step forward? That wasn’t the case here. 

Contrary to what United Airlines first claimed, the flight was not overbooked. In the end, it turned out that they had to get four employees of Republic airlines to Kentucky. Of course, Republic airline declines to comment. In other words, when staff fly on a plane to go from point A to point B, they have to go on standby: that is standard operating procedure, which wasn’t the case here. Guess none of the crew wanted to fly standby, but why should the passenger be forced out because the airline fouled up? Now, we all know that as far as airlines go, passengers don’t have any rights at all, certainly not before boarding. Yes, United had the right to remove a passenger if they actually overbooked, but exactly how far should they have gone? And what are the rights of a passenger who already boarded, sat down and settled in? 

One right does remain that no one including the airlines can take away: No one, not you, not me has the right to lay a hand on another person. That includes police et al, unless you have one hell of a damn good reason. Sitting in your seat on a plane not causing any ruckus certainly doesn’t give anyone the right to touch you. Least of all man handle you. It certainly doesn’t give the airline the right to publicly humiliate you, forcibly remove you from your seat, bang your face on the arm rest, drag you down the aisle and take you off the plane screaming. Hell, the police couldn’t do that to a terrorist even though they know he is one until he actually does something. Check your plane ticket. Show me on there anywhere that it says, “We the airline have the right to forcibly remove you from our plane if we so choose.” It doesn’t. It never will. That’s a violation of our civil rights. How dare United airlines do such a thing? Doctor or no doctor, they just didn’t have the right to do this to anyone. It didn't matter who the passenger was. This was just plain wrong. Imagine that this could have happened to any one of us at any time. They attacked a 69 year old man, a screaming senior citizen. Three strapping police officers did this, too. Oh-and did anyone else notice that this senior citizen was wearing eyeglasses? What if they had broken and cut his eyes, his face and more?

Missed seeing the actual video of the United Airlines Passenger being dragged out of his seat and down the aisle off the Plane? Here is the link to the one of many aired:
                        https://youtu.be/STJQnu72Nec

The video itself shows just how very arrogant and stupid the airlines are? How do you contemplate handling a passenger in such a way when you know every passenger on board has a cell phone camera? They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well a video is worth a million and so clearly, too. Now, the CEO of United, Oscar Munoz apologizes, only after public out roar. He has the nerve to say it won’t happen again. It shouldn’t have happened at all. Fact is, everyone connected to this debacle from Munoz on down should all be fired. I don’t know about you, but I have not the slightest empathy for United airlines. I have no sympathy for any airlines. During the last several years, they have gotten totally out of hand with baggage fees and shrinking seats and more. This was only the straw that broke the camel’s back. The government has given them so much freedom that they think they can do anything they want and they have. Until now. People must stand up and say enough is enough. The airlines have crossed the line this time and we are not going to take it anymore. Did you know that different regulations govern passengers before they enter the plane, and once they are boarded? True. That is why United claimed at first that the flight was overbooked. They lied to protect themselves. Check it out for yourself like I did at 14 CFR 250.2a. here's a tid bit from it shared by another  twitter user.

    Right now there is a petition circulating on Change.org to remove CEO Oscar Munoz from his job. (see below) I signed it and hope you will too. Great! He should be removed, but so should every other United employee that was on that United flight and let this happen. From the pilot, to the stewardesses to the security and the police officers that actually removed him. This shouldn’t have happened and we must take steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Personally, I hope this passenger gets the best ambulance chasing lawyer he can and takes United Airlines to the cleaners. Of course, in the end any lawsuit that results will cost all of us because s--t always runs downhill and airlines, as with all businesses always passes the expense onto the client. In this case, I’m willing to take that chance since I have no intention whatsoever of every flying United Airlines again.  In the meantime, this is what United has done: United has apologized, refunded fares to all passengers on that flight, no doubt to try and buy their silence, and said the airline won't ask police to remove passengers anymore. The three aviation police officers who removed Dao were suspended. That's a start, but it isn't enough. Where' the accountability of United? People are threatening to boycott the airline. Many already have. I have. That’s my take on it. I fly a great deal. I visit Europe every year and United is usually the airline I fly. Not because I’m a loyalist but that is what comes up. No more. I won’t fly United again. Never. Nada. What is your opinion about all of this? How do you think United Airlines should have handled it? Did they bullying a senior citizen and then lying about it change your mind about the airline? And what about the passenger that was removed from an American Airlines flight simply because he had to use the restroom while the plane was awaiting takeoff? What was the passenger supposed to do? Go to the bathroom in his pants? Sometimes when you have to go, you just have to go and nothing is going to stop it. (See article below). Update: United Airlines Reached a settlement with David Dao. See link below. I hope it was enough to deter this sort of action again. 
Change.org Petition:

