Reader @JayseDavid was on board United flight UA3411 from Chicago to Louisville, a United Express regional jet operated by Republic Airlines.
The flight was overbooked and United was looking for 4 volunteers to give up their seat, reportedly “for [United] personnel that needed to be at work the next day.” (Bumping for crew is supported by another passenger’s account as well.) There weren’t any volunteers, so United moved on to bump passengers involuntarily.
United Express Embraer Regional Jet
What’s unusual is that the flight had already boarded. Two of the passengers United was involuntarily bumping were “an Asian doctor and his wife” however the doctor insisted that he needed to be at the hospital the next day so he refused to get off.
Then things really went downhill.
Jayse tweeted me video of the doctor being dragged off the plane:
@United overbook #flight3411 and decided to force random passengers off the plane. Here's how they did it: pic.twitter.com/QfefM8X2cW
— Jayse D. Anspach (@JayseDavid) April 10, 2017
United apologizes for overbooking, but not for the attack on the customer.
Flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville was overbooked. After our team looked for volunteers, one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and law enforcement was asked to come to the gate. We apologize for the overbook situation.
Things took an even stranger turn, though, when the passenger who was dragged off the aircraft got back on a litle while later:
The 1 hour 19 minute flight wound up delayed 2 hours.
Another passenger took video as well:
@united @FoxNews @CNN not a good way to treat a Doctor trying to get to work because they overbooked pic.twitter.com/sj9oHk94Ik
— Tyler Bridges (@Tyler_Bridges) April 9, 2017
everyone should have left the plane! Why didn’t they?
Whoever authorized assaulting a customer off the plane needs to be fired. I won’t fly with united until they publicly release termination of their Dangerous employee. Not how a profession business should be run. Disgraceful.
just cancelled DFW TO LAX first class going A/A
I will never fly United ever again. That is a terrible way to treat a paying customer.
Switching all company travel from United Airlines to alternative sources. Bill Jennings, Stanley Tools Dallas TX.
Horrible! This is racist.
Wow United sucks, I fly with them to Florida every summer but no more ….never again
Basically it’s a gamble that the seat you pay for will be there. You have no rights, and the airline, technically doesn’t have to reimburse you…
As a fellow doctor/administrator I am truly appalled, my office has been directed to avoid any future use of United Air for business travel and I will also discontinue personal use as well. This kind of blatant disregard to a (payed in full) customer already in his seat is absolutely unacceptable.
Actually, Mike, there are very few exceptions to keep you from being compensated. Per DOT, voluntary and involuntary bumping or delays are entitled to cash or check compensation. Just know your rights, and which rules to reference if it happens — while many airlines to lay out their offer to you, some will not unless you make your request on-the-spot.
I have witnessed this exact behavior on a United flight from DEN to HNL – they looked for volunteers and then began dragging people off of the plane. I despise flying United and will only do so when it is the ONLY way to get where I am going…
No one should fly with United until they publicly apologize to this man, pay his medical bills, give him free flights for the rest of his life and fire the idiot who assaulted him. And even if they do all that, I will still never fly United again.
This happened in America? Appalling!
Using that kind of force was totally wrong for this situation! That program for random selection of passengers that they used should be done away with and replaced with one that would exclude medical Doctors. As it is sensible to assume that a Doctor traveling on an airplane has patients with life threatening conditions waiting for him, also to have a medical Doctor on a flight increases safety for both the crew and the passengers as life threatening situations have occurred on flights. Medical Doctors should exempt from that process.
While the fact the the Doctor was injured during his forced removable from the plane is terrible, EVERY airline does IDB. Every single one.
If all this outrage is due to the IDB then there are going to be a lot of people taking the train.
Wow as an intelligent Asian man, I am never flying United Airlines again.
Wow! I’m glad I don’t own stock in United (and thankful my miles cover flying all of Star Alliance). This is cause for a hefty lawsuit, clearly. And however much deregulation Trump manages to ram through, we can always rest assured that since many (most?) congress folks fly home and back weekly, they are highly attuned to lousy conditions in flights. Geez, United, you hit bottom with this one!
They are TERRIBLE! They cancelled our flight coming home from NC and wouldn’t help us with hotel or anything. The woman told me they don’t control the weather and walked away while I was still talking! They were going to let us sit in the airport till the next flight home…3 DAYS LATER. I had 1 year old Brayden, my mother and Arian sick with a fever. They are disgusting!! They gave each of use $100 credit to use by the end of the year. FUCK THEM AND THEIR CREDIT! I’ll NEVER fly with them again!!
Just wanted to book a TATL on United. Will fly competitors. If there are no volunteers your get knocked out of the seat? I + family will avoid this company at any cost.
Mike wrote, “Basically it’s a gamble that the seat you pay for will be there. You have no rights, and the airline, technically doesn’t have to reimburse you…”
Technically true. But also if you pay with a credit card, you now have a valid reason to refuse payment. Also federal law makes this the credit card company’s fault and failing to provide goods or services falls squarely under the Fair Credit Billing Act’s purpose. Also there is plenty of established case law where credit card companies have lost fighting such disputes.
