Dear United Airlines,
We gotta talk about the way United Airlines removes passengers.
I’m willing to admit if I’m wrong about this situation and if things do not appear as they seem. However, the video and eyewitness accounts seem to be pretty obvious.
Y’all done effed up.
If you haven’t heard about this yet, take a peek over on Twitter for the “highlights”. ?Because United Airlines is trending. Again.
Warning: this video isn’t cool.
It’s actually quite disturbing for a traveler to watch.?
Or a human being.
Because: What the actual eff is going on here?!
@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
The story that’s come out is that United overbooked. They asked for volunteers to get off the plane for compensation in order to get United employees on this flight. Apparently, those employees were needed badly in Kansas.
When no one offered to give up their seat, names were randomly picked and see video above.
This gentleman is reported to be a physician who stated he could not take a later flight due to his patients expecting him in the morning.
I dunno, United. That sounds like a legit and verifiable “excuse.” Doctors carry credentials.
But hey, why be reasonable? Why ask questions? Why move on to another passenger?
You are an airline! You make the rules! You invoke 9/11 and safety as your reasons to do whatever you want whenever you want!
Flying the friendly skies is not a thing anymore.
Not only that, you made it worse with your … dang, I don’t know what to call this. Explanation?
It absolutely wasn’t an apology.
In a statement to Business Insider, you said:
“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. Further details on the removed customer should be directed to authorities.”
Um.
Dear United Public Relations Department,
WHAT THE ACTUAL EFF IS GOING ON HERE?
I’m shocked at how terrible you are at your job. I know there can’t be just one of you, right. I mean, your team approved this statement to THAT video?
Or maybe your staff is on loan from Pepsi?
I was considering booking flights to California this summer on United. You had some great options for where and when I needed to go and I was willing to overlook the ridiculous bag charges.
But, nah, I’m good. Southwest will continue to get my business for leisure and work. This was just the clear icing on the cake that we are never ever ever getting back together
Bye, girl.
PS- for anyone who is looking for airlines who never overbook, check out JetBlue and WestJet.
Update: A slightly less tone-deaf?response from United CEO Oscar Munoz.
“This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United. I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers. Our team is moving with a sense of urgency to work with the authorities and conduct our own detailed review of what happened,” Munoz said. “We are also reaching out to this passenger to talk directly to him and further address and resolve this situation.”
Translated: we are trying desperately to stay one step ahead of the lawyers who will be suing the wings off our airline.
GIRL. BYE.
Patty Holliday is a Marvel loving, Disney obsessed wife, and mother of four. She’s a travel agent specializing in Disney & Universal vacations- and loves a candid confession. Find her in Virginia (or anywhere frequent flyer miles or her trusty minivan takes her.)
Anne
Tuesday 11th of April 2017
I really wish they would quit calling it an "overbook" situation...it was not. It was a personnel scheduling problem.
And after the 2 hour delay it probably would have been faster to get those "urgently needed crew" to Louisville on another flight or in a car...
patty
Tuesday 11th of April 2017
RIGHT?!!?
Lesley
Monday 10th of April 2017
Yup, I'll be sticking with Southwest. Denver is a United hub, but Southwest has a good presence. I gladly flew Southwest out of Dallas instead of dealing with the crap from American Airlines, and I'll do the same here.
patty
Tuesday 11th of April 2017
I'm with you.