Get off our plane! Now!

[The Midnight]

I dunno, maybe you guys are all well off. But I've been a poor student struggling to survive and put myself through school/uni before so I know what it feels like to work nights, far away from home.


Imagine a similar student, saving his hard earned cash to fly home for Christmas. He has to buy the ticket 5-6 months in advance to get the best price (say $100), and he really looked forward to flying back home to see his family.


But then come Christmas Eve, the flight is overbooked - and well according to United's 'rules' it's people like him who stands the highest chance of getting kicked off the plane first because he bought the cheapest tickets. The next flight isn't for anotther 2 days so he'll surely miss his Christmas with his family. But the well-off businessman who bought the ticket half an hour before the plane leaves for $500 (because he can afford it) will get to go, but the student may not.


No, I don't think a system set up this way is fair.

 

[LogGrad98]

I dunno, maybe you guys are all well off. But I've been a poor student struggling to survive and put myself through school/uni before so I know what it feels like to work nights, far away from home.


Imagine a similar student, saving his hard earned cash to fly home for Christmas. He has to buy the ticket 5-6 months in advance to get the best price (say $100), and he really looked forward to flying back home to see his family.


But then come Christmas Eve, the flight is overbooked - and well according to United's 'rules' it's people like him who stands the highest chance of getting kicked off the plane first because he bought the cheapest tickets. The next flight isn't for anotther 2 days so he'll surely miss his Christmas with his family. But the well-off businessman who bought the ticket half an hour before the plane leaves for $500 (because he can afford it) will get to go, but the student may not.


No, I don't think a system set up this way is fair.

Did you even read the posts about how most airlines make this choice?


Most airlines use many different criteria to determine the bump order. When they say "of most value" they definitely do NOT mean "who paid the most for any single ticket on THIS flight". You run family business, right? Who is your most valuable customer, the guy that comes in and buys $500 worth of product and you never see him again, or the guy who buys $50 every couple of weeks and you have seen him for years? Who are you more willing to alienate if you had to make a choice of denying service?

It is very similar for the airlines.

They consider special needs (disability, or "differently abled" or whatever ******** is required to call it now), military service, frequent flier status, unaccompanied minors, family of crew (who usually are right at the TOP of the list to get bumped FIRST), friend using the airline employee free tickets (also the first to get bumped usually), etc. They do NOT just walk on there and go "ok which of you douches make less than $100k per year? Ok get off our ****ing plane losers!"

 

[The Midnight]

Did you even read the posts about how most airlines make this choice?


Most airlines use many different criteria to determine the bump order. When they say "of most value" they definitely do NOT mean "who paid the most for any single ticket on THIS flight". You run family business, right? Who is your most valuable customer, the guy that comes in and buys $500 worth of product and you never see him again, or the guy who buys $50 every couple of weeks and you have seen him for years? Who are you more willing to alienate if you had to make a choice of denying service?

It is very similar for the airlines.

They consider special needs (disability, or "differently abled" or whatever ******** is required to call it now), military service, frequent flier status, unaccompanied minors, family of crew (who usually are right at the TOP of the list to get bumped FIRST), friend using the airline employee free tickets (also the first to get bumped usually), etc. They do NOT just walk on there and go "ok which of you douches make less than $100k per year? Ok get off our ****ing plane losers!"

So in my example, the student who barely makes enough to get by and buys 1 ticket a year to go back home for Christmas - where does this guy stand?

 

[♪alt13]

So in my example, the student who barely makes enough to get by and buys 1 ticket a year to go back home for Christmas - where does this guy stand?

He gets another ticket and enough money to buy a couple more so he can go home for(insert favorite obnoxious holiday).

 

[LogGrad98]

So in my example, the student who barely makes enough to get by and buys 1 ticket a year to go back home for Christmas - where does this guy stand?

He gets another ticket and enough money to buy a couple more so he can go home for(insert favorite obnoxious holiday).

Pretty much this. He gets home a day later than planned with a free hotel stay and a voucher for a free flight home another time. Horrible deal I'm sure. I'm sure every college kid would rather get home exactly on the planned day than get free stuff.

 

[The Midnight]

Well if noone's gonna give me a straight answer then there's no point asking them.


To say that a college kid getting home a day or two late means less than others, therefore he should be closer to the top of the 'bump list' is not the answer.

 

[The Midnight]

To me the fairest way would be to do a reverse auction, keep increasing the offers until enough people takes it up.

 

[♪alt13]

To me the fairest way would be to do a reverse auction, keep increasing the offers until enough people takes it up.