Under Oscar Munoz's watch, United Airlines employees forcibly and violently removed a doctor from United flight UA3411. Despite the doctor's insistence that he needed to be at a hospital the next day to attend to patients, security officers forcibly pulled the doctor from his seat and to the floor of the cabin. His face was slammed against his arm rest, which broke off of the seat. He can be seen bleeding from his mouth as he is dragged down the aisle.
After public shock and outrage, Munoz delivered a non-apology apology where he stated “I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers.”
United claims that the doctor was chosen at random to be removed from the flight, which United overbooked. Had they not overbooked it, or had they offered higher rates for volunteers, or even had they avoided the brutal use of force, this incident could have been avoided entirely.
In addition, Oscar Munoz's United Airlines defended a sexist decision two weeks ago in which employees forced two teenage girls off of a flight to Minneapolis for wearing leggings. The company claimed that the decision was made because the girls did not meet their dress code for pass riders, despite the fact that no issue was raised with the girls' dad, who was also a pass rider but wore shorts. This double standard cannot be tolerated.
CEO Oscar Munoz's actions endanger the safety of passengers, and he must resign.
 Here's one article about the entire debacle you just have to read:

Update on United Airlines:
United Airlines reaches settlement with passenger dragged from plane


For More Information:


People are threatening to boycott United after a passenger was dragged off the flight


United misses Senate deadline for info about passenger removal:

United Airlines Removes Passenger and Accidentally Shoots Brand In Foot

United Airlines CEO: ‘This will never happen again’

Know your rights: What to do if your flight is overbooked

What are your rights on an overbooked flight?

Delta says bumping rules not needed, touts its own record

United 'clarifies' that Flight 3411 was not oversold

Social media offers savage #NewUnitedAirlinesMottos

United Airlines CEO issues second apology, 'I promise you we will do better'

The Internet has a few suggestions on new United Airlines mottos following disturbing video

United Airlines had a right to remove that flier. But should it have?

United Airlines under fire after man is dragged off overbooked flight

Video shows passenger removed from United flight

United Airlines trolled by rival airlines for forced removal of passenger

United CEO: We won't let police drag people off planes anymore

The United fiasco: What we know now

All the ways you could lose your seat on an airplane

Here's how much airlines will pay you to give up your seat

 That’s it for this time. Thank you all for visiting with us. Until next month, every one please stay safe. Smile. Be happy. Show compassion. Be nice to others. Put a little love into your heart. Please speak up for those without a voice, whether it be a dog, cat, elephant or monkey.  One person, one voice can make a difference. Read a book. Review it. Share it. Pass it along.


Make adoption your first option when seeking a pet. Adopt. Don’t shop. Can’t adopt. Please consider fostering one. The animal will have the taste of home and the shelter will cover the expenses. Can’t foster? Make a donation or volunteer at your local shelter. Please, don’t hunt. Unless you’re starving down in a ditch somewhere, there is no logical reason to do so. Whatever you do, however you do it, please be a voice for the animals large and small. All it takes is one to make a difference, good or bad. 
 
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Regards,
S.J. Francis Writing is my passion, but animals are my world.
    In Shattered Lies: "Good and bad, it's All About Family."  Available now from Black Opal Books and for sale at on-line retailers and independent booksellers. 
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And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2017 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.