But the problem about potentially loosing your seat on a flight that you’ve paid for is frustrating. It’s one of several reasons I don’t like to fly unless there is a clear time advantage. Or if my employer insists.
As a fellow physician this is just horrible. When we travel our biggest fear is not making it back to work on time. We don’t have the luxury to just call in sick all the time. We want to take care of our patients. This poor doctor just wanted to do just that and because one of United employee needed a seat he was dragged out his seat which he payed for. I have no words for United.
I traveled United this last weekend from DC-Reagan to Orange county. The flight was oversold by 6. The entire trip has a laundry list of problems from poor flight management, boarding, lost luggage, lack of food, flight attendant attitudes and horrific customer service from multiple personnel. I thankfully did not have to endure what this Doctor did (that is beyond ridiculous!) but as someone who flies over 100 flights a year, I can tell you I will NOT be flying with United anymore. I work hard for my money and don’t like being treated like crap when I pay for a service. So long United!
I empathize for this guy, and will boycott UA as well, but can we just drop the Doctor getting special rights BS? Thanks. We all have jobs. All of our employers/clients/patients expect us to take care of them. It’s a bad look for wealthy doctors suggesting they deserve seats more than other paying customers. Let’s focus on UA here.
With all the airplanes for hire in Chicago and Louisville, and United’s contacts in each city, how much would it have cost them to charter, or buys tickets on another carrier for the crew? When they offer $3,200 of credit and up to 4 hotel rooms for compensation, they could have saved that cost and flew the crew. Now they can pay for their mistake bad publicity and maybe other cost for a poor decision. Good luck United.
My family and I will never ever fly with United Airlines.
If we all do the same they will never ever do something like this again.
Stand up and be counted.
Thank you
I will NEVER take united airlines again! We travel for our jobs several times a month and they will never see a nickel from us!
@Patrick —> Me thinks thou missed the point. YES, every airline has something in its Contract of Carriage covering the INvoluntary “bumping” of passengers, and every carrier a) does this (involuntarily bumps passengers from time to time), and b) has something in its Policies & Procedures manual to cover what is to be done and how.
THAT, however is most decidedly NOT the issue at hand.
Please show me where in United’s P&P manual it says it’s perfectly fine to bloody someone and then drag them off the plane . . .
@JoeItaliano — No. We can’t drop it. As I said earlier, what would you do if YOU were waiting for surgery, for example, and your doctor failed to show up at the hospital?
Yes, we all have jobs, and employers who count on us, but (e.g.) a school can call in a substitute with relative ease; an office worker can call his or her boss and explain the situation (“I didn’t ask to get bumped, but I got kicked. I’ll be in as soon as I can . . . [or tomorrow, if that’s what the boss says]”); etc., etc., etc. Even a police officer or fire fighter can have someone cover their shift if forced to take a sick day; how is this any different? Having said that, however, there ARE certain situations and certain professions that are not so easily covered:
— A member of the military who is traveling under orders, who might otherwise get charged with Unauthorized Leave, being AWOL, or worse, charged with UCMJ Article 87 (missing a troop movement), which could result in a dishonorable discharge and up to two years in prison (maximum).
— A lawyer, scheduled to appear in court the next morning, who will not only let his or her client down, but could face potential disciplinary actions, sanctions, and Contempt of Court citations. (Just out of curiosity, do you think the US Supreme Court would reschedule a case if one side’s lawyer failed to show up for Oral Argument?)
— A doctor, who has surgeries to perform the next morning, or patients in hospital with life-threatening conditions, or . . .
So, no, we can’t drop it . . .
@Jason
I agree that no passenger should ever be manhandled as the Doctor was. (Done by law enforcement NOT United)
But what I was getting at is that there seem to be some people here that think the IDB is just the most horrible thing in the world and they will never fly United again because of it. If THAT’S there reason for not flying UA then they will be in for a surprise when the go to XZY airline and they do the same thing.
Leaving because of the way UA handled the entire process? OK have at it. But just because of the IDB?
United Airline is so wrong to deal with the overbooking situation like that. Who made mistake is obvious. I cannot imagine if I have a good reason to reject to get off the plane. Do I deserve to be treated like that? What’s wrong with UA? I refuse to take United Airline.
Wow. The people commenting here are unreal. Poor guy. I can’t believe those officers.
Why didn’t they just wait patiently and politely when this guy wouldn’t do what they said? Why didn’t they just say “pretty please…?” Why didn’t they get down on their knees and beg?
Oh. Because this guy is illegally resisting removal from an aircraft. Wow, when are adults in this country going to start expecting other adults to behave like adults and not children?
This dude is an idiot….he was physically resisting removal and in the process of being forcibly removed he his head was injured…it was his fault!!!! He made the ridiculous choice to physically resist…
What a f***ing child.
Yes, involuntary boarding sucks. Yes, United could have offered better incentives. But this guy was chosen to leave. How would it be fair to say, oh, you’re a doctor, you can stay? Think that would have gone down well with the persons after him selected for removal?
I blame one person for his injury and his situation… him.
If my kids get hurt doing something stupid
Fly United. Fly the friendly skies.
Yeah right!
