agreed on all points (i could not open the pilotswife's link.)appleman2006 wrote: .. As I said before, I still think that United handled this very badly, not illegally perhaps, but very badly in light of today's "youtube climate" . They should of known that they could never win in a situation like this.
But here are the things that I look at as a consumer. I like cheap airline tickets. I will sometimes be willing to put up with inconvenience to get them. I am fully aware that the airline very seldom makes money on the tickets I buy and so therefor I would expect that at times things will not be perfect for me.
I actually believe that if I was made to give up my paying seat to an airline employee that is needed in another location that there is more than likely a very good reason that it needs to be done not the least being that a great many other people would be inconvenienced somewhere else if I do not give up my seat. I also fully recognize that if all the suggestions made by the airline haters in the last few days would be put into place that airline tickets would go up considerably.
And this last statement is going to be unpopular but I find it revolting that a grown up man, a doctor no less, can act like a spoiled child (in fact had any of my children ever acted this way there would of been a day of reckoning) and still be held up as a victim or a hero. Take your pick.
Oh and one more thing. The fact that Jesse Jackson and his ilk have now taken this on as their latest cause, convinces me even more of my stance.
since you wrote this, United settled with the "good" doctor, an undisclosed amount.
since then, airlines seem suddenly plagued with horrible incidents. Delta, Southwest, a Japan airline, Qantas, more with United, American Airlines .. the floodgates have been opened for horrible behavior.
for airlines to work, esp at good or cheap prices, it takes a whole lot of people behaving patiently in all sorts of situations. these blow-ups are not going to work out. my travel is dependent both on cheap fares, and, people behaving civilly, so, i'm hoping that's not about to end.
my family flies sometimes, too, i do not want my granddaughter to witness horrible behavior.
just last summer, she and her mother were in JFK when the (soccer) panic happened, that was awful. the panic, people yelling "shots fired" etc. .. the airport was locked down, flights grounded, their flight was delayed 24 hours, they were not offered anything as compensation, other than the flight the following day.
recently, my grdaughter was invited to fly with another family for a special trip. because of all that's happening in airports, i was glad they declined the invitation. that was before the defiant doctor.
there is a lot of encouragement on the internet for really bad behavior.
it's not going to work out. freedom will be lost.