[MarkJerling]

I just watched the video. Unbelievable! That's assault!

[lightbox]

There was blood streaming from his mouth. I hope he didn't suffer cardiac arrest?

Absolutely terrifying.

[aslyfox]

There was blood streaming from his mouth. I hope he didn't suffer cardiac arrest?

Absolutely terrifying.

some of the reports speculate he got bloodied as he was dragged from the window seat across and dumped into the aisle

[mee]

Incredible. It's an industry that's ripe for disruption.

I think Amazon is gearing up to launch an airline service and I can only imagine they'll mop the floors with the other airlines. Efficiency and logistics is their game.

If there are delays or they want my seat, do I get to pick from the top shelf of Amazon Goldbox prizes as consolation? Is the belly of the plane full of orders?

The article I read said they bought Boeing 767s, from Atlas and ATSG, and converted them to ship cargo. They are literally shipping enough packages to warrant a cargo airliner fleet of up to 40 planes. No word of shipping people across country though.. just orders.

Then again, you are a light box. You might be able to blend in and sneak on!!

[lightbox]

If there are delays or they want my seat, do I get to pick from the top shelf of Amazon Goldbox prizes as consolation? Is the belly of the plane full of orders?

The article I read said they bought Boeing 767s, from Atlas and ATSG, and converted them to ship cargo. They are literally shipping enough packages to warrant a cargo airliner fleet of up to 40 planes. No word of shipping people across country though.. just orders.

Then again, you are a light box. You might be able to blend in and sneak on!!

Maybe they'll throw me in as an add-on item.

I'm speculating but I think it's a stone's throw for them to start "shipping" people, too. They're looking to ship people to space. Cross-country or even cross-continent seems like child's play in comparison, especially when they've already got experience managing a cargo fleet and (soon) operating an air hub.

Amazon will build its own $1.5 billion air cargo hub | TechCrunch

[Just1MoreDave]

I initially thought United made a mistake by allowing the passengers to board, then trying to convince them to get off. I think, hey, I'm on the plane, we're probably getting somewhere at a predictable time. But now, I see that on the plane, an airline just has to brand you as not following crew instructions, even if those are "we have decided to throw you off for no reason." So, in the terminal, you can get upset, but on the plane it's a dystopian police state.

I also think the random selection of passengers was unlikely to select a frequent flyer who paid a lot for his ticket.

[mee]

Maybe they'll throw me in as an add-on item.

I'm speculating but I think it's a stone's throw for them to start "shipping" people, too. They're looking to ship people to space. Cross-country or even cross-continent seems like child's play in comparison, especially when they've already got experience managing a cargo fleet and (soon) operating an air hub.

Amazon will build its own $1.5 billion air cargo hub | TechCrunch

If they're anything like United, it is almost certain you'll be thrown.

There is too much PR and customer service involved in shipping people.. a lot easier to ship boxes. If Amazon overbooks the plane, they just move the rest of the boxes to another flight. No 'voluntary' (read: completely involuntary) disembarking off the plane. No security goon to man handle you. None of that stuff..

[mee]

I initially thought United made a mistake by allowing the passengers to board, then trying to convince them to get off. I think, hey, I'm on the plane, we're probably getting somewhere at a predictable time. But now, I see that on the plane, an airline just has to brand you as not following crew instructions, even if those are "we have decided to throw you off for no reason." So, in the terminal, you can get upset, but on the plane it's a dystopian police state.

I also think the random selection of passengers was unlikely to select a frequent flyer who paid a lot for his ticket.

I just read an article on that ordeal.. and indeed their 'random' selection seems to have included price of ticket, number of flights taken, disability or not, and if or if not an unaccompanied minor.

The stupid thing is, they could have avoided this entirely had United not capped the bonus for giving up your seat at 800 dollars. Go to 1000, 1200, 1400... someone will bite eventually. The cost of me missing a day of work having missed my flight is worth 1200 to me. But not if I'm headed to a cruise and will miss the boat. Or on my way to a business meeting and will miss it.

United could have easily bought 4 seats on a puddle jumper and moved their employees that way. It would have cost them far less than I suspect they'll pay now in awful PR and compensation to this guy.

But they showed their employees are more important than their customers with this incident. Too bad. Really are like cattle to United (and the rest of them likely too, just United was too stupid to avoid this scenario).

[aslyfox]

the Associated Press has a free app - AP

I just read the official letter sent out by the head of United to its employees.

he was describing something that wasn't any thing close to factual based on the videos being circulated.

It is in the US News section of the AP.

simply unbelievable.

[DeadJohn]

This article covers laws and policies related to passenger seating. The Real Scandal of That Brutal United Video - The Atlantic

I also think the random selection of passengers was unlikely to select a frequent flyer who paid a lot for his ticket.

The article I just linked says first class, frequent flyers, disabled passengers, and minors don't get bumped. It's a random selection from the passengers the airline deems eligible for bumping, and the amount you paid for your ticket is a factor.

Yes, but they have 30+ cars on the lot. All 30+ renters decided to keep them? You have at least 2 or 3 cars on the lot at all time that aren't rented just in case.. otherwise what is the point of the reservation?

What happens when something unusual occurs, and 5 renters don't return their cars on time? The 3 spares get given out to new customers leaving 0 cars on the lot. The last 2 customers to show up have no cars available because all 33 are out. The auto rental industry is different than airline seating and not directly analogous to this incident.

[gifthorse]

I quit flying when I went to the airport and saw signs "If you see something, say something." so I told the TSA agent she had a nice backside. Ya think I got some sort of good citizenship certificate or something? Nope.

[pakinjapan]

The smartest marketing any competitor of United Airline can do now is offers this guy a free ticket for the rest of his life.

[DeadJohn]

The smartest marketing any competitor of United Airline can do now is offers this guy a free ticket for the rest of his life.

The unfortunate guy might already be stuck on a no-fly list

[lightbox]

The unfortunate guy might already be stuck on a no-fly list

They need to put United on that list.

[pakinjapan]

They need to put United on that list.

yeah, I couldn't agree more. I am sure United is on that list in many people mind right now.
They can max out the offer to 1300 USD or something, but they select a more expensive method, mess up their own image.