I have never ever seen such a terrifying episode on a flight, but I’ve not frequently travelled on US carriers as exactly this thing worries me. I travelled on Delta, United and AA, and despite the American service supposedly being so much better than British carriers, I have to say the difference is noticeable and to the contrary.
Airlines offloading passengers for THEIR overbooking should suffer significant penalties, but overbooking should not be necessary or legal in this day and age. Unless you buy a cheap ticket on a standby basis and only have rights to empty seats once everyone has boarded, this should be completely outlawed.
I’m sure United Airlines are not proud of this, but I’ll stick to Virgin, BA and easyJet if it’s all the same.
@PAtrick —> In re: “Leaving because of the way UA handled the entire process? OK have at it. But just because of the IDB?”
Maybe I missed it, but I have yet to hear/read anyone saying IDB is the cause. I think people — or, OK, let’s make it personal — *I* will boycott UA because of the WAY this was handled; the way the passenger in question was mistreated; and the asinine way in which UA has responded to this incident, both last night and their CEO’s statement today. Sheer stupidity!
I am switching all my flights to anything but United unless I really must
Racist bastards, I will never fly that airline again, and YES they need to arrest the person who dragged him off; it IS assault!
my wife left me for a chinese doctor
Im done with united!
Worst experience ever! Scary and dangerous.. people need to be fired. United should of asked who wanted to volunteer to get off and compensate the passenger, not randomly choose who gets off.
The passenger was dragged off of a commuter flight variously referred to as either Republic or Expressjet, not mainline United. Fifty percent of United passengers ride on a contractor United brand commuter. Passengers on the commuters per United management are only authorized reimbursement to $800. The rules per overbooked flights should require the airline keeps upping the ante, until somebody takes the bait. In what business can you sell something and arbitrarily not provide the service.
The dragger appeared to be attended by police but perhaps not actually a police officer. I suspect contract security.
There are some ridiculous “rules” in the playbook that should be challenged in court. I hope the doctor sues United, the commuter, and security.
I am ex-Delta baggage handler, Delta Counterperson, and ex-United Commuter Airline Pilot.
United Airlines is done. Boycott.
Hey Nobody Says, You are the idiot in the room ( or cabin) . If the fates were kind the next “dude” to be pulled out of his seat should be you, and maybe kicked in your balls for resisting. These were not regular LE they were goons and they acted the part. The good doctor was totally within his rights to DISAGREE and not comply. He was not intoxicated, violent or screaming Allahu Akbar while waving a Koran. . United was never my first choice ( crappy in flight service and dirty seats on several flights. Their first class is inferior to every other airline I fly. I have just issued a memo to all of our division heads to discontinue flying on United as of today date. We have just 16 executives that will be affected but thats 16 less that will fly United Gestapo Airlines.
What do you guys want? The Chicago police was kind enough not to shoot you on the spot when you started filming them. They even allowed you to fly out and to KEEP THOSE VIDEOS.
Do you think Nazis selecting people in Auschwitz for immediate gassing or hard work to death were better? Who entitled you to a privilege?
[/sarcasm off]
Let’s re-accomodate ourselves so that UA staff can have the whole plane for themselves.
Every year, my company organizes for about 2,000 student Edu-tour trips to the US. We have had a number of bad incidences with UA for the round trips made between Shanghai/Beijing and O-Hare last summer. From this horrific incident that the elderly Chinese doctor went through, my company will not be using UA anymore during this June-July-August period.
We stand in solidarity with the victim and will not let the cocky airline and its cocky CEO take our money and bully us.
No volunteer only means the compensation UA provided is not enough. UA does not have the right to use violence for ending the service agreement with the passengers.
I’d like to suggest to all the doctors here saying that it is more important that you more so than other passengers be at your destination on time not wait until the night before to fly home. There are many reasons tht a flight would be canceled and you, my dear doctor, are not immune to any of them.
I will never, ever fly on United again.
This pathetic excuse for a service oriented company would have been smarter to allow this passenger to be voluntarily removed by promising to get him to his destination on one of their private jets reserved for their executives. Or better yet, booked their own employees they removed him for on another airline themselves!
He had every right to get to his job the next day, too. But United put their own interests ahead of his and his wife.
They have no excuse for their egregious and disgusting actions and don’t deserve the business of any self-respecting traveler.
Any airline that is this stupid on the ground can’t possibly be trusted with the safety of it’s passengers in the air.
This is not the dirst time they doing this to asian person.
When they have over book problem first one they drage out is belive or not it was allways asian.
Search on google its all there.
Never fly again with UA.
On April 10, Mike wrote: ‘Any airline that is this stupid on the ground can’t possibly be trusted with the safety of it’s passengers in the air.’
I would add Stupid and Reckless.
And this is only what the public sees. Imagine what an airline so totally void of any ethical standards could be doing behind the scenes?
Every executive of this company should have their compensation ‘clawed back’ to the last century and offered to this passenger along with their apologies.
Yep, already starting the fallout…
Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton is demanding a hearing and for the transportation committee to look into this.
Lawsuits will be the least of Oscar Munoz’s problems. Have a feeling he will be ousted over this. Might take 6 months, but it will likely happen.