United CEO: "I'm Sorry"<br>But, Meanwhile, Newspaper Runs Story Dredging Up Dragged Passenger's Past

United CEO: "I'm Sorry"
But, Meanwhile, Newspaper Runs Story Dredging Up Dragged Passenger's Past

When you say "I'm sorry" and "no one should be mistreated this way," I think you've decided that the settlement is inevitable, and will cost less than the bad PR.

Update: United's public stock "plunges" in wake of passenger being dragged off plane.

Meanwhile, the Courier-Journal got a hold of the dragged-off passenger's name and discovered a "troubled past."

Dao was trying to regain his medical license when he worked at the practice from August 2015 to August 2016, Nadeau said. Dao had surrendered his medical license in February 2005 after being convicted of drug-related offenses, according to documents filed with the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure last June. Broadcast and print coverage of Dao's arrest, conviction and sentencing made his name familiar to Kentuckians.
...
Dao, who went to medical school in Vietnam in the 1970s before moving to the U.S., has worked as a pulmonologist in Elizabethtown but was arrested in 2003 and eventually convicted of drug-related offenses after an undercover investigation, according to the documents filed with the state board of medical licensure.
The licensure board documents allege that he was involved in fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substances and was sexually involved with a patient who used to work for his practice and assisted police in building a case against him.
Dao was convicted of multiple felony counts of obtaining drugs by fraud and deceit in November 2004 and was placed on five years of supervised probation in January 2005, according to the documents. He surrendered his medical license the next month.
The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure permitted Dao to resume practicing medicine in 2015 under certain conditions.

Twitter is greeting this story as Twitter usually does -- with outrage -- but I'm not certain that's warranted.

If you were a reporter tracking a viral story, and you came across this -- would you not run it?

It's not really relevant to the story that went viral. Not really. On the other hand, this is what you typically do when there's a hot story. You do spin-off stories. You go into backgrounds of the players and even the supporting casts.

I don't know. I am sensitive to the idea that this is just a private citizen who's been dragged (somewhat literally) into the public spotlight against his will. But that did happen, and no one can change that now, and this is now news.

And apparently this guy was in fact convicted of felonies in his past.

I don't know -- doesn't seem fair that someone should be struck by lightning so many times in a short period (first, being picked as one of the people to be ejected from the plane under protest, then to have the national spotlight on you, with attendant negative coverage).

Plus, yesterday being a slow news day (strangely enough) meant that this story, which would have been a story on any day, became the easy-content story of the day.

But I'm not sure this is the media's "fault," really -- it was the public's collective (viral) reaction to the video that made this a story. The media is just doing what it does, now doing follow-up to get some clicks and sell some ad-space.

Not the greatest thing in the world, but that is how the world works.

It all seems unfair, but it seems like circumstances have conspired to make some unfairness here, rather than the media.

I can't blame it on the media, when I and 98% of the internet-using public seized on this story yesterday. Few wanted the guy being dragged off the plane to be dragged through the mud, but when you make something a story, you get spin-off stories. The latter is kind of an unavoidable consequence of the former.

It does seem to me this new story, while not exactly what I wanted to read about the victim here, is in fact news. (Or at least what passes for "news" in the current clickbait age.)

I guess we'll now get spin-off stories about the reporter of this story.

The newspaper, by the way, is now trying to get Dao's own comment:

If anyone knows who the man on this #United flight was, please let me know. Hoping to reach out to him to get his side of the story. https://t.co/pHevS3FHDQ
— Morgan Watkins (@morganwatkins26) April 10, 2017

This may seem to be putting the horse behind the cart but the first article said that the Daos were avoiding comment on anything so I imagine the reporter did try to get comment ahead of publication.

I'm genuinely conflicted here -- if we say "The media shouldn't have run this story," aren't we saying that because the media should have known who the Sympathetic Victim was here, and protected that Sympathetic Villain?

And doesn't the media usually employ that technique to sanitize stories that hurt the Democrat coalition?

And don't we normally take a "let the chips fall where they may" position when it comes to the media deciding who the Sympathetic Victims Who Need Media protection are?

I don't know -- what's your take?

Posted by: Ace at 04:30 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 1st

Posted by: Rick in SK at April 11, 2017 04:32 PM (FZYNt)

2 St

Posted by: Clay at April 11, 2017 04:32 PM (nRs0E)

3 2nd

Posted by: Rick in SK at April 11, 2017 04:32 PM (FZYNt)

4 Just tell the media he was kicked off for being whiny.

Posted by: AE at April 11, 2017 04:32 PM (ITo+e)

5 corgis summoned

Posted by: Rick in SK at April 11, 2017 04:33 PM (FZYNt)

6 That guy was a crazy drug addict? Color me shocked.

Posted by: Eddie Baby at April 11, 2017 04:33 PM (CTCca)

7 United's new on-board offering? Vietnamese Take Out.

Posted by: Lord Chancellor johnd01 at April 11, 2017 04:33 PM (ukNFU)

8 I just now saw the story on Cavuto.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 04:34 PM (PY9jH)

9 There were some posters on Althouse yesterday wondering what kind of doctor the guy was (acupuncturist, chiropractor, whatever) and/or suggesting that maybe he wasn't a real doc.

Posted by: Basement Cat at April 11, 2017 04:34 PM (3C9q2)

10 I still say he acted like a big vagina.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 04:34 PM (u8Ywb)

11 Dr. Dao: "Bitch set me up!"

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 04:34 PM (PY9jH)

12 Did he go to medical school in the United States? Are we really letting in these guys as "doctors?" Burying the lede.

Posted by: Eddie Baby at April 11, 2017 04:35 PM (CTCca)

13 >>>>If you were a reporter tracking a viral story, and you came across this -- would you not run it?
.
.
.
.Yes you would. And no I am not saying United was right in tossing him off the plane, all I am saying is that there is no way that the msm could ignore this guys past.

Even if he was a Saint who practiced open heart surgery on children for free, his past was going to come out once he became a story.

Posted by: The Great White Scotsman at April 11, 2017 04:35 PM (le7jz)

14 I would not want that guy to be my physician. He doesn't seem stable.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 04:36 PM (u8Ywb)

15 I am shocked that Twitter is outraged. Now I think I'm going to go work on dinner and avoid the hysteria that is sure to show up.

Posted by: Nigel West Dickens at April 11, 2017 04:36 PM (FqgrG)

16 Once more:

I detest everyone involved.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at April 11, 2017 04:36 PM (B+qrE)

17
United Acted Badly.

Dr Screamer Acted Badly.

This isnt a binary choice people.

Posted by: fixerupper at April 11, 2017 04:36 PM (8XRCm)

18 Has anyone established if Dao was Viet Cong?

Posted by: Rick in SK at April 11, 2017 04:36 PM (FZYNt)

19 I have to deal with doctors like him everyday in my line of work. 90% of them are just legal drug pushers. Also I have to deal with people everyday like this doctor's whiny entitled side. That's is one reason I may be biased against this guy.

Posted by: Jack Sock at April 11, 2017 04:37 PM (IKy84)

20 I still say he acted like a big vagina.
Posted by: CaliGirl

Papier mache?

Posted by: code pink freaks at April 11, 2017 04:37 PM (326rv)

21 Alternate title - The Dao of Fifteen Minutes.

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 11, 2017 04:37 PM (9qw5X)

22
United Air Lines needs to address the issue of transgender bathrooms on all it's flights. *That* is an issue the public can get behind.

Posted by: Target, Inc. stock, still falling at April 11, 2017 04:37 PM (HTdUD)

23 >>Once more:
I detest everyone involved.

Ditto

Posted by: Lizzy at April 11, 2017 04:37 PM (NOIQH)

24 I heard on the newz this morning that he and his wife initially accepted $800 each to give up their seats. When Doc Dao found out he wouldn't be able to travel until the next day, he turned down the $ and reboarded the plane, insisting he had to see patients the next day.

And then things got interesting.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 04:38 PM (PY9jH)

25 I just find it surprising that Twitter reacted so violently to this.

...

They are usually so even-tempered.

...

Posted by: Moron Pundit at April 11, 2017 04:38 PM (xeeHA)

26 "Dao had surrendered his medical license in February 2005 after being convicted of drug-related offenses, according to documents filed with the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure last June."

Hmmm, why do I get the impression he's done business with Boyd Crowder and Wynn Duffy.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2017 04:38 PM (TOk1P)

27 It doesn't matter how much a jackwagon the doc was, although none of this would have gone so wrong if he hadn't been such a huge one... the policy was stupid to leave non-working employees flying for free on the plane and ejecting a paying customer.

I'm sure his lawyer will try to blame United for his head being bashed by the cop because he was a spastic idiot refusing to obey a lawful order, though.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 04:38 PM (39g3+)

28 Fair game. If you want control over your life, then take steps to remain in control of it.

Posted by: Banana Splits Guy at April 11, 2017 04:38 PM (u2EhZ)

29 Given Dr. Screech's shitty history you'd think that he'd have pulled in his horns a bit about being bounced from a plane when even natives in Borneo take video of everything.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at April 11, 2017 04:38 PM (SRKgf)

30 Spicer is like the guy who discovers dog shit on one shoe then finds it on the other shoe.

Posted by: torabora at April 11, 2017 04:39 PM (0+2tr)

31 You just don't pull a paying customer off a flight for non-rev. If you need to relocate a flight crew, rent a car, charter a small plane, work a deal with another airline, but don't be seen dragging a paying customer off a flight where they did nothing but insist they get to use the ticket they bought. United's optics are terrible, and trashing the guy is not going to help.

Posted by: Advo at April 11, 2017 04:39 PM (wyeK6)

32
I would not want that guy to be my physician.
Posted by: CaliGirl

I disagree. More for me.

Posted by: Oxycotin User at April 11, 2017 04:39 PM (HTdUD)

33 I have to deal with doctors like him everyday in my line of work. 90% of them are just legal drug pushers.

I've run into way too many doctors whose response to "this will be challenging to figure out/I don't know what is wrong" is to push antidepressant pills on people.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 04:39 PM (39g3+)

34 Now I think he refused to de-plane because if he was a no show at work the next day, no one would believe he was forced off the plane and his employer would think he was on a bender.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 04:39 PM (u8Ywb)

35 Winnowed: People pay for their ticket well in advance of the day they show up at the gate. Overbooking is theft.

1) It costs thousands to buyout a few passengers.
2) It costs tens of thousands to arrange a small jet at a small airport in the same city to get them to their destination the same day.
3) It costs hundreds of thousands to pay a lawsuit to a hysterical doctor.
4) It costs millions to remind America that renting a car isn't nearly as much of a hassle.

Dennis Miller's #hottake: "Ironically it takes two guys to drag me on to United."

Posted by: BourbonChicken at April 11, 2017 04:39 PM (VdICR)

36 >>>>"Dao had surrendered his medical license in February 2005 after being
convicted of drug-related offenses, according to documents filed with
the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure last June."

Hmmm, why do I get the impression he's done business with Boyd Crowder and Wynn Duffy.
.
.
.He was from Elizabethtown, not Harlan County.

Posted by: The Great White Scotsman at April 11, 2017 04:40 PM (le7jz)

37 Has anyone established if Dao was Viet Cong?

Posted by: Rick in SK at April 11, 2017 04:36 PM (FZYNt)

No, but he's had tea at a party before, so.....

