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

[Yarrow]

United has already settled. Looks like they will stay in business. As I said, this will soon be forgotten.

I don't think it will be forgotten anytime soon. It was a very racist and ageist act as well, in my opinion, thinking the small and elderly Asian guy would be easy to boot off the plane. United was incredibly inhumane in their act against this poor man. I found the whole thing horrifying, just how awful this act was against a customer that was already seated on the plane. I and family members, neighbors and friends will never fly United again. Thank God in this age of great technology this terrible act was on video for the world to see, without it United would have done nothing. The apology letter from United that Catherine posted above is crap in my opinion. Too little too late!

[JaneV2.0]

I was appalled when I read that Dr. Dao was 69. So not only did they knock his teeth out and give him a concussion--considering his age, they could have killed him. All because he wanted to go home to his patients. I'm glad United has cleaned up their act--including proscribing hired thugs. I hope this sends a message to corporations everywhere.

[dmc]

I'm sure there will be a few who chose not to fly United. If no one from the 85006 ever flys them again I don't think they will notice.

But the majority of flyers will chose by the cost of the fare and the flight times. Not by the carrier.

They handled this badly, but how many thousands of passengers had a good experience flying with United?

Most trips out to around 1400 miles I fly myself, I rarely fly Commercial. If I was flying farther or really needed to get somewhere, I would fly any carrier that Would meet my needs. Or make it a two day flight in my own plane. So it really doesn't effect me much.

[jp1]

But the majority of flyers will chose by the cost of the fare and the flight times. Not by the carrier.

If fares are within the same ballpark and my preferred carrier (Alaska, Jetblue or Southwest) has a flight schedule that works for me I will avoid United. Thankfully most of my flying is up and down the west coast so I can generally avoid United.

They handled this badly, but how many thousands of passengers had a good experience flying with United?

Lately? Probably not many. Even before this current debacle they were, at least in my experience, one of the worst airlines out there. The rows are closer together than any of my preferred carriers, the change and luggage fees more exorbitant, the boarding process designed not for efficiency but to make sure the unimportant passengers (those that don't suffer United regularly) get last crack at the overhead bins and checked luggage delivery post flight painfully slow.

Regardless of airline my standard response when someone asks how my flight was is "we arrived without crashing so it was great." United has so far been at least able to meet my minimal standard. My preferred airlines aren't super awesome, but unlike United they usually beat that minimal standard.

[dmc]

If fares are within the same ballpark and my preferred carrier (Alaska, Jetblue or Southwest) has a flight schedule that works for me I will avoid United. Thankfully most of my flying is up and down the west coast so I can generally avoid United.


Lately? Probably not many. Even before this current debacle they were, at least in my experience, one of the worst airlines out there. The rows are closer together than any of my preferred carriers, the change and luggage fees more exorbitant, the boarding process designed not for efficiency but to make sure the unimportant passengers (those that don't suffer United regularly) get last crack at the overhead bins and checked luggage delivery post flight painfully slow.

Regardless of airline my standard response when someone asks how my flight was is "we arrived without crashing so it was great." United has so far been at least able to meet my minimal standard. My preferred airlines aren't super awesome, but unlike United they usually beat that minimal standard.

I honestly can't remember the last time I flew United, so I can't comment on how they rate. The last time I flew commercial It was not a good experience. Between the TSA, and trying to keep fares as cheap as possible it's not a pleasant experience. But it still beats driving on a long trip.

[gimmethesimplelife]

I don't think it will be forgotten anytime soon. It was a very racist and ageist act as well, in my opinion, thinking the small and elderly Asian guy would be easy to boot off the plane. United was incredibly inhumane in their act against this poor man. I found the whole thing horrifying, just how awful this act was against a customer that was already seated on the plane. I and family members, neighbors and friends will never fly United again. Thank God in this age of great technology this terrible act was on video for the world to see, without it United would have done nothing. The apology letter from United that Catherine posted above is crap in my opinion. Too little too late!

Thank You, Yarrow. Your post here gives me some faith in humanity. And I'm glad someone else sees technology as the vehicle towards getting the word out and holding corporations accountable for their behavior.....You are so right, without the smartphone video here that went viral, nothing at all would have been done. It is so important to hold corporations accountable as United Airlines has been held accountable - I believe that if I don't hold a given abusive corporation accountable, I'm really in a way just as guilty as they are.

Amazing, too, this role of technology - I see it as a curse often due to the automation of many jobs, but here technology actually aids basic human rights and basic human dignity. It's only been the last couple of years that I have come to understand that technology has it's upsides, too. I'd be willing to bet that Dr. Dao would agree with this right now - and that Oscar Munoz, CEO of United, is cursing the smartphone video that proved to the world what the United Airlines brand truly stands for/what it's all about. Rob

[gimmethesimplelife]

I was appalled when I read that Dr. Dao was 69. So not only did they knock his teeth out and give him a concussion--considering his age, they could have killed him. All because he wanted to go home to his patients. I'm glad United has cleaned up their act--including proscribing hired thugs. I hope this sends a message to corporations everywhere.

My hope is that corporations realize that they are not immune from smartphone video and that smartphone video levels the playing field for the little people more than corporations believe it does. I rather doubt it, though - there will need to be many more similar incidents before any real and lasting change is going to take place. Rob

[gimmethesimplelife]

I often wonder why your friends let you live in these United States, toxic as they are. Maybe you dont have very good friends? Hmmmm.

Ouch IL...ouch.....that was a low blow. Please don't comment in such a way about my friends.....I will look the other way at most comments directed towards myself (and have repeatedly on this board) but I have to draw the line at my friends. No snark here....just please refrain from such in the future. Rob

[iris lilies]

Ouch IL...ouch.....that was a low blow. Please don't comment in such a way about my friends.....I will look the other way at most comments directed towards myself (and have repeatedly on this board) but I have to draw the line at my friends. No snark here....just please refrain from such in the future. Rob

Ok, and besides your friends are probably fine and want the best for you. Perhaps it is your own logic, "friends wont let friends..." that is off.

my own friends cannot, literally, keep me away from self defeating behaviours, so
I think it is an empty advertising slogan, but effective as advertising.

[ToomuchStuff]

Ouch IL...ouch.....that was a low blow. Please don't comment in such a way about my friends.....I will look the other way at most comments directed towards myself (and have repeatedly on this board) but I have to draw the line at my friends. No snark here....just please refrain from such in the future. Rob

What line? What, you leave the country you hate?
Your friends are welcome to join here and speak for themselves, the same as those in charge of United that you have been talking bad about, and the LEO's who removed the passenger are.
You can do nothing but look the other way, as you have no authority to do anything, especially since you have also been talking about people who are not here.
Pot, kettle.