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Thread: Protesting is so good for the soul.....

  1. #101
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    So the latest news is United recently kicked off a couple who were going on a honeymoon to Costa Rica because they would not listen to flight attendant instructions to return to their assigned seats. They repeatedly tried to sit in upgraded seats--not first class but "Economy Plus." They didn't think it was a big deal.

    Yes, United is the Big Bad Airline, but look what they have to put up with. These people didn't pay for upgraded seats, but they thought they were entitled to them, just because. They didn't obey the flight attendants' instructions to move back to their own row. As a frequent flier, these kinds of fliers drive me nuts. They're the ones who will put their carry-on in the overheads in the front of the plane even though their seats are in the back, just so they don't have to carry them down the aisle. They're the ones who will not obey a simple request to turn off their cell phones. It may sound like such a stupid thing to kick off a couple because they wanted to steal seats they didn't pay for, but how is that different from any other kind of purchase where you take what you pay for and you're not entitled to more just because you feel like it?

    I could never be a flight attendant. People can be so selfish and rude on airlines.
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  2. #102
    Senior Member gimmethesimplelife's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post
    So the latest news is United recently kicked off a couple who were going on a honeymoon to Costa Rica because they would not listen to flight attendant instructions to return to their assigned seats. They repeatedly tried to sit in upgraded seats--not first class but "Economy Plus." They didn't think it was a big deal.

    Yes, United is the Big Bad Airline, but look what they have to put up with. These people didn't pay for upgraded seats, but they thought they were entitled to them, just because. They didn't obey the flight attendants' instructions to move back to their own row. As a frequent flier, these kinds of fliers drive me nuts. They're the ones who will put their carry-on in the overheads in the front of the plane even though their seats are in the back, just so they don't have to carry them down the aisle. They're the ones who will not obey a simple request to turn off their cell phones. It may sound like such a stupid thing to kick off a couple because they wanted to steal seats they didn't pay for, but how is that different from any other kind of purchase where you take what you pay for and you're not entitled to more just because you feel like it?

    I could never be a flight attendant. People can be so selfish and rude on airlines.
    Catherine, I'm glad you posted this as reading this inspired me to do further research and this does seem to be a reliable account of what took place on this flight. If so, I can't hold this against the United Airlines Brand, much as i'd like to. Just as you need "standing to sue" to be able to sue, an activist such as myself should have "standing to engage" in activism - i.e., a justifiable reason for doing so. This is not such an example and I will admit I was all fired up about this after hearing about it at 6 AM this morning in line for discounted menudo at the Mexican Deli at Food City.

    United Airlines really does have a lot of my friends and neighbors extremely pissed off as what happened to Dr. Dao is a perfect example for many people of both what is wrong with America and how America truly is, but in this particular case I can't fault United and there are those out there faulting United for this. I wish to be reasonable in my activism and this particular incidence does not lend me "standing to engage" in activism. I continue activism against the United Airlines brand but I will not add this incident to the list of grievances against the brand. Rob

  3. #103
    Senior Member gimmethesimplelife's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Teacher Terry View Post
    Rob, I don't know many people that think that what was done to the doctor was right. However, to hope an entire company folds by the actions of a few employees is ridiculous. These big companies employ many people and shit is going to happen. Yes United's CEO responded stupidly and will probably lose his job and I am ok with that. This country give us the right to speak freely, protest, etc. People daily are risking their lives to get here. All countries have problems. There is no utopia because all humans are flawed as will be the governments, etc.
    I agree with this general jist of what you have posted and I further agree that when humans are involved, there will be flaws. Points granted. Where I veer off course with what you have posted is that I personally believe that what happened to Dr. Dao is a perfect example of how America really is and what America truly stands for. Maybe not quite so much in the past, but these days, definitely. This is one reason so many in the 85006 are out for the economic collapse of the brand and are wishing their planes are sold to competitors for pennies on the dollar - to send a message that there are limits and there are consequences for exceeding the limits.

    It may be unfortunate for the brand, but United Airlines has really created a situation in which those of the lower social classes - and per IRS statistics, over half of all Americans make less than 30K a year these days - see United Airlines as a perfect example of why America doesn't work for them and of course, they are filled with understandable ill will. I'd advise all corporations going forward, no exceptions, to put a lid on such behavior as the anger out there against the inequality and blatant lack of opportunity in the United States is only increasing, and more and more people are rightfully directing the blame at corporations.....don't be surprised in the coming years to see much more anti-corporate activism against other brands displaying such blatant disrespect for human rights and human dignity. Rob

    PS Came back to add - given that I have no faith whatsoever that corporations will learn lasting lessons from the United Airlines fiasco, and given that I believe there will be a marked increase in anti-corporate protesting going forward, and given that I am now 50 years of age - provided I keep my health (?), my later years before leaving the US could be quite interesting.....I mean this in a positive way, too.