Posted by: Brian Ross at April 11, 2017 04:40 PM (TOk1P)

38 His demons aren't of any relevance to the incident, but it's no shock they'd get dug up and reported on.

Posted by: Insomniac - sin valor at April 11, 2017 04:40 PM (0mRoj)

39 10 I still say he acted like a big vagina.
Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 04:34 PM (u8Ywb)

i was gonna say asshole

Posted by: concrete girl at April 11, 2017 04:40 PM (eQSM0)

40 When Doc Dao found out he wouldn't be able to travel until the next day, he turned down the $ and reboarded the plane, insisting he had to see patients the next day.

And this is probably why United rolled out the friendly thugs. They needed to get their flight crew somewhere, didn't figure this out until after boarding the plane, and they knew that their flight crew wouldn't be able to go until the next day.

let the shitshow commence.

Posted by: Blue Hen at April 11, 2017 04:40 PM (326rv)

41 So minority, gay, and criminal. How is he getting even the slightest pushback or any criticism for his actions now?

Posted by: Moron Robbie at April 11, 2017 04:40 PM (fD1ST)

42 United Airlines drops Dao, United Airlines stock drops on Dow. Poetic, isn't it?

Posted by: Lost On Wall St at April 11, 2017 04:40 PM (WrMht)

43 >>>United Acted Badly.
Dr Screamer Acted Badly.

Cop(s) acted badly.

Posted by: Banana Splits Guy at April 11, 2017 04:41 PM (u2EhZ)

44 This really strikes me as a story with no good guys: the doc was a jackass who made things worse for himself, and United was operating under stupid policy.

One wonders, though, if union contracts forced United to not be able to punt a worker getting a free ride off the plane.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 04:41 PM (39g3+)

45 Unexpectedly, this Dr will be the subject of a Medical board of Drs who prescribed opiates at the same levels. You don't talk about heroin club in public.

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 11, 2017 04:41 PM (6Ll1u)

46 >>>Hmmm, why do I get the impression he's done business with Boyd Crowder and Wynn Duffy

With the sex-for-drugs past and propensity for getting his ass kicked, its more likely he would do business with Dewey Crowe.

Posted by: wooga at April 11, 2017 04:41 PM (O9Vlo)

47 30 Spicer is like the guy who discovers dog shit on one shoe then finds it on the other shoe.

I actually like him... The media is having a field day with his mistake.... On subject, I think there is something wrong with this guy... Drugs maybe.... I heard some are trying to say this was "racially motivated... That's a stretch for sure...

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:41 PM (O2RFr)

48 Reminds me of the scene in The Godfather when they are debating killing the Police Chief.

You can't do that one says and the other says, no we have friends in the press and we'll plant the story he was taking bribes and was into drugs.

Same MO.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 04:41 PM (trdnR)

49 "...and his employer would think he was on a bender."

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 04:39 PM (u8Ywb)

So young, yet so jaded.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2017 04:41 PM (rF0hx)

50 It was wrong for the media to make Ken Bones pornography-preferences news, just as it is wrong to go through the trash of this man. These people are not political players running a campaign, for gods sake. If the press doesnt have the self-restrained not to treat every private person as a potential oppo-research target, then they need to be restrained by laws.

I cringed back when Trump babbled about opening up the libel laws, but right now, that doesnt look so bad.

Posted by: Nurse Ratched at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (A3RH8)

51 40 When Doc Dao found out he wouldn't be able to travel until the next day, he turned down the $ and reboarded the plane, insisting he had to see patients the next day.

And this is probably why United rolled out the friendly thugs. They needed to get their flight crew somewhere, didn't figure this out until after boarding the plane, and they knew that their flight crew wouldn't be able to go until the next day.

let the shitshow commence.
Posted by: Blue Hen at April 11, 2017 04:40 PM (326rv)

Patterico had a good point they should have just upped the money offer to the passengers.

Posted by: Holmes at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (fi5nC)

52 This could very well be a ploy by United to get more media attention for its customer service.

Posted by: Lawrence O'Donnell, Serious Thinker at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (97XyN)

53 I don't know -- what's your take?

What does Dao's background add to or change about the story?

In other words, is he now someone that deserved what he got? Is it a relevant thing? Or is it fallout from the 24/7 news cycle?

My take, such as it is, is this digging is a way by the media to create a particular narrative. Maybe it's there to distract from Trump's successes and/or Democrat failures. Maybe it's there to try and pin this on our Climate Of Hate that Trump supposedly ushered in and made acceptable.

Or, and this is more likely in my cynically mind, this is the media offering up click bait to sell newspapers and get viewers by granting this story legs.

Posted by: VA GOP Sucks at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (2VN2E)

54 17 United Acted Badly.
Dr Screamer Acted Badly.
This isnt a binary choice people.
Posted by: fixerupper at April 11, 2017 04:36 PM (8XRCm)

... and the TSA goons.
... and dude in one video that briefly covers another guys phone - to try and stop filming.

Just a tube full of assholes there. Add some lips and you'd have the world's biggest sausage with an aluminum casing.

Posted by: ScoggDog at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (BEMJs)

55 The guys who dragged him off the plane weren't cops, they were United security people. At least they didn't tase the guy.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (PY9jH)

56 You can't have a beer summit at the White House because Trump doesn't drink.

Posted by: torabora at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (0+2tr)

57 41 So minority, gay, and criminal. How is he getting even the slightest pushback or any criticism for his actions now?
Posted by: Moron Robbie at April 11, 2017 04:40 PM (fD1ST)

He's a fruit, too? He's right in the Democrat sweet spot.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (SRKgf)

58 I guess I am a heartless pr!ck, but I put full blame for this entire situation on the passenger behaving like a spoiled brat child.

Did it suck to be randomly selected by a computer to miss your flight? Sure. But you're a freaking adult. You DEAL with it. Express your displeasure in a stern manner and then be a mature adult and take the $800 and free hotel stay (or whatever it was they offered him before he turned into Dennis the Menace).

Your character is shown in how you react to situations in life, especially bad situations. I think I've learned more about the character (or lack thereof) of the Twitterverse than I did of this passenger.

And this wasn't even that bad of a situation. Oh no, you're going to be given $800 and a hotel for the night to skip your scheduled flight and leave the next day. Who in their right mind behaves in such a way when given free money and accommodations for the night for a slight inconvenience?

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (7A4qQ)

59 I still say he acted like a big vagina.
Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 04:34 PM (u8Ywb)

He didn't do himself any favors, but neither did United.

Make reservations two weeks in advance, go to a nice restaurant, pay $50 for your meal, and just as they're about to bring it to the table, they offer you $80 and drag you out the door and promise to give it to you cold in a doggie bag behind the dumpster 7 hours later. Does any other industry operate like that?

Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (8nWyX)

60 39 10 I still say he acted like a big vagina.
Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 04:34 PM (u8Ywb)

i was gonna say asshole

Inverted penis?

Posted by: Caitlyn Jenner at April 11, 2017 04:43 PM (O9Vlo)

61 That'll teach him to keep his pecker in his pants,,,,or not.

Posted by: Killerdog at April 11, 2017 04:43 PM (1V8Oz)

62 The guys who dragged him off the plane weren't cops, they were United security people. At least they didn't tase the guy.

United, or airport?

Posted by: JEM at April 11, 2017 04:43 PM (TppKb)

63 So Dr. mcpussieface whinnybitch is a disturbed(felon), United sucks all around and the police acted stupidly?

Posted by: USNtakim at April 11, 2017 04:43 PM (hMqvx)

64 Patterico had a good point they should have just upped the money offer to the passengers.

Posted by: Holmes at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (fi5nC)

Yep there but for another couple $1000 they got a million dollars of bad publicity.

The stupid is strong.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 04:43 PM (trdnR)

65 My take is that if he had rescued a bunch of orphans from a burning bus, the media would have made that headline news as well. This is what the media does, the sensationalize any story in any way they can. They are about selling news.

Moral of the story is stay out of the news if at all possible.

Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2017 04:43 PM (/tuJf)

66 Budda say the source of all disappointment is desire.

Posted by: torabora at April 11, 2017 04:44 PM (0+2tr)

67 His demons aren't of any relevance to the incident, but it's no shock they'd get dug up and reported on.

Posted by: Insomniac - sin valor at April 11, 2017 04:40 PM (0mRoj)

Why, it's almost like there are people out there working on behalf of the airlines to keep the sheep filing onto their sky buckets.

Almost.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2017 04:44 PM (TOk1P)

68 52 This could very well be a ploy by United to get more media attention for its customer service.

The last thing United needs for it's shitty customer service is more attention.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 04:44 PM (EAA/O)

69 I'm sure his lawyer will try to blame United for his head being bashed by the cop because he was a spastic idiot refusing to obey a lawful order, though.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor

Funny how the CEO started out saying that, and now he's shitcanned it. Being rousted by cops and being bloodied, and then hearing "lawful" and "procedures were followed" is what makes people hate cops.

Posted by: Blue Hen at April 11, 2017 04:44 PM (326rv)

70 58 I guess I am a heartless pr!ck, but I put full blame for this entire situation on the passenger behaving like a spoiled brat child.

I kinda agree...Notice the other 3 people removed didn't react like this... Something is not right with this guy...

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:44 PM (O2RFr)

71 ace, here's some sorta related stuff you said about the Media and shaming and click baiting - https://storify.com/trueholygoat/ace-of-spades-on-media

I'm torn on this. I do not like in the slightest this notion that if you find yourself being hauled into the public spotlight every single thing that can be discovered about you will be splashed all over the place.

But this information was public record and if people want a story on who the doctor was, well, this is who he is. What if it were a story listing all of his humanitarian awards and the like? Would anyone object to that?

I think it's not so much the publishing a story about his background as it is the perception, valid or not, that oh he's not a saint so he deserved this is the line being pushed by the paper.

Posted by: alexthechick - most delicatest flowerest of innocent virtuest at April 11, 2017 04:44 PM (mf5HN)

72 62
The guys who dragged him off the plane weren't cops, they were United security people. At least they didn't tase the guy.

United, or airport?

Posted by: JEM at April 11, 2017 04:43 PM (TppKb)

There was a cop watching, but the draggers were in blue jeans, not your normal cop uniform. My guess? Baggage handlers.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 04:44 PM (trdnR)

73 Idiocracy

Posted by: Max Power at April 11, 2017 04:45 PM (q177U)

74 I would bet his, "I'm a doctor and I have patients to see tomorrow!" argument was also like catnip to the reporters: just think of the sob stories we could pin on United for delaying a seriously ill, sympathetic patent's care!!

Not that the guy intended anything other than to use his (former?) profession as a reason for them to bump someone else...

Posted by: Lizzy at April 11, 2017 04:45 PM (NOIQH)

75 If Dr. Dao was returning from the Middle East where he was doing free surgeries on refugee children injured in the Syrian War, would that be relevant?

Because it damn sure would be a story.

Posted by: Jaqen H'ghar at April 11, 2017 04:45 PM (5fSr7)

76 United's market cap was down $1 billion at the open, still down $250 million.

Getting a boarding pass and having your ass in the seat is a kind of property right. I don't care what the contract of adhesion says.

A voucher isn't cash. I'd discount 80%, wouldn't you.