United made a number of mistakes

1 They put up with his bs too long. They should have called the authorities in immediately.

2. They appologized. They should not encourage this bs. This will be forgotten very soon so long as some other jackass doesn't "make a stand".

3 They should have publicly called for charges to be pressed against this dude. You can't pull that **** on an airplane. It is a federal crime.

Do I feel bad when a poor student gets a later flight and a fistful of cash?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

[The Midnight]

United made a number of mistakes

1 They put up with his bs too long. They should have called the authorities in immediately.

2. They appologized. They should not encourage this bs. This will be forgotten very soon so long as some other jackass doesn't "make a stand".

3 They should have publicly called for charges to be pressed against this dude. You can't pull that **** on an airplane. It is a federal crime.

Do I feel bad when a poor student gets a later flight and a fistful of cash?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

The student was just an example I brought up. It could be someone going to a wedding, or a daughter going to see a sick parent. The computer program doesn't take into account any of that. How can it?


Instead of using the stupid program, just let the people decide. You raise the offer enough people will start to take it up. A tourist wanting to stay an extra night/day with extra spending money is going to take up the offer. It is the most effective/efficient way of allocating resources to those who need it most. Basic supply/demand.


Also from the perspective of the airline, they only needed to vacate 4 seats, it's not gonna cost them all that much.

 

[RandyForRubio]

You are literally the dumbest person on earth. But also the greatest troll.

I'm still trying to figure out how both of those work together, but I know they do.

 

[RandyForRubio]

Also, your strawman theory sucks. Let's stick to the real world, this ain't a movie.

 

[RandyForRubio]

Also, if I'm poor and struggling (which indicates I do need money and it is somewhere important) and somebody offers to quadruple my initial input of money, and all I need to do is be a day late, well I'm gonna take that deal. Maximize profits bitches.

 

[fishonjazz]

The student was just an example I brought up. It could be someone going to a wedding, or a daughter going to see a sick parent. The computer program doesn't take into account any of that. How can it?


Instead of using the stupid program, just let the people decide. You raise the offer enough people will start to take it up. A tourist wanting to stay an extra night/day with extra spending money is going to take up the offer. It is the most effective/efficient way of allocating resources to those who need it most. Basic supply/demand.


Also from the perspective of the airline, they only needed to vacate 4 seats, it's not gonna cost them all that much.

I agree that this is the way it should be done

 

[RandyForRubio]

I agree that this is the way it should be done

Guys. They couldn't do it like that.

Without authority, they can only go up to a certain limit. That's a good thing. You don't let lower level employees decide to give away mass amount of money. Simple concept.

They tried to get volunteers. People didn't. So they went within their rights, and found people to take off.

They had to take 4 people off. Not because of airline policy, because of federal policy. Good luck changing that.

Now here's the thing. I get how this seems unfair. But at the same time, when buying a ticket, you essentially signed a contract saying that you agree to those rules. They're not forcing you to fly with them.

Personally, if security comes and tells me I need to leave a plane and I don't have a choice, I'm gonna do that. It really sucks that because some ******* didn't want to follow the rules, didn't want to listen to the authorities, he's gonna get paid. And you know he's already working it. Freaking guy said this experience was more terrifying than when he fled Vietnam. He's just trying to get paid.

 

[fishonjazz]

Guys. They couldn't do it like that.

Without authority, they can only go up to a certain limit. That's a good thing. You don't let lower level employees decide to give away mass amount of money. Simple concept.

They tried to get volunteers. People didn't. So they went within their rights, and found people to take off.

They had to take 4 people off. Not because of airline policy, because of federal policy. Good luck changing that.

Now here's the thing. I get how this seems unfair. But at the same time, when buying a ticket, you essentially signed a contract saying that you agree to those rules. They're not forcing you to fly with them.

Personally, if security comes and tells me I need to leave a plane and I don't have a choice, I'm gonna do that. It really sucks that because some ******* didn't want to follow the rules, didn't want to listen to the authorities, he's gonna get paid. And you know he's already working it. Freaking guy said this experience was more terrifying than when he fled Vietnam. He's just trying to get paid.

I would think they would have to pay less if they did it like that.

I know I would take an offer pretty quick. They would never get near their limit

 

[Stoked]

All I have to say is that the United Airline memes are great.

One with Negan holding Lucille on a plane and it says "I will shut that **** down."

Then the video spoof of "privilege class" lol

Good stuff.

 

[The Midnight]

Guys. They couldn't do it like that.