  4. #104
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gimmethesimplelife View Post
    Catherine, I'm glad you posted this as reading this inspired me to do further research and this does seem to be a reliable account of what took place on this flight. If so, I can't hold this against the United Airlines Brand, much as i'd like to. Just as you need "standing to sue" to be able to sue, an activist such as myself should have "standing to engage" in activism - i.e., a justifiable reason for doing so. This is not such an example and I will admit I was all fired up about this after hearing about it at 6 AM this morning in line for discounted menudo at the Mexican Deli at Food City.

    United Airlines really does have a lot of my friends and neighbors extremely pissed off as what happened to Dr. Dao is a perfect example for many people of both what is wrong with America and how America truly is, but in this particular case I can't fault United and there are those out there faulting United for this. I wish to be reasonable in my activism and this particular incidence does not lend me "standing to engage" in activism. I continue activism against the United Airlines brand but I will not add this incident to the list of grievances against the brand. Rob
    I thought that this headline simply made good media fodder, given the incident last week--and of course the headline didn't suggest that the couple might have been jerks. I don't want to disparage your activism either, because I'm not always waving the banner for Corporate America believe me! I just thought that there really were two sides to the Dr. Dao story. I myself have been in situations in which they called for involuntary bumping. If they had bumped me from a flight that would have delayed my getting to work I would have been really upset, but I usually leave wiggle room (i.e. I don't take the last flight that's going to get me there). I don't count on the airlines to get me to work on time.

    With flying, sh*t happens all the time. Just a week or two ago--the weekend of April 7, my DH and two of my sons were supposed to go to Florida for a golf trip. They had paid quite a bit of non-refundable monies for the flight and for the house rental. Then the weather intervened, and it happened to be Spring Break weekend, and the result was my DH wound up being the ONLY one who made it down there (he flew United). Meanwhile, my son and his two friends could not get rebooked on Spirit Air after the flight was cancelled and they lost the whole weekend. My other son from Burlington missed his connection in Newark, and his golf clubs wound up in Houston. DH wound up turning around and coming home because there were no flights for the others all weekend. It was a real bummer. I could blame the airline, or I could blame God for the weather, or all those kids going to Ft. Lauderdale. But it was just an unfortunate turn of events.

    I see that United has put new policies in place, so I hope they've learned from their mistakes.
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
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  5. #105
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
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    Because shit happens is one reason when I go to KS for dental work I leave myself lots of wiggle room. I have to fly through Denver as there are no non-stops. So I leave on Wed for a Fri appointment.

  6. #106
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    Quote Originally Posted by gimmethesimplelife View Post
    I agree with this general jist of what you have posted and I further agree that when humans are involved, there will be flaws. Points granted. Where I veer off course with what you have posted is that I personally believe that what happened to Dr. Dao is a perfect example of how America really is and what America truly stands for. Maybe not quite so much in the past, but these days, definitely. This is one reason so many in the 85006 are out for the economic collapse of the brand and are wishing their planes are sold to competitors for pennies on the dollar - to send a message that there are limits and there are consequences for exceeding the limits.

    It may be unfortunate for the brand, but United Airlines has really created a situation in which those of the lower social classes - and per IRS statistics, over half of all Americans make less than 30K a year these days - see United Airlines as a perfect example of why America doesn't work for them and of course, they are filled with understandable ill will.

    I have real trouble believing that the impoverished masses of any zip code are seething with outrage over this incident. I doubt many have no greater concern than the treatment of a doctor by an airline. The whole thing seems more like a "rich peoples' problem" to me. If "the lower social classes" see this as "the perfect example of why America doesn't work for them", then we are in better shape than I thought we were.

  7. #107
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    One thing UA might want to do is to make it a policy that all doctors fly free (since having a doctor on board is a good thing) and that all honeymooners get upgraded for free.

    That's my feedback for UA, also free!

  8. #108
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    I bet any study would show the poor in the U.S. don't travel much, that it's really outside their realm. The exception would be seeing family I guess. And even then how do they travel? How does the cost of a plane ticket compare to greyhound bus? I can't say I've compared them, might not be much difference.

    (i.e. I don't take the last flight that's going to get me there). I don't count on the airlines to get me to work on time.
    but how is one to even know this if they don't fly a lot? Don't assume frequent flyer knowledge applies to non-frequent flyers. And if the plane service is more reliable elsewhere (I don't know if it is but train and bus service is) don't expect foreigners to know it either. I've taken Amtrak a bunch of times, I KNOW the trains almost never run on time, that the schedule published is an idealized schedule assuming the normal delays don't happen, but people who have never taken the train before don't know this.
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  9. #109
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ApatheticNoMore View Post

    but how is one to even know this if they don't fly a lot? Don't assume frequent flyer knowledge applies to non-frequent flyers. And if the plane service is more reliable elsewhere don't expect foreigners to know it either.
    I just think it's common sense to allow extra time. The most reliable airline in the world will cancel or delay flights due to bad weather. I think Dr. Dao's extreme behavior was.... extreme. Just as United should have handled things differently, so should have he.

    Tybee, UA doesn't owe those honeymooners an apology or a nickel towards a free flight.
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  10. #110
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    Catherine, my point was about proactive public relations, not about what they owed anyone, or if they owed anyone.

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