CEO obviously fucked up. Bet he'll be hauled in front of Congress

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2017 04:45 PM (SIY7D)

77 Not sure what relevance his background has to this story. He may not be a saint, but there's no evidence he was interfering with flight crew or doing anything to warrant being ejected from the aircraft. He was minding his own business in the seat he paid for when he was assaulted by the cops.

United should have hired a cab or chartered an executive jet to fly the flight crew to Louisville. God, I'd hate to be United in front of a Chicago jury looking to "stick it to the Man." Idiots.

Posted by: Charles at April 11, 2017 04:45 PM (CMbMd)

78 Does any other industry operate like that?
Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (8nWyX)

------

Ever sat in a Doctors office waiting room?

Ever gone to opening night at a nice new restaurant?

Ever been told "no way youre gonna lose" only to have NEIL FUCKING CAVUTO make the first call on election nite.

*hic*

Posted by: HILLARY!!! at April 11, 2017 04:45 PM (8XRCm)

79 I traveled for six years as an IT consultant and worked for a car rental company for six years in IT, I am never ever going to be on the side of travel vendors after those two experiences. However, with that said, if the airline lawfully asks you to leave a plane, just stucking do it. I am beyond weary with all this entitlement we see every damn day, to wit:

* People denied free speech because of the feelz of entitled little monsters
* People donning masks and using fence posts to protest because they are entitled monsters who want to tell other people what's what
* People denied due process because of allegations of rape or sexual misconduct by entitled feminist monsters, who can't be bothered to even give the mildest criticism of BJ Clinton or raping murderering Islamic refugees or illegal immigrants.

I could go on and on, but, you get my point. When you travel commercially, even in a private plane or car service or even Uber, you are subject to a myriad of Federal and state laws that you must obey.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, who is now luxuriating in vast pools of winning! at April 11, 2017 04:45 PM (kXoT0)

80 >>>The guys who dragged him off the plane weren't cops, they were United security people. At least they didn't tase the guy.

They were cops with Chicago Aviation Department. Airlines don't have private security.

Posted by: Banana Splits Guy at April 11, 2017 04:45 PM (u2EhZ)

81 Patterico had a good point they should have just upped the money offer to the passengers.

One of the Powerline guys noted that he's got an associate whose standard response upon being bumped is to take the number they offer, double it, write it on a note, and slip it to the gate agent. And that his acceptance rate is very very high, because the gate agent (a) has discretion and (b) doesn't want a mess.

Me, I'd like them to be able to throw around big wads of EQM.

Posted by: JEM at April 11, 2017 04:45 PM (TppKb)

82 64 Patterico had a good point they should have just upped the money offer to the passengers.

Posted by: Holmes at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (fi5nC)

Yep there but for another couple $1000 they got a million dollars of bad publicity.

The stupid is strong.
Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 04:43 PM (trdnR)

*****************
Shit I've seen Southwest handle it better.

They actually sort of hold an auction on the plane--

Do I hear $200?

$300 and some McNuggets?

SOLD!--guy in the back next to the toilets.

Posted by: Holmes at April 11, 2017 04:46 PM (fi5nC)

83 Sounds like United dug up dirt on this guy and fed it to the media. That's what I would do if I was United. Maybe I do this of I'm this guys lawyer as well.

I also would have run focus groups to gauge people's reactions to the girly shrieks and baby animal screams of the man. It comes off really bad. I don't think he would have been awarded more than a dollar by a jury.

Not too many people are sympathetic to him after hearing and watching the video several times. He comes off as a Soros trained lefty.

Posted by: Widespread Pepe at April 11, 2017 04:46 PM (2qHjF)

84
Patterico had a good point they should have just upped the money offer to the passengers.

-----------
They never offered Money.

They offered Vouchers. Which are one step up from TP or Confetti. 5%-8% of vouchers are redeemed. Vouchers are a Fraud.

Offer real cold hard cash. You will get volunteers.

Posted by: rd at April 11, 2017 04:46 PM (iT57s)

85 Do what the cops say. Later, get a lawyer and sue if they really asked you to do something out of line.

Getting off an overbooked flight is something people do. Every. Fucking. Day.

Dr. Scream is the one who made it a big deal.

What if we were talking about a shoe bomber getting bumped, but he refused to get off the plane, was allowed to stay on and then blew it up? We'd all be screaming about how he should have been forced off the damn plane.

Posted by: Dang at April 11, 2017 04:46 PM (8b+oT)

86 Remember the CNN reporter, Richard Quest? He was arrested several years ago for walking around Central Park with a rope tied to his exposed penis.

Welp, he's been back on CNN for a while now. And still has the awful British teefs.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 04:46 PM (PY9jH)

87 "If you were a reporter tracking a viral story, and you came across this -- would you not run it?"

No. Not if I want to be respectable.

In today's clickbait media, it's expected. It shouldn't be. This passenger's ancient history has nothing to do with The Story. He wasn't a shakedown artist using airline policies against them. He was just a dude expecting the service he scheduled and paid for. The end. The story isn't about him at all; it's about an abusive airline and industry. Anything beyond that here is smear and cheap voyeurism.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at April 11, 2017 04:46 PM (1CroS)

88 United must be horribly run.

You'd think that they would know that they had to move air crew from one place to another - they do have schedules, right? I mean, they don't just fly around spontaneously when they get the urge - and would hold out the requisite number of seats right off the top.

Or, if they can't schedule reliably, just do hold out some seats routinely, and then if it they don't need them, fill them with standby passengers.

Srsly, is this rocket surgery?

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at April 11, 2017 04:46 PM (SRKgf)

89 Funny how the CEO started out saying that, and now he's shitcanned it. Being rousted by cops and being bloodied, and then hearing "lawful" and "procedures were followed" is what makes people hate cops.

Yeah and I understand they were Chicago PD, who don't exactly have a reputation for professionalism and courtesy. But people get bloodied by cops usually because they are fighting and acting like an idiot.

There are 80 films of this on the plane, so I'm sure the full story will come out.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 04:47 PM (39g3+)

90 Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (8nWyX)

No, but there are only two options to avoid it. Fly private or drive. That's it.

Caveat emptor and all that.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 04:47 PM (u8Ywb)

91

I don't know -- what's your take?
Theoretically I could care less.
Being "troubled" does splain the over-reaction.

Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 04:47 PM (FhXTo)

92 Express your displeasure in a stern manner and then be a mature adult

Posted by: Clyde Shelton

"What is the most useless thing on the planet when dealing with an organization that doesn't care if you live or die Alex?"

Posted by: I'l take futile gestures for $400 at April 11, 2017 04:47 PM (326rv)

93 he Daos were avoiding comment on anything ....I don't know -- what's your take?

He's lawyer shopping as we speak and won't say anything for fear of jeopardizing a big payout.

Posted by: pep at April 11, 2017 04:47 PM (LAe3v)

94 "If you were a reporter tracking a viral story, and you came across this -- would you not run it?"

No. Not if I want to be respectable.

Respectable. Reporter.

Good one.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at April 11, 2017 04:47 PM (SRKgf)

95 If somebody leaks his medical records he should sue the shit out of them. That is wrong 6 ways to Sunday.

Posted by: Widespread Pepe at April 11, 2017 04:47 PM (2qHjF)

96 Patterico had a good point they should have just upped the money offer to the passengers.

Posted by: Holmes at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (fi5nC)

Why? Personnel issues are not the paying customers problem. And needing to get four flight crew members on an already full flight is a personnel issue.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 04:47 PM (EAA/O)

97 One of the Powerline guys noted that he's got an associate whose standard response upon being bumped is to take the number they offer, double it, write it on a note, and slip it to the gate agent. And that his acceptance rate is very very high, because the gate agent (a) has discretion and (b) doesn't want a mess.

Me, I'd like them to be able to throw around big wads of EQM.
Posted by: JEM at April 11, 2017 04:45 PM (TppKb)

*****************

Crap. I once let them bump me for --$300 , next flight out, dinner, hotel--and a roll of quarters.

Of course I was 20 years old and dumb--but still.

Posted by: Holmes at April 11, 2017 04:47 PM (fi5nC)

98 United did NOT act badly. Law enforcement acted badly, but not really, given that the guy was actively breaking the law. Rules are rules. If you don't like them then change the rules. And the way, I knew right out of the gate that the guy was a bad actor. Karma Bitches!

Posted by: Les Kenetic at April 11, 2017 04:48 PM (gUQmt)

99 Well Maxine Watters "demands" an investigation so there's that...

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:48 PM (O2RFr)

100 Posted by: USNtakim at April 11, 2017 04:43 PM (hMqvx)

The trifecta of yes.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 11, 2017 04:48 PM (fu1JC)

101 The doctor's past sheds no light on this story. Blasting irrelevant details, if it qualifies as journalism at all, is yellow journalism. Shame on the editors that allowed this character assassination to be published.
The doctor did nothing to seek fame or notoriety. This is a story that is 100% about United's incompetence.

Posted by: ameryx at April 11, 2017 04:48 PM (mnNfG)

102 What if we were talking about a shoe bomber getting bumped, but he refused to get off the plane, was allowed to stay on and then blew it up? We'd all be screaming about how he should have been forced off the damn plane./i]

Well there are two major themes here.

The first is that the airline only wanted to move someone off the plane because they would not move their off duty workers off instead -- and if I've read correctly, in order to put more on the plane.

The second is the doc acting like a 4-yea-old throwing a tantrum and being spanked.

Both are idiots, but the doc will get rich off it while the airline suffers.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 04:48 PM (39g3+)

103 Rush's first hour was all about this.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at April 11, 2017 04:49 PM (MZcWR)

104 Let he who has not applied a bar-arm chokehold to a paying customer and then dragged him out of the establishment beaten and bloodied cast the first stone.

Posted by: Oscar "The Grouch" Munoz at April 11, 2017 04:49 PM (8ZskC)

105 >>>Has anyone established if Dao was Viet Cong?<<<

Are we sure he isn't in our legislature? Dude was trading drugs for gay sex.

Posted by: Fritz at April 11, 2017 04:49 PM (MF/hn)

106 Yeah and I understand they were Chicago PD, who don't exactly have a reputation for professionalism and courtesy. But people get bloodied by cops usually because they are fighting and acting like an idiot.

There are 80 films of this on the plane, so I'm sure the full story will come out.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor

usually. many dead dogs would say otherwise. The fact that the US postal service doesn't kill ANY dogs in its job but cops do, often, adds to it.

And we were talking about a penchant for violence, not courtesy.

Posted by: I'l take futile gestures for $400 at April 11, 2017 04:49 PM (326rv)

107 It really doesn't much matter whether the guy should have gotten off the plane. The airlines have no friends, and for good reason. Everyone wants to hate them already, and this is just about the best possible way to maximize their bad public image.

Posted by: pep at April 11, 2017 04:49 PM (LAe3v)

108 Is there a Sidebar Hall of Fame?

Because the Picard montage needs to be enrolled.

Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2017 04:49 PM (2Vobm)

109 The doctor did nothing to seek fame or notoriety. This is a story that is 100% about United's incompetence

I have to disagree, respectfully of course...

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:50 PM (O2RFr)

110 I kinda agree...Notice the other 3 people removed didn't react like this... Something is not right with this guy...
Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:44 PM (O2RFr)

According to latest reports here locally, in Louisville ...

... everyone was seated, then United called for volunteers. One couple jumped at $400 plus hotel. Offer increased to $800 ... then the fun commenced.

