United overbooked a flight so they dragged a passenger off the plane

[sonololo]

Erm... They can offer more if they choose, but $1,350 is the maximum required compensation, which is contrary to your previous statement. If 400% of your ticket price is less than $1,350, then the required offering will be less than $1,350. For instance, a $200 ticket will have a required compensation of $800.

Err, I don't really see that we need to waste post space on that details, basically I should've said that they aren't really limited by 400% of the ticket's price. $1350 is shorter to write that saying "minimum of 400%". And still understandable.

They don't, and probably they should've afforded more, because it's already should've been cost lower than negative publicity after beating the passenger to pulp. And that he's a doctor is irrelevant here. Or at least, make offers BEFORE boarding, not after.

And the law should be changed.

[GennGreymane]

Sure for normal contracts.

The "contracts" we sign when hit those accept buttons without reading them are pretty fucking ironclad... And are incredibly one sided in favor of protecting the company...

Depends on the court. Adhesion contracts have an interesting history

[alturic]

Cool, you should get a law degree. Trust me, its gonna be a bit more complex than that.

Sadly, it's not really.

[Allybeboba]

Legally, they'll be fine. They just look like assholes to the public, which may cause more damage in the long run.

Only to the uninformed public.

[GennGreymane]

Sadly, it's not really.

Sure thing Its never more complicated.

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Only to the uninformed public.

haha, the irony

[alturic]

And whats your point? They can offer more if they wanted. Seems your point is rather.... *sun glasses* Pointless YEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHH

CSI: Miami was a pretty good show actually, still kinda bummed they cancelled it. However, the point *sun glasses* remains.

[GennGreymane]

CSI: Miami was a pretty good show actually, still kinda bummed they cancelled it. However, the point *sun glasses* remains.

U ruined it

[Wiyld]

That is correct. And the customer only magnified the situation by not obeying the lawful orders of a police officer.
A series of bad decisions happened.

no, the passenger allowed them to make asses of themselves and will likely profit significantly from this

The passenger will make out with money, a cop is already on leave and united will take a hit

so really...who fucked up?

[alturic]

U ruined it

Meh, too late, exhausted after trying to teach people how to read regulations.

[GennGreymane]

Meh, too late, exhausted after trying to teach people how to read regulations.

You know, there is extended readings outside of regulations in many cases, possibly including this one.

[Allybeboba]

no, the passenger allowed them to make asses of themselves and will likely profit significantly from this

The passenger will make out with money, a cop is already on leave and united will take a hit

If he is indeed a practicing "doctor" it would be in his best interests to not sue.

[buck008]

Only to the uninformed public.

No, information actually makes them look worse since they enact policies knowing full well this could happen and don't actually care. Again, it's 100% legal to do so and they have their ducks in a row by making a compensatory offer before forcing a paying and also legally compliant customer off the plane by calling in the cops to drag him out.

[Wiyld]

If he is indeed a practicing "doctor" it would be in his best interests to not sue.

oh here we go

[GennGreymane]

If he is indeed a practicing "doctor" it would be in his best interests to not sue.

Whys that?
/10 chars

I also enjoy the quotation marks. Do we know more about this guy, or are you just pullin the old male version of a cow?

[alturic]

You know, there is extended readings outside of regulations in many cases, possibly including this one.

Oh, you mean like their Contract of Carriage you agree to? Gotcha covered.

Compensation for Passengers Denied Boarding Involuntarily
For passengers traveling in interstate transportation between points within the United States, subject to the EXCEPTIONS in section d) below, UA shall pay compensation to Passengers denied boarding involuntarily from an Oversold Flight at the rate of 200% of the fare to the Passenger’s first Stopover or, if none, Destination, with a maximum of 675 USD if UA offers Alternate Transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the Passenger’s Destination or first Stopover more than one hour but less than two hours after the planned arrival time of the Passenger’s original flight. If UA offers Alternate Transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the Passenger’s Destination or first Stopover more than two hours after the planned arrival time of the Passenger’s original flight, UA shall pay compensation to Passengers denied boarding involuntarily from an Oversold Flight at the rate of 400% of the fare to the Passenger’s first Stopover or, if none, Destination with a maximum of 1350 USD.

For passengers traveling from the United States to a foreign point, subject to the EXCEPTIONS in section d) below, UA shall pay compensation to Passengers denied boarding involuntarily from an Oversold Flight originating at a U.S. airport at the rate of 200% of the fare to the Passenger’s first Stopover or, if none, Destination, with a maximum of 675 USD if UA offers Alternate Transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the Passenger’s Destination or first Stopover more than one hour but less than four hours after the planned arrival time of the Passenger’s original flight. If UA offers Alternate Transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the Passenger’s Destination or first Stopover more than four hours after the planned arrival time of the Passenger’s original flight, UA shall pay compensation to Passengers denied boarding involuntarily from an Oversold Flight at the rate of 400% of the fare to the Passenger’s first Stopover or, if none, Destination with a maximum of 1350 USD.

I *especially* like the part where it says "with a maximum of 1350 USD".

[IIamaKing]

Lovin all the legal minds here

I myself am well versed in Bird Law.

[skitzin]

Sure for normal contracts.

The "contracts" we sign when hit those accept buttons without reading them are pretty fucking ironclad... And are incredibly one sided in favor of protecting the company... Its why they even exist, to protect businesses from litigation.

Oh, my sweet summer child they are not. Trust me many of them have heaps of stuff that gets trumped by plenty of laws around the globe.

Just look at STEAM getting hit over refunds in different courts around the globe.

Hell even Blizzard's ToS trying to claim it effectively ignore Australia's (or New Zealand's, or Malaysia's, and a few others) consumer protection laws, they try to say that those countries will be bound by US law, which in Australia at least, is not something that they can do.

Just because they put something in a contract doesn't mean it will automatically stand up in a court or when challenged.

[GennGreymane]

I myself am well versed in Bird Law.

That is an excellent field sir.

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Oh, you mean like their Contract of Carriage you agree to? Gotcha covered.

Something tells me you are not familiar with the American legal system.

[alturic]

That is an excellent field sir.

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Something tells me you are not familiar with the American legal system.

Oh, he'll totally win a lawsuit. I suppose United would be the co-defendant for all of the "pain and suffering" they forced him to endure. Realistially that's how he'll win the case, because figuratively and LITERALLY had "pain and suffering", only it was at the hands of law-enforcement.

[Wiyld]

This is basically the situation, except United dealt with it worse than they should have. They expect people not to show up so they can cut the rate for everyone involved. If they didn't, every single ticket on the flight would be more expensive.

Personally, I'd say raise the fare and stop with the shitty practice, but we all know the increased fare wouldn't change a damn thing.

LOL why is everyone assuming that the airlines are overbooking to keep rates lower??

What evidence have they EVER provided to show that?