Without authority, they can only go up to a certain limit. That's a good thing. You don't let lower level employees decide to give away mass amount of money. Simple concept.

Delta is already changing their policy.

"The company's customer service agents are now authorized to offer up to $2,000 for voluntary denied boardings. The previous normal limit had been only $800.

In some cases, compensation is now allowed to reach $9,950, though Delta has a number of rules — including authorization from superiors — before agents can go up that high. Until the bulletin took effect on Friday, the maximum payout had been capped at $1,350."

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/15/delta-says-it-will-pay-passengers-up-to-nearly-10000-to-leave-seats-on-overbooked-flights.html

They had to take 4 people off. Not because of airline policy, because of federal policy. Good luck changing that.

They didn't have to take anybody off. The flight was fully booked but they wanted to get 2 pilots and 2 flight attendant to Louisville for the next day's flight. They could have gotten those employees there some other way. There is no federal policy preventing that.

Now here's the thing. I get how this seems unfair. But at the same time, when buying a ticket, you essentially signed a contract saying that you agree to those rules. They're not forcing you to fly with them.

Yes the policy is in the fine prints. But going forward other airlines are starting to change their policy to accomodate this. United might decide to sit on their hands and do nothing - we'll see. But if they do that they're dumb. Business is all about adapting yourself to the ever changing world around you. If United doesn't adapt but others do, they will fall behind.

I get that your business relates to growing potatoes and people have been doing that for hundreds of years and there has been no significant change. But the airline business needs to change to adapt to technology, to customers' lifestyles and preference, to competing with other competitors, it is an ever changing industry, unlike the farming industry that you're in.

Personally, if security comes and tells me I need to leave a plane and I don't have a choice, I'm gonna do that. It really sucks that because some ******* didn't want to follow the rules, didn't want to listen to the authorities, he's gonna get paid. And you know he's already working it. Freaking guy said this experience was more terrifying than when he fled Vietnam. He's just trying to get paid.

Again, the incident has passed. I'm no longer talking about that. I'm talking about going forward what is the best policy so as not to let this sort of situation happen again. There are many other ways and other airlines are starting to implement that.

 

[The Midnight]

I agree that this is the way it should be done

Thanks Fish, me too. And as mentioned above Delta has already started to implement this as of last Friday.

 

[RandyForRubio]

They didn't have to take anybody off. The flight was fully booked but they wanted to get 2 pilots and 2 flight attendant to Louisville for the next day's flight. They could have gotten those employees there some other way. There is no federal policy preventing that.

Yes, there literally is a policy preventing that. It's also in their union contracts. United isn't allowed to rent them a car and have them drive over. They're not allowed to put them on another airlines plane. Try to read up on this, it's readily available information. So no, they could not have gotten those employees there some other way.


Yes the policy is in the fine prints. But going forward other airlines are starting to change their policy to accomodate this. United might decide to sit on their hands and do nothing - we'll see. But if they do that they're dumb. Business is all about adapting yourself to the ever changing world around you. If United doesn't adapt but others do, they will fall behind.

I get that your business relates to growing potatoes and people have been doing that for hundreds of years and there has been no significant change. But the airline business needs to change to adapt to technology, to customers' lifestyles and preference, to competing with other competitors, it is an ever changing industry, unlike the farming industry that you're in.

Yes OL, there have been no significant changes in agriculture for hundreds of years. We're still out here with horses and plows. LOL! Not to mention we're still using the same varieties from hundreds of years back. Man, I don't think I'd ever go to your flower shop if that's how you think things operate.

But wait! There's even more you're wrong on here! Airlines actually have to change the least out of major corporations. Why? Well, because there are basically 4 major US Airlines. You see, if you want to stop going to Chik-fil-A, that's easy. If you want to stop shopping at Walmart, that's easy. There are alternatives. If you're flying somewhere, and United is the only plane you can take (which is how it goes for a lot of places), well...you're screwed. Unless you want to drive. I guess you could do that. Short of flying a **** on of planes into the ground, airlines can pretty much do whatever they want to.


Again, the incident has passed. I'm no longer talking about that. I'm talking about going forward what is the best policy so as not to let this sort of situation happen again. There are many other ways and other airlines are starting to implement that.

You're no longer talking about the incident because you've been proven wrong on almost every level.

 

[The Midnight]

You're no longer talking about the incident because you've been proven wrong on almost every level.

You're right JustThetip.



In fact you're so right, that a large corporation such as Delta had just done the exact opposite of everything you've just said.