The mysterious "fourth person" was his wife.

Posted by: ScoggDog at April 11, 2017 04:50 PM (BEMJs)

111 The one thing this incident has done is convince the bumped passenger that they can extract a whole lot more out of the airlines than they might have thought before, and for that other airline CEOs can thank United management...

Posted by: JEM at April 11, 2017 04:50 PM (TppKb)

112 Let he who has not applied a bar-arm chokehold to a paying customer and then dragged him out of the establishment .....

-----

Ive actually done that.

Posted by: HILLARY!!! at April 11, 2017 04:50 PM (8XRCm)

113 "I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right," Munoz said in a statement, reversing earlier decisions not to apologize directly for the incident.

Hah! I would have loved being a member of last night's focus group.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at April 11, 2017 04:50 PM (8ZskC)

114 >>i was gonna say asshole

The Dao of Poo

Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2017 04:50 PM (2Vobm)

115
fuck me with the socks today

Posted by: fixerupper at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (8XRCm)

116 I kinda agree...Notice the other 3 people removed didn't react like this... Something is not right with this guy...
Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:44 PM (O2RFr)

I agree, I think United handled this poorly but this guy refused to de-plane. What makes him so special?

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (u8Ywb)

117 >>>>Does any other industry operate like that?

Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (8nWyX)

------

Ever sat in a Doctors office waiting room?

Ever gone to opening night at a nice new restaurant?
.
.
.I tried to give my Orthopedic Surgeon a bill for the hour he made me wait for one appointment. I then I tried to get Tricare to refuse payment for that appointment because he was so late but they said they had to pay him. I think I did get my point across to him though....not that it will change anything.

Posted by: The Great White Scotsman at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (le7jz)

118 I still say he acted like a big vagina.
Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 04:34 PM

-----

i was gonna say asshole
Posted by: concrete girl at April 11, 2017 04:40 PM

Hasn't there been enough dragging?

Posted by: Hope Solo at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (DMUuz)

119 The guy just got his medical license back and is allowed to work in a clinic.

Maybe he had to get back or the terms of the agreement would be violated and he would lose his license again...perhaps permanently.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (rF0hx)

120 The mysterious "fourth person" was his wife.

His wife got off and he demanded to stay?

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (O2RFr)

121 fuck me with the socks today

Posted by: fixerupper at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (8XRCm)

Phrasing?

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (PY9jH)

122 Law enforcement acted badly

You have an odd way of saying, "committed a violent crime"

Posted by: Blue Hen at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (326rv)

123 C'mon man. don't you see it??

It was the phone cops!!

Posted by: Dr. Johnny Fever at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (FZYNt)

124 Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at April 11, 2017 04:46 PM (SRKgf)

That's what I get from the incident. How badly run is United that they didn't know they needed to move crew until *after* everyone was seated?! That's a plenty good reason to never fly with them so I'm grateful for the incident bringing their inability to my attention.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (sEDyY)

125 General note to people who talk to microphones and cameras:

Just don't say "Hitler."

Don't do it. Don't.

No.

DO NOT.

We have entire media channels that illustrate how Hitler Hitler was, so any elaboration on your part will be either a) inadequate or b) inaccurate.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (B+qrE)

126 Both are idiots, but the doc will get rich off it while the airline suffers.

Again, as it should be. Personal issues are not the paying customers problem.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 04:52 PM (EAA/O)

127 Well, you're kind of against internet outrage hanging mobs or you're for them.

Or, selectively for and against them depending on whose ox is being gored, which seems to be the majority position.

Me, I'm just waiting for the literal outrage hanging mobs, because I can't seem to do anything to prevent that.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at April 11, 2017 04:52 PM (wB8Tg)

128 68
52 This could very well be a ploy by United to get more media attention for its customer service.

The last thing United needs for it's shitty customer service is more attention.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 04:44 PM (EAA/O)
United Airline's newest marketing catch phrase:"I'd hit that".
Southwest's latest:"We beat the competition, not you"

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2017 04:52 PM (jxbfJ)

129 Homebody needs to get HRT and testosterone shots from his doctor ASAP. Amd eat healthy, get in the gym, and lay off the drugs.

He has a huge payday coming. Would be a shame if it went all to blow and hookers.

Posted by: Widespread Pepe at April 11, 2017 04:52 PM (2qHjF)

130 Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (8nWyX)

Too many people are defaulting to the liberal trait of making illogical comparisons.

Posted by: Jack Sock at April 11, 2017 04:52 PM (IKy84)

131 usually. many dead dogs would say otherwise.

I think cops have good reason to worry about angry dogs, but they do go too far in being willing to gun down a hound just because they feel threatened.

The problem I think comes down to training and rules. They are permitted to use lethal force if they believe their life is in danger. Dogs can be scary, that's why they act like that: its an attempt to be scary. But not every loud, angry dog is actually a threat to one's life. So they need to be trained better on how to handle animals and recognize a genuine threat from a non-threat.

But like kids, everyone says their dog is totally safe and no threat to anyone, when sometimes they really are, so there are two sides.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 04:52 PM (39g3+)

132 Eep Op Ork Ah-ah!

Posted by: Dr. Jet Screamer at April 11, 2017 04:52 PM (RwwCT)

133 "Plus, yesterday being a slow news day (strangely enough) meant that this story, which would have been a story on any day, became the easy-content story of the day."

Sins of omission and commission. Any day can be a slow (or busy) news day depending on what catches the industry herd's fancy. While they're giving this story a colonoscopy, there are literally thousands of other stories more pertinent and impactful to our lives waiting for a cursory glance.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at April 11, 2017 04:52 PM (1CroS)

134
The mysterious "fourth person" was his wife.

His wife got off and he demanded to stay?

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (O2RFr)

They both got off, then Doc found out the next flight out was the next day. So he re-boarded.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 04:53 PM (PY9jH)

135 >>>Sounds like United dug up dirt on this guy and fed it to the media. That's what I would do if I was United. Maybe I do this of I'm this guys lawyer as well.

Please. It was a flight to Louisville. The Louisville paper broke his identity. It was one of their citizens, they wanted to identify him. Then they pulled all the other stuff up pretty quickly.

Posted by: Banana Splits Guy at April 11, 2017 04:53 PM (u2EhZ)

136 Just don't say "Hitler."

Don't do it. Don't.

Especially not twelve times in one media appearance.

Like me.

Posted by: Ken Livingstone at April 11, 2017 04:53 PM (TppKb)

137 Alternate ending to Argo.

As they're about to close the door on the plane carrying the Americans who've hid in the Canadian embassy in Tehran, a voice comes over the PA:

"We're so sorry, we've had a hiccup. We're going to need some volunteers we've randomly picked to voluntarily disembark, So sorry, will the following passengers please come forward ..."

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2017 04:53 PM (SIY7D)

138 Jimmy Kimmel did a hilarious parody of United's commercials last night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y8HdeHtOJs

Posted by: kbdabear at April 11, 2017 04:53 PM (AOrEZ)

139 I'm taking Amtrak to Albuquerque to see moms and sis for my birthday. It's 15 hrs of torture for my old body that's 6'4". But it's still better than flying most day's, get on, eat, sleep kinda and then I'm there.

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 11, 2017 04:53 PM (6Ll1u)

140 They both got off, then Doc found out the next flight out was the next day. So he re-boarded.

Okay... Still say the guys not "right." Glad he's not my doctor...

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:53 PM (O2RFr)

141 All the airlines pull this crap. I was on an oversold flight from Phoenix to Tulsa on Southwest. They had no more seats that Friday and they were not offering hotel accommodations or much of anything. So once we finally started to board, I was on the jetway just about to get on the plane when a flight attendant stuck her head in from the door to the outside stairs of the jetway and chirped, "Can we quit hiding now and come in out of this heat?"

It was years before I flew SW again because they had not been upfront about the fact that they had to move crew to cover the next day's operation. I hate being lied to by a vendor.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, who is now luxuriating in vast pools of winning! at April 11, 2017 04:54 PM (kXoT0)

142 How badly run is United

Rhetorical, right?

Posted by: pep at April 11, 2017 04:54 PM (LAe3v)

143 >>"We're so sorry, we've had a hiccup. We're going to need some volunteers we've randomly picked to voluntarily disembark, So sorry, will the following passengers please come forward ..."

What a Twist!

Posted by: M Night Shamwow at April 11, 2017 04:54 PM (2Vobm)

144 I am sick and tired of all the motherfuckin' overbookings on this motherfuckin' plane!

Posted by: Samuel L Jackson at April 11, 2017 04:54 PM (AOrEZ)

145 I tried to give my Orthopedic Surgeon a bill for the hour he made me wait for one appointment. I then I tried to get Tricare to refuse payment for that appointment because he was so late but they said they had to pay him. I think I did get my point across to him though....not that it will change anything.
Posted by: The Great White Scotsman at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (le7jz)

But at some point, he showed up, did his thing, etc. You weren't kicked out with a free visit voucher in your hand after an hour.

Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 04:54 PM (8nWyX)

146 Let me drop this here

https://youtu.be/dU95v23MQ4c

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 11, 2017 04:55 PM (9qw5X)

147 I tried to give my Orthopedic Surgeon a bill for the hour he made me wait for one appointment
.
Posted by: The Great White Scotsman at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (le7jz)

Sorta like bitching about your food/service before it is served?

Posted by: golfman at April 11, 2017 04:55 PM (0lTCU)

148 .I tried to give my Orthopedic Surgeon a bill for
the hour he made me wait for one appointment. I then I tried to get
Tricare to refuse payment for that appointment because he was so late
but they said they had to pay him. I think I did get my point across to
him though....not that it will change anything.

Posted by: The Great White Scotsman at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM

I waited in an exam room for over an hour once while my doctor was chatting with a detail man. When he finally came in and asked what was wrong with me, I told him that when I came in I had an URI but I waited so long I was pretty much over it. He apologized and charged me half for an office visit and gave me samples instead of a prescription.

Posted by: huerfano at April 11, 2017 04:55 PM (TO4Og)

149 They offered Vouchers. Which are one step up from TP or Confetti. 5%-8% of vouchers are redeemed. Vouchers are a Fraud.

Offer real cold hard cash. You will get volunteers.

Posted by: rd at April 11, 2017 04:46 PM (iT57s)

Vouchers also come with restrictions of fare type and they expire. They CAN offer cash if they want to and use to.
I cashed out of a seat years ago.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 04:55 PM (trdnR)

150 "The Dao Effect, an Inconvenient Truth."

Posted by: geoffb5 at April 11, 2017 04:56 PM (d3wbb)

151 The guys who dragged him off the plane weren't cops, they were United security people. At least they didn't tase the guy.

United, or airport?
---------------------------------------
Chitcago is a United Hub. The police were airport police. The next thing to company town cops.

Do you think that the Chicago O'Hare Airport police are going to go against their biggest customer, and corporate patron?

Posted by: rd at April 11, 2017 04:56 PM (iT57s)

152 I don't know, because maybe the internet has always been this way, but it seems more and more news is just an opportunity to be a bitch to someone, just not face-to-face, and with a cheering section.

Kind of not looking forward to tomorrow.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at April 11, 2017 04:56 PM (wB8Tg)

153 The doctor did nothing to seek fame or notoriety. This is a story that is 100% about United's incompetence.
Posted by: ameryx at April 11, 2017 04:48 PM (mnNfG)

Actually, he did just that. Once you refuse a lawful, albeit awful, order from a cop and make them drag you off a plane, your life is up for grabs.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, who is now luxuriating in vast pools of winning! at April 11, 2017 04:56 PM (kXoT0)

154 I was taught you don't run a story about someone without talk to them. or noting that you repeated tried and failed.

this guy is a private citizen who maybe, (mabye!) became what's know as a "limited purpose public figure." which means news about him should be limited to his expertise -- what made him know.

in this case, the expert of being dragged off a plane.

Posted by: DCPensFAn at April 11, 2017 04:56 PM (xNplS)

155 120 The mysterious "fourth person" was his wife.

His wife got off and he demanded to stay?
Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (O2RFr)

************

The plot thickens.

Something not UP with Mr. Dao...

Posted by: Charlie Chan at April 11, 2017 04:56 PM (fi5nC)

156 According to latest reports here locally, in Louisville ...

... everyone was seated, then United called for volunteers. One couple jumped at $400 plus hotel. Offer increased to $800 ... then the fun commenced.

The mysterious "fourth person" was his wife.

Posted by: ScoggDog at April 11, 2017 04:50 PM (BEMJs)

Daily reminder: If you weren't there, you don't REALLY know what happened. All we know at this point is what the media is telling us.

And WHAT does the media do, regularly?

Yes.

For me, really, this whole fustercluck is a good illustration of how people react. Everybody, all of us, including me.

So I'll be up front. I think the airlines are one of the worst things this country does, and the fascist Homeland Security rules that allow them to treat paying customers like used condoms is reprehensible.

And I find it comical that people bend over backwards to defend them.

But that's my bias, if anyone wants to know.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2017 04:56 PM (TOk1P)

157 When a cop comes aboard and tells you to leave the aircraft, you do as requested, or deal with the consequences. That his sordid past is being examined as a result of his actions on that plane is icing on the cake. The man deserves it. Nor should a doctor have reacted the way he did. His medical license now should be put under further review. Because if it's ok for any passenger to do what he did, and refuse to deplane in an overbooking situation, you'll have chaos. Get a grip, crybabies.

Posted by: Born Free at April 11, 2017 04:56 PM (Ue6cu)

158 It's not really relevant to the story that went viral. Not really. On
the other hand, this is what you typically do when there's a hot story.
You do spin-off stories. You go into backgrounds of the players and even
the supporting casts.
---
Tell me about it

Posted by: Joe the plumber at April 11, 2017 04:56 PM (3Liv/)

159 Personal tomorrow?

Or the World of Tomorrow?

Merovign.

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 11, 2017 04:57 PM (9qw5X)

160 One other point, they only offered to rebook of a United flight leaving the next day. Surely there was flight on another airline to Louisville sooner than 24 later.

The cheap bastards desire all they get.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 04:57 PM (trdnR)

161 My socks got wet and do not match.

Posted by: Sock it to me. at April 11, 2017 04:57 PM (1V8Oz)

162 Y'all that are complainin' 'bout United bet check yourselves - you're all takin' it out on the airlines 'cause you had a "bad" trip. Grow up. Try walkin' if'n you don't like it. Or if you're an adult realize that air travel is fantastic!

Posted by: Les Kenetic at April 11, 2017 04:57 PM (gUQmt)

163 Hold on... he has a wife?

And he's gay???

How could this be??????

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2017 04:57 PM (TOk1P)

164 Steyn likes to use the example of male passengers on the Titanic letting women and children go first. Japanese senior citizens volunteered to go into Fukushima. And this guy can't miss one flight. When the captain says you gotta go, pick up your things and complain in the lounge like a reasonable person.

Posted by: bjmuggs at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (DmNjj)

165 usually. many dead dogs would say otherwise.

I think cops have good reason to worry about angry dogs, but they do go too far in being willing to gun down a hound just because they feel threatened.

The problem I think comes down to training and rules. They are permitted to use lethal force if they believe their life is in danger. Dogs can be scary, that's why they act like that: its an attempt to be scary. But not every loud, angry dog is actually a threat to one's life. So they need to be trained better on how to handle animals and recognize a genuine threat from a non-threat.

But like kids, everyone says their dog is totally safe and no threat to anyone, when sometimes they really are, so there are two sides.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor

not quite.

"willing to gun down a hound just because they feel threatened."

They are authorized to shoot and kill animals if they CLAIM that they felt threatened. Whether or not there's any reason or not. Such incidents are usually followed by the weasel words, "procedures and policies were carried out".

One problem is that procedures and policies become inviolate. And this favors one and one only. Which causes fear and alienation toward police.

Posted by: Blue Hen at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (326rv)

166 Actually, he did just that. Once you refuse a lawful, albeit awful, order from a cop and make them drag you off a plane, your life is up for grabs.

It wasn't a lawful order. The cop had no right to issue that order. It was not a lawful order. This was not an overbooking issue, this was a personnel issue. The airlines did not live up to their TOS.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (EAA/O)

167 Someding wong with Mr. Dao

Posted by: Charlie Chan at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (fi5nC)

168 but this guy refused to de-plane.

When the next step in your plan is "We'll have security drag a paying passenger off and beat him" you need a new plan.

Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (FhXTo)

169 I'd like to know WTF is up with people taking video of Every Single Damned Thing. I would never in a million years even *think* of whipping out my cellphone like that.

People. Ugh.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (PY9jH)

170 .I tried to give my Orthopedic Surgeon a bill for the hour he made me wait for one appointment. I then I tried to get Tricare to refuse payment for that appointment because he was so late but they said they had to pay him. I think I did get my point across to him though....not that it will change anything.
Posted by: The Great White Scotsman at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (le7jz)

When my boy was about six, he had his first watch. He had a Dr appt and we waited in the little room. When his Dr walked in my son checked his watch and said to the Dr, my appt was at 3 and it's now 4, you are an hour late.
The Dr apologized, said he had an emergency.
I was embarrassed, my boy said what we all think and never say.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (u8Ywb)

171 Air travel USED to be fantastic.

I used to fly all the time when I worked as a bank examiner. Flying then was great.

Fast forward about thirty years and now it's a less hygienic more hassle-filled alternative to bus travel.

Posted by: VA GOP Sucks at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (2VN2E)

172
Sean Spicer : "Hold my beer"

Oh. Gee. My. Sides. Are. Splitting. Ha. Ha.

That's only the 15 millionth "hold my beer" joke I've read in the last 48 hours.

Why not post the Airplane! clip with Lee Bryant getting slapped repeatedly with the caption "United Airlines Training Video"? Haven't seen that posted in the last 30 seconds either.

Posted by: Gran at April 11, 2017 04:59 PM (XIXhw)

173 FAA Regulations
No, United is not within FAA regulations.

This myth that passengers don't have rights needs to go away, ASAP. You are dead wrong when saying that United legally kicked him off the plane.

1. First of all, it's airline spin to call this an overbooking. The statutory provision granting them the ability to deny boarding is about "OVERSELLING", which is specifically defined as booking more reserved confirmed seats than there are available. This is not what happened. They did not overbook the flight; they had a fully booked flight, and not only did everyone already have a reserved confirmed seat, they were all sitting in them. The law allowing them to deny boarding in the event of an oversale does not apply.

2. Even if it did apply, the law is unambiguously clear that airlines have to give preference to everyone with reserved confirmed seats when choosing to involuntarily deny boarding. They have to always choose the solution that will affect the least amount of reserved confirmed seats. This rule is straightforward, and United makes very clear in their own contract of carriage that employees of their own or of other carriers may be denied boarding without compensation because they do not have reserved confirmed seats. On its face, it's clear that what they did was illegal-- they gave preference to their employees over people who had reserved confirmed seats, in violation of 14 CFR 250.2a.

3. Furthermore, even if you try and twist this into a legal application of 250.2a and say that United had the right to deny him boarding in the event of an overbooking; they did NOT have the right to kick him off the plane. Their contract of carriage highlights there is a complete difference in rights after you've boarded and sat on the plane, and Rule 21 goes over the specific scenarios where you could get kicked off. NONE of them apply here. He did absolutely nothing wrong and shouldn't have been targeted. He's going to leave with a hefty settlement after this fiasco.

The fact is that due to united's poor planning, they found out that they have to come up with 4 more spots for their employees from all confirmed seats at the last minute. The 'random' selection picked up 3 asians. What they should have done was to either drive their employees to the destination or offer more money to incentive others to get off the airplane.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 04:59 PM (EAA/O)

174 I'm a bit of two minds about this.

Since United has deep pockets and lawyers on call-

of course this was going to come out.

As they would like to establish that maybe he didn't act rationally or was a scumbag trying to get a big settlement.

Not that that does that exactly.

But, how much is this guy's life an open book?

Let's say his daughter is a drug addict- is it okay to publish that fact

cuz it's part of his life?

Posted by: naturalfake at April 11, 2017 04:59 PM (NyJwR)

175
It wasn't a lawful order. The cop had no right to issue that order. It was not a lawful order. This was not an overbooking issue, this was a personnel issue. The airlines did not live up to their TOS.

Actually it is... Read the fine print... The airlines can "throw" you off for any reason they deem "necessary."

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:59 PM (O2RFr)

176 160 One other point, they only offered to rebook of a United flight leaving the next day. Surely there was flight on another airline to Louisville sooner than 24 later.

The cheap bastards desire all they get.
Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 04:57 PM (trdnR)

Could have went over to Midway. Flights to SDF every hour.

Posted by: ScoggDog at April 11, 2017 04:59 PM (BEMJs)

177 >>Hold on... he has a wife?

>And he's gay???

At least his wife has an excuse for not sipping penis.

Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2017 04:59 PM (2Vobm)

178 Posted by: Born Free at April 11, 2017 04:56 PM (Ue6cu)

So, so true. Hardened criminals like a guy who paid for his airplane seat and wants to be left alone in it shouldn't expect to be coddled by law enforcement.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at April 11, 2017 04:59 PM (8ZskC)

179
135 >>>Sounds like United dug up dirt on this guy and fed it to the media. That's what I would do if I was United. Maybe I do this of I'm this guys lawyer as well.

Please. It was a flight to Louisville. The Louisville paper broke his identity. It was one of their citizens, they wanted to identify him. Then they pulled all the other stuff up pretty quickly.
Posted by: Banana Splits Guy at April 11, 2017 04:53 PM (u2EhZ)

Easy Tiger. I said sounds like. Also this is a PR war. This crap happens during PR wars. Hence war.

I'm not suggesting Lizard people did it, or the aliens living in our hollow earth did it. (Do I need a sarc tag after this).

Posted by: Widespread Pepe at April 11, 2017 04:59 PM (2qHjF)

180 In the future NHS all doctors will be Dao.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at April 11, 2017 05:00 PM (IqV8l)

181
Hold on... he has a wife?

And he's gay???

How could this be??????

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2017 04:57 PM (TOk1P)

I know, right?

Posted by: Tahiti Barry at April 11, 2017 05:00 PM (PY9jH)

182 It wasn't a lawful order. The cop had no right to issue that order. It was not a lawful order. This was not an overbooking issue, this was a personnel issue. The airlines did not live up to their TOS.
Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (EAA/O)

The first pilot of any commercial flight can direct that any passenger be removed, which is what I am sure happened.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, who is now luxuriating in vast pools of winning! at April 11, 2017 05:00 PM (kXoT0)

183 At least his wife has an excuse for not sipping penis.
Posted by: garrett

I'm thinking he sucks more cock than she does

Posted by: Rick in SK at April 11, 2017 05:00 PM (FZYNt)

184 163
Hold on... he has a wife?

And he's gay???

How could this be??????

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2017 04:57 PM (TOk1P)

Oh shit, now the fags will be in an uproar.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:00 PM (trdnR)

185 ....dragged kicking [and squealing like a 2 year old] off the plane..."

Meanwhile, UA stock is down 71 cents. I'm thinking of buying. What's the consensus on whether this story has reached it's nadir (or zenith, as the case may be)?

Posted by: LASue the most deplorable. at April 11, 2017 05:00 PM (CLKfs)

186 167
Someding wong with Mr. Dao

Posted by: Charlie Chan at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (fi5nC)

Mi No Go
Ho Lee FuqBin Bang OWWSum ting Wong

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2017 05:00 PM (jxbfJ)

187 Good luck with that three day minimum drive coast to coast.

Posted by: Les Kenetic at April 11, 2017 05:01 PM (gUQmt)

188 When a cop comes aboard and tells you to leave the aircraft, you do as requested, or deal with the consequences. Get a grip, crybabies.
Posted by: Born Free

bullshit.

1. If the cop is telling you, then no one is requesting anything; they are issuing an order.
2. Consequences. If someone commits a crime, arrest them. Inflicting violence upon them and calling it "consequences" adds to the notion that when cops commit violent crime, it's somehow a good thing.

Posted by: Blue Hen at April 11, 2017 05:01 PM (326rv)

189 Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor.

Posted by: Mr. Kung Pao at April 11, 2017 05:01 PM (Tyii7)

190 169 I'd like to know WTF is up with people taking video of Every Single Damned Thing. I would never in a million years even *think* of whipping out my cellphone like that.

People. Ugh.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (PY9jH)

If I see Cops Behaving Badly ?

Oh Hell Yes. That's evidence.

Posted by: ScoggDog at April 11, 2017 05:01 PM (BEMJs)

191 One problem is that procedures and policies become inviolate. And this favors one and one only. Which causes fear and alienation toward police.

I agree. There is good reason to protect cops, since basically they are hated by nearly everyone (except when people are scared and need help) so they need someone at their backs. But police departments take that too far.

Black Lives Matter isn't completely wrong; cops do walk on stuff that they do wrong way too often. Its a combination of protecting the blue (which is good, to a point), overzealous prosecutors trying to get a political kill so they overcharge and juries won't buy into it, and a system that really has contempt for repeat criminals and is not particularly interested in their rights.

I get it: you see the same reprehensible scum and monsters come through the system over and over without any real hope of an end to it, and you get jaded and resentful. But that doesn't excuse letting cops get away with even murder, sometimes.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:01 PM (39g3+)

192 Buy the dips on United.

Posted by: Widespread Pepe at April 11, 2017 05:01 PM (2qHjF)

193 Or if you're an adult realize that air travel is fantastic!

The physics and engineering of flight is indeed fantastic. The "service" at United sucks dead donkeys. Why on earth would you defend it?

Posted by: pep at April 11, 2017 05:01 PM (LAe3v)

194 And he's gay???

Oh shit, now the fags will be in an uproar.

Get in line

Posted by: The Racism card at April 11, 2017 05:01 PM (O2RFr)

195 187 Good luck with that three day minimum drive coast to coast.
Posted by: Les Kenetic

better pack adult diapers

- wacked out NASA chick

Posted by: Rick in SK at April 11, 2017 05:01 PM (FZYNt)

196 69 I'm sure his lawyer will try to blame United for his head being bashed by the cop because he was a spastic idiot refusing to obey a lawful order, though.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor

Funny how the CEO started out saying that, and now he's shitcanned it. Being rousted by cops and being bloodied, and then hearing "lawful" and "procedures were followed" is what makes people hate cops.
Posted by: Blue Hen at April 11, 2017 04:44 PM (326rv)

Oh boy. The "lawful order" catch all drives me crazy. Cop tells you to do something, whether he has any authority to do so or not, you protest, they arrest you for obstruction. It's one bullshit way they get their arrest numbers up to look good for the brass.

Posted by: Insomniac - sin valor at April 11, 2017 05:01 PM (0mRoj)

197 Mr Dao's chicken--chokes.

Posted by: Charlie Chan at April 11, 2017 05:02 PM (fi5nC)

198 The first pilot of any commercial flight can direct that any passenger be removed, which is what I am sure happened.

Pilots never got involved. This was all ground crew/booking.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 05:02 PM (EAA/O)

199 On a happier note.EPA employees are becoming alcoholics due to Trump.As Reynolds says"Fater please".

https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/262262/

Posted by: steevy at April 11, 2017 05:02 PM (r/0kC)

200 Coming soon: the Dr. Dao screech ringtone.

Posted by: Ripley at April 11, 2017 05:02 PM (1BQGO)

201 So this Dr is not so different than DeBlasio? Huh

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 11, 2017 05:02 PM (6Ll1u)

202 Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (FhXTo)

They beat him?

Posted by: Jack Sock at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (IKy84)

203 Shanna, they bought their tickets, they knew what they were getting into. I say, let 'em crash.

Posted by: Jack Kirkpatrick at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (IqV8l)

204 I'd like to know WTF is up with people taking video of Every Single Damned Thing. I would never in a million years even *think* of whipping out my cellphone like that.

People. Ugh.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 04:58 PM (PY9jH)

Money honey. Look at the guy who just happened to video Hillary passing out and being flung into that van. He cashed a nice check and he's not the only one to ever do so.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes, who is now luxuriating in vast pools of winning! at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (kXoT0)

205 United's stock hasn't plunged.

Run the stock timeline back a month or two. It's barely even a blip.

Posted by: Warden at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (MZ8Zz)

206
128 68
52
This could very well be a ploy by United to get more media attention for its customer service.

The last thing United needs for it's shitty customer service is more attention.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 04:44 PM (EAA/O)

United Airline's newest marketing catch phrase:"I'd hit that".
Southwest's latest:"We beat the competition, not you"

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2017 04:52 PM (

United airlines tweeted out about their new on line booking feature,

Drag and Drop.

Swear to God. Saw it last night and almost peed myself.

Posted by: rd at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (iT57s)

207 52 This could very well be a ploy by United to get more media attention for its customer service.
Posted by: Lawrence O'Donnell, Serious Thinker at April 11, 2017 04:42 PM (97XyN)

LOL.

Posted by: rickl at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (xjiRE)

208 > If you were a reporter tracking a viral story, and you came across this -- would you not run it?

No, of course not. It's not only completely irrelevant, but carry it one step further:

Now that you wrote the story about someone's background, now it's your turn to have your past dredged up and put into someone else's story. Since you wrote about it and are now connected, it's your turn.

Posted by: Jabari at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (NJ61X)

209 United will recover. It's not like they are allowing men to take poops next to little girls in the bathroom. Target is fucking retarded.... Nice 20 billion dollar PR fumble.

Posted by: Widespread Pepe at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (2qHjF)

210 On a shallow note, I'm curious to see a pic of his wife.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (PY9jH)

211 Actually it is... Read the fine print... The airlines can "throw" you off for any reason they deem "necessary."

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:59 PM (O2RFr)

Yep... pretty sure the airliner qualifies as private property.

That would make anyone who refuses to leave when asked... a trespasser.

Throw in a Federal law or two about creating disturbances on airliners and you've got yourself a party.

Posted by: Gran at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (XIXhw)

212 What they should have done was to either drive their
employees to the destination or offer more money to incentive others to
get off the airplane.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 04:59 PM (EAA/O)

For the $250 MILLION in market cap they lost this morning, they could have charters a 747 to take the four guys to Louisville AND bought the plane.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:04 PM (trdnR)

213 theyre stock is down 1% today, that ain't plunging

Posted by: jihadi at April 11, 2017 05:04 PM (I64i9)

214 Pilots never got involved.

----

Oh the hell they don't.

Ive personally witnessed a pilot have a drunk belligerent passenger removed on a Delta flight prior to takeoff.

He helped the airport cop cuff him.

Posted by: fixerupper at April 11, 2017 05:04 PM (8XRCm)

215 Yep... pretty sure the airliner qualifies as private property.

That would make anyone who refuses to leave when asked... a trespasser.

Throw in a Federal law or two about creating disturbances on airliners and you've got yourself a party.

Wow. Lots of two-bit lawyering going on in this thread.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at April 11, 2017 05:04 PM (8ZskC)

216 I don't know. I am sensitive to the idea that this is just a private citizen who's been dragged (somewhat literally) into the public spotlight against his will. But that did happen, and no one can change that now, and this is now news.

++++

No, he was chosen to be removed from the plane against his will (although not truly at random by the airline - they lied about that), but he decided to make a fuss. He put himself in the spotlight with that decision. I'm not saying he was wrong to stand up to the bullying airline, just that it was predictable that law enforcement would get involved, and that's a public thing.

I also don't blame the media for digging into who this guy is. But, I would like to see the same thing done with all the players. How about the woman who first ordered him off the plane... Any interesting dirt in her background? How about the LEOs who removed him. The NY Post reported that one of them was suspended for failure to follow policy in the removal. But, he hasn't been named. Why not? Why is the passenger's name relevant but the LEO's name is kept quiet?

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at April 11, 2017 05:04 PM (R+30W)

217 The guy was a local doctor found guilty of multiple crimes. His local paper can't just ignore their prior reporting.

Posted by: spongeworthy at April 11, 2017 05:05 PM (mrfTe)

218 Actually it is... Read the fine print... The airlines can "throw" you off for any reason they deem "necessary."

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 04:59 PM (O2RFr)

Funny... I have this thing here called the Constitution.

I don't see it anywhere about private companies having the right to beat the crap out of paying customers who get mouthy with them.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2017 05:05 PM (TOk1P)

219 In my travel experience, the ONLY airline that doesn't treat its passengers like cattle being herded is Southwest Airlines.

This is wrong on so many levels, as rickb223 has enumerated, but who knows where it's going.

There was a UA pilot who "called" into Rush this afternoon. Talk about a "seminar" caller. They probably have "pilots" calling into a variety of talk shows today to spin their version of the story.

My overarching opinion of UA is that their planes are broken more often than any other airline I've ever flown on.

Posted by: Bossy Conservative....outlaw in America at April 11, 2017 05:05 PM (RFeQD)

220
Wow. Lots of two-bit lawyering going on in this thread.
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at April 11, 2017 05:04 PM

We aims to please

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 05:05 PM (O2RFr)

221 The guy was a local doctor found guilty of multiple crimes. His local paper can't just ignore their prior reporting.

I know, right?

Posted by: Joe The Plumber at April 11, 2017 05:05 PM (8ZskC)

222 >>The fact is that due to united's poor planning, they found out that they have to come up with 4 more spots for their employees from all confirmed seats at the last minute. The 'random' selection picked up 3 asians. What they should have done was to either drive their employees to the destination or offer more money to incentive others to get off the airplane.

The real fact is nobody knows all the facts yet.

It really isn't all that uncommon for airlines to have to shuttle flight crews around at the last minute. Sometimes cancelations at origination airports screw up the chain of events and substitute crews need to be flown in. This happens a lot with Delta out of Atlanta because in addition to it being the airport from hell, flight cancellations and delays happen all the time. Given that Chicago is United's big hub and they have a shitload of employees in the area it wouldn't surprise me at all that this was a last minute flight crew reschedule.

It was just a dumb incident prompted by a guy acting like a twat and then the cops doing what they often do, escalate things.

I am curious though what some people think the options were when you have a guy unwilling to get off your plane as he is required to do.

Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2017 05:05 PM (/tuJf)

223 "It's not really relevant to the story that went viral [...] I don't know. I am sensitive to the idea that this is just a private citizen who's been dragged (somewhat literally) into the public spotlight against his will."
---
Gotta disagree Ace. It's character evidence.

The dude is a rule-flaunting, authority-abusing sexual harasser. Which may, in some reasonable opinions, corroborate to "unstable nut job." Which makes his plight less sympathetic, seeing as some reasonable opinions may also conclude he is likely to behave erratically or immaturely in view of previous behavior.

We all face crap in our everyday lives. Everyone who's flown before has hated an airline. It's up to you whether you freak out. I don't care if we're on the way to the most important meeting of our lives, if a subordinate behaved this way, I'd fire the subordinate on the spot. Decorum, bearing, poise, these things matter. Fail to demonstrate them and you should be judged accordingly. Fail to demonstrate them repeatedly and nobody should feel bad when interested reporters call out datapoints suggestive of that trend.

United may have screwed up here, but two wrongs do not make a right. He would not be famous but for his own wrong behavior.

The catch is that on social media, if big business in involved, big business is always wrong, and whoever is against big business is always right. But that's not reality.

Would he be sympathetic if the opponent wasn't a big business? I can't keep up with the Twitter SJW mob , I thought accused sexual harassers were to be hunted and destroyed with the zeal that we pursue war criminals in South America..? Isn't that what we're doing on campus now? Why is this particular set of accusations immune from sexual justice witch hunting?

Here's what I know for sure: I don't want someone who behaves like that like that sitting next to me on a flight.

Posted by: Non-Victim Blamer at April 11, 2017 05:05 PM (wx6iv)

224 I am just going to walk away since I am seeing a blending of reports on the incident meeting experiences of some posters until this is all a complete hash of fantasy and screaming. But mainly screaming.

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 11, 2017 05:05 PM (9qw5X)

225 Pilots never got involved.

----

Oh the hell they don't.

Ive personally witnessed a pilot have a drunk belligerent passenger removed on a Delta flight prior to takeoff.

He helped the airport cop cuff him.
Posted by: fixerupper

THIS FLIGHT. THE PILOTS OF THIS FLIGHT.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 05:06 PM (EAA/O)

226 Will there be a United effect similar to the Ferguson effect ? 40k to 50k passengers get booted off flights every year. What happens when people start enmasse to refuse to deplane ? Or get down when a cop tells you to get down ? When did it become cool to disobey lawful orders ?

Posted by: nsirchov at April 11, 2017 05:06 PM (1TcdB)

227 >>>>The doctor did nothing to seek fame or notoriety. This is a story that is 100% about United's incompetence.

Posted by: ameryx at April 11, 2017 04:48 PM (mnNfG)

Actually, he did just that. Once you refuse a lawful, albeit awful,
order from a cop and make them drag you off a plane, your life is up
for grabs.
.
.
.
.Correct, once you walk on that plane you fall under all of the rules and laws the Feds have in place.

United was wrong in what they did, but once the guy refused to walk off the plane he was violating Federal laws.

Posted by: The Great White Scotsman at April 11, 2017 05:06 PM (le7jz)

228 I'd like to know WTF is up with people taking video of Every Single Damned Thing. I would never in a million years even *think* of whipping out my cellphone like that.

People. Ugh.

Posted by: Jane D'oh

That's not the worst thing. The worst thing is people holding the cellphone vertical when television is more of a horizontal thing.

So the video I saw was shadowboxed - or whatever they call it.

Posted by: Oxycotin User at April 11, 2017 05:06 PM (HTdUD)

229 I don't see it anywhere about private companies having the right to beat the crap out of paying customers who get mouthy with them.

Tucker had a passenger from the flight on last night and he said the "victim" was flailing away at the draggers....

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 05:07 PM (O2RFr)

230 I can't wait to see the Lifetime Movie that gets made out of this.

Posted by: Captain Sully at April 11, 2017 05:07 PM (KeRkT)

231 >>>I'm not suggesting Lizard people did it, or the aliens living in our hollow earth did it. (Do I need a sarc tag after this).

You do. Did we not just have a thread about conspiracy theories? What evidence do you have that United planted the story about his name and past? Occam's Razor - it's not found in stores, but you need it.

Posted by: Banana Splits Guy at April 11, 2017 05:07 PM (u2EhZ)

232 TOGETHER WE MUCH.

Posted by: AL SHARPTON at April 11, 2017 05:07 PM (2Vobm)

233 @205

Read stock charts much? Down 1.1%

http://tinyurl.com/m5zc9lo

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:07 PM (trdnR)

234 The good Dr. is in the national spotlight ONLY because he acted like a spoiled baby. If he had been an adult, he would still be anonymous and none of this crap about his shady past would have come out (at until discovery in the lawsuit against United, which would probably be deemed confidential).

Sometimes life doesn't go your way. Normal people just deal.

Posted by: LASue the most deplorable. at April 11, 2017 05:07 PM (CLKfs)

235 I don't see it anywhere about private companies having the right to beat the crap out of paying customers who get mouthy with them.
Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2017 05:05 PM (TOk1P)

------

Hey..... You make me miss my connecting because you're getting mouthy..... Ill HELP the mall cops violate your Constitutional Rights.

Posted by: fixerupper at April 11, 2017 05:07 PM (8XRCm)

236 I don't see it anywhere about private companies having the right to beat the crap out of paying customers who get mouthy with them.

Lets not get carried away. Nobody beat the crap out of him, he physically resisted being removed legally from the plane and hit his head in the process. That's all we know for sure. Video will show later if it was his fault, or the cops were overzealous, or someone clocked him, or what. But there's no reason to get too deeply into attacking or defending anyone here.

I think everyone agrees that Airlines are jackholes. But that doesn't exclude the possibility that this guy was, too. And even bad guys are not wrong all the time.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:07 PM (39g3+)

237 What if Assad starts gassing people on airplanes? Things are getting nuts.

Posted by: torabora at April 11, 2017 05:08 PM (0+2tr)

238 Wow. Lots of two-bit lawyering going on in this thread.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at April 11, 2017 05:04 PM (8ZskC)

I don't recall asking.

Posted by: Gran at April 11, 2017 05:08 PM (XIXhw)

239 210 On a shallow note, I'm curious to see a pic of his wife.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (PY9jH)

She's a physician as well. She's also the person that notified the medical board about his drug abuse/gay affair/ Rx abuse.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 05:08 PM (u8Ywb)

240 Shanna, they bought their tickets, they knew what they were getting into. I say, let 'em crash.
Posted by: Jack Kirkpatrick at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (IqV8l)

Why John, you old stick in the mud, I've been listening to that horse shit of yours for months, and you can take that crap and blow it out your ass. And for good measure, sit on THIS John.

Posted by: Sheila Hamilton at April 11, 2017 05:08 PM (8nWyX)

241 What if Assad starts gassing people on airplanes? Things are getting nuts.
Posted by: torabora at April 11, 2017 05:08 PM (0+2tr)

Or snakes!

Posted by: Samuel L. Jackson at April 11, 2017 05:08 PM (8ZskC)

242 "40k to 50k passengers get booted off flights every year. What happens when people start enmasse to refuse to deplane ?"

Suspect this is conflating facts. Getting "bumped" before you get on is a lot different than getting a boarding pass and having your ass in the seat.

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2017 05:09 PM (SIY7D)

243 I don't care what kind of asshole the guy is,United still sucks and were wrong.

Posted by: steevy at April 11, 2017 05:09 PM (r/0kC)

244 What if Assad starts gassing people on airplanes? Things are getting nuts.
Posted by: torabora at April 11, 2017 05:08 PM (0+2tr)

Luckily Hitler never did that

Posted by: Sean Spicer... at April 11, 2017 05:09 PM (O2RFr)

245 THIS FLIGHT. THE PILOTS OF THIS FLIGHT.

-----

What.

You want me to read every littel word correctly???

pffffft

Posted by: fixerupper at April 11, 2017 05:09 PM (8XRCm)

246 United Airlines Employee: Sir, we need you to leave this plane again. How may I help you do that?

Doctor Neal Page: You can start by wiping that f-cking dumbass smile off your rosy f-cking cheeks. Then you can get me to my f-cking seat. In f-cking coach, in f-cking business class, in f-cking first class, two fucking cushions and armrests!

United Airlines Employee: I really don't care for the way you're speaking to me.

Doctor Neal Page: And I really don't care for the way your company left me in the middle of f-cking nowhere with a f-cking ticket to a f-cking flight that I can't f-cking take. And I really didn't care to f-cking walk off the f-cking plane back to the f-cking gate to find out the next f-cking flight is the next f-cking morning and now to get back here to have you smile at my f-cking face. I want my f-cking seat...right...f-cking...now.

Posted by: Doctor Neal Page at April 11, 2017 05:09 PM (7A4qQ)

247 I've driven many times to see my grandkids in Ohio, 3 days of driving, two days at 850 miles and one at 900. It's brutal, but motel 6 is not so bad.

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 11, 2017 05:09 PM (6Ll1u)

248 If you just fully give in to the Stereotypes, nothing out of the ordinary happened here.

Airline Employees are Assholes.

Doctors are Super Duper Assholes.

Cops are Wannabe Thugs.

Case solved.

Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2017 05:09 PM (2Vobm)

249 rickb223, If you're correct (and for the sake of expediency let's assume you are), The guy was still defying an order from law enforcement - not United. The guy acted like three year old and got more of a beating than he may have deserved. Still though, we haven't seen all that led up to the video. I'll bet that given his character, he still is a karmic disaster waiting to happen.

Posted by: Les Kenetic at April 11, 2017 05:09 PM (gUQmt)

250 228 I'd like to know WTF is up with people taking video of Every Single Damned Thing. I would never in a million years even *think* of whipping out my cellphone like that.

People. Ugh.

Posted by: Jane D'oh

And why do all the women in the vids sound like Mona Lisa Vito impersonators ???

Posted by: nsirchov at April 11, 2017 05:09 PM (1TcdB)

251 I don't care what kind of asshole the guy is,United still sucks and were wrong

I say they both were...

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 05:10 PM (O2RFr)

252 I am curious though what some people think the options were when you
have a guy unwilling to get off your plane as he is required to do.

1) Keep raising the payoff to deplane until someone bites. Someone will.
2) Charter a plane or other alternate mode of transportation to move your crew around.
3) Have people remove him who know what the hell they're doing.
4) (this should go first). Do some f***ing planning. United abuses its customers as a matter of convenience for themselves.

Posted by: pep at April 11, 2017 05:10 PM (LAe3v)

253 Sometimes life doesn't go your way. Normal people just deal.
Posted by: LASue the most deplorable. at April 11, 2017 05:07 PM (CLKfs)

Every. Day.

Posted by: golfman at April 11, 2017 05:10 PM (0lTCU)

254 I think in a situation where there is a conflict, a person's background can be relevant. When a cop is alleged to have done something wrong, there is no problem reporting how many past complaints he has had filed against him or if he has had to attend anger management.

His actions sure make more sense to me now with the background knowledge I have.

Posted by: Jack Sock at April 11, 2017 05:10 PM (IKy84)

255 I am curious though what some people think the options were when you have a guy unwilling to get off your plane as he is required to do.
Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2017 05:05 PM (/tuJf)

In this case ... since he wasn't belligerent PRIOR to being selected ... I expect United to do what EVERY SINGLE OTHER AIRLINE DOES ...

... keep throwing out money until people volunteer.

I've said it ... I'll keep saying it ... there's more than a few of you that find pleasure in obeying the powers that be - regardless of the circumstances. It's on full display.

Posted by: ScoggDog at April 11, 2017 05:10 PM (BEMJs)

256 Posted by: Jack Sock at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (IKy84)

Yes, knocked him out and possibly broke his nose. He didn't "make" them drag him out. He wasn't conscious when they were dragging him down the aisle by his feet. Did the CEO not look at the video before making his first statements?

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 11, 2017 05:11 PM (sEDyY)

257 "I don't see it anywhere about private companies having the right to beat the crap out of paying customers who get mouthy with them. "

Anyone here been set upon by bouncers. I have.

Posted by another: Comedian Ron White has a great tale about the same

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2017 05:11 PM (SIY7D)

258
I am curious though what some people think the options were when you have a guy unwilling to get off your plane as he is required to do.
Posted by: JackStraw

1. Figure it the fuck out before you fill your airplane with people.
2. Don't have confrontations with seated paying passengers. Filled airplanes are shitholes. They sit on tarmacs for hours with no ventilation, flight crews that seem to hate the passengers, and all this with the "anyone, anytime can be heaved off, even at 30,000 feet.
3. If he caused a row, then yes, eject the guy.

Posted by: Blue Hen at April 11, 2017 05:11 PM (326rv)

259 They beat him?

Posted by: Jack Sock

Probably too strong a word. IIRC he banged his head while being dragged out and wound up bloody and confused. If a theater did somebody like this you'd sue the shit out of them.

Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 05:11 PM (FhXTo)

260 I don't see it anywhere about private companies having the right to beat the crap out of paying customers who get mouthy with them.

-------------------------
Tucker had a passenger from the flight on last night and he said the "victim" was flailing away at the draggers....

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 05:07 PM (O2RFr)

My cousin's sister's brother heard there was somebody in his van pool who was on the flight who says he was the perfect gentleman.

So there.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2017 05:11 PM (TOk1P)

261 #Chinkfyersmatter.

Chinese are upset about this. I guess when they find out he's a Ventanese that will go away

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:11 PM (trdnR)

262 If they picked all Asians, I can guess the mindset: that's the safe minority group to attack. Nobody cares if you beat the crap out of some Chinese guy and treat them terribly, there's no AntiDefamation league for Asians, at least not one the press listens to. You can discriminate against them all day long and laugh in their face while you do it, just ask college administrators and human resources execs.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:12 PM (39g3+)

263
Not a lawyer.

But, I do know that most companies have an SOP manual-

and even if United didn't violate the law,

if they violated their own SOP manual. Plus, high amt of Asians thrown off versus percentage on plane.

I'm pretty sure this guy walks away with a big bag of money whether the law was violated or not.

Posted by: naturalfake at April 11, 2017 05:12 PM (NyJwR)

264 . He didn't "make" them drag him out.

Yes, he did....

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 05:12 PM (O2RFr)

265 Anyone here been set upon by bouncers. I have.

---

Yup.

And I was one for a short while in college.

Posted by: fixerupper at April 11, 2017 05:12 PM (8XRCm)

266 "The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure permitted Dao to resume practicing medicine in 2015 under certain conditions."

The set of "certain conditions" is the empty set. WTF?

Posted by: flounder, rebel, vulgarian, deplorable, winner at April 11, 2017 05:13 PM (GX63o)

267 257 "I don't see it anywhere about private companies having the right to beat the crap out of paying customers who get mouthy with them. "

Anyone here been set upon by bouncers. I have.

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2017 05:11 PM (SIY7D)

Yep.

Try telling the bouncer that you're not leaving until you finished your drink because you paid for it. Good luck.

Posted by: Gran at April 11, 2017 05:13 PM (XIXhw)

268 Since you wrote about it and are now connected, it's your turn.
Posted by: Jabari at April 11, 2017 05:03 PM (NJ61X)

I remember when you went apeshit at the Dallas Zoo and the cops had to pump you full of bullets

Posted by: Lord Sir x at April 11, 2017 05:13 PM (nFwvY)

269 "40k to 50k passengers get booted off flights every year. What happens when people start enmasse to refuse to deplane ?"

Suspect this is conflating facts. Getting "bumped" before you get on is a lot different than getting a boarding pass and having your ass in the seat.

And then it wasn't because it was oversold, it was due to a personnel issue with the airline.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 05:13 PM (EAA/O)

270 233 @205

Read stock charts much? Down 1.1%

http://tinyurl.com/m5zc9lo

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:07 PM (trdnR)
**********

I love how you jumped straight to being a dick.

Run it back a month for perspective, you fucking turd. As I stated in my comment.

Read much?

Posted by: Warden at April 11, 2017 05:13 PM (MZ8Zz)

271 he guy was still defying an order from law enforcement - not United. The guy acted like three year old and got more of a beating than he may have deserved. Still though, we haven't seen all that led up to the video. I'll bet that given his character, he still is a karmic disaster waiting to happen.
Posted by: Les Kenetic

If any of that was true, then he should have been arrested, and the airline and the cops should have proudly stood there as he was indicted.

Which did NOT happen.

Posted by: Blue Hen at April 11, 2017 05:13 PM (326rv)

272 #SeatBacksUP!

Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2017 05:14 PM (2Vobm)

273 Imagine this being done to anyone wearing a white headress and holding a Koran.

Imagine it being done to a mad black woman. Try.

United henchmen scanned the crowd, saw skinny asian looking guy, thought "oh he'll be easy." So they guessed wrong.

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at April 11, 2017 05:14 PM (KeRkT)

274 I am curious though what some people think the options were when you have a guy unwilling to get off your plane as he is required to do.
Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2017 05:05 PM (/tuJf)

I agree with you, if you do not follow an officers orders, they will make you follow them and there may be blood or someone will be hurt.

I doubt the officers involved show up to work wanting to bloody up some screaming lunatic on a plane.

United may have stupid policy, they certainly could have handled it better.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 05:14 PM (u8Ywb)

275 243 I don't care what kind of asshole the guy is,United still sucks and were wrong.

Posted by: steevy at April 11, 2017 05:09 PM (r/0kC)

++++

Yep. They were wrong the minute they started removing passengers involuntarily from the flight. They should have upped their offer to get people to volunteer if they wanted to reclaim those seats for their own employees so badly.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at April 11, 2017 05:14 PM (R+30W)

276 Glad it wasn't me. "Gentlemen, with all respect: if you lay a hand on me it had better be a fist because I will not tolerate an assault."

Posted by: Bryan at April 11, 2017 05:14 PM (nJWew)

277 Try telling the bouncer that you're not leaving until you finished your drink because you paid for it. Good luck.
Posted by: Gran at April 11, 2017 05:13 PM (XIXhw)

-------

If only.

It was usually...... in a drunken slur..... "Leaf??? ....wellllll FUGG YOU ASHHHHHHOLE"

Posted by: fixerupper at April 11, 2017 05:15 PM (8XRCm)

278 I expect United to do what EVERY SINGLE OTHER AIRLINE DOES ...

... keep throwing out money until people volunteer.

They did, and still didn't get enough people biting. Supposedly this guy did choose to go at $800 then changed his mind.

Its a tough situation to be in, and while their stupidity and bad policy put them in it, the last thing you want to do is be held hostage by one person's petulance and physical refusal to go along. How much money do you let them hold out for, just to get off the plane? What do you do when someone violently refuses to go, keep raising numbers while he giggles?

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:15 PM (39g3+)

279 They beat him?

Posted by: Jack Sock

Probably too strong a word. IIRC he banged his head while being dragged out and wound up bloody and confused. If a theater did somebody like this you'd sue the shit out of them.

Hey, we were just dragging the guy to the door. Then he started trying to damage aircraft with his face. He nailed every armrest from row 15 to row 1.

Crazy jerk.

Posted by: Chicago's Finest at April 11, 2017 05:15 PM (8ZskC)

280 An excellent point was just made on the Sean Hannity radio show in that Dr. Do had just had his medical license reinstated. If had missed the flight and not seen his scheduled patients that would be grounds for having the medical board pull his license again.

Posted by: The Guy at April 11, 2017 05:15 PM (dhbO7)

281 Why John, you old stick in the mud, I've been listening to that horse shit of yours for months, and you can take that crap and blow it out your ass. And for good measure, sit on THIS John.
Posted by: Sheila Hamilton at April 11, 2017 05:08 PM (8nWyX)
----------

Finally, a Kentucky Fried Movie reference.

Posted by: Moron Pundit at April 11, 2017 05:15 PM (xeeHA)

282 273 Imagine this being done to anyone wearing a white headress and holding a Koran.

Imagine it being done to a mad black woman. Try.

They're already out there saying it was racially motivated because he is "Chinese."

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 05:15 PM (O2RFr)

283
Sally Kohn is still in shock -- "They came for him... to take him to Trump's re-education camps!"

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 11, 2017 05:15 PM (v1g1+)

284 Try telling the bouncer that you're not leaving until you finished your drink because you paid for it. Good luck.

See how long you have a job as a bouncer at the club when you walk up to a paying customer who is sitting there minding their own business and you tell them they have to leave the table, leave the drink they paid for, just because a couple of off-duty employees want that table.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 05:15 PM (EAA/O)

285 The Oklahoma Thunder starting forwards are going to wear "I Can't Reave" t-shirts for their warm-up, tonight.

Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2017 05:15 PM (2Vobm)

286 Read much?
Posted by: Warden at April 11, 2017 05:13 PM (MZ8Zz)

Ouch.

Posted by: golfman at April 11, 2017 05:16 PM (0lTCU)

287 It was just a dumb incident prompted by a guy acting like a twat and then the cops doing what they often do, escalate things.

I am curious though what some people think the options were when you
have a guy unwilling to get off your plane as he is required to do.

It's a stupid failure mode. A simple escalating cash buyout prevents the problem from ever occurring.

Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 05:16 PM (FhXTo)

288 >>1) Keep raising the payoff to deplane until someone bites. Someone will.
2) Charter a plane or other alternate mode of transportation to move your crew around.
3) Have people remove him who know what the hell they're doing.
4) (this should go first). Do some f***ing planning. United abuses its customers as a matter of convenience for themselves.

Those are interesting things the CEO of United should consider. I'm saying you are a gate agent with a non-cooperative passenger and you are not authorized to raise the payoff or charter a plane or do anything other than follow the normal escalation policy which in this case included calling in the cops when a passenger refuses to follow the rules.

As was noted above, a passenger who was on Tucker last suggested the doctor was a bit more than a passive victim here. If the cop leaned in to take the guys arm and help him move when he refused and he fought back then nothing here is surprising to me.

When you have 3 cops around you insisting that you get off the flight, a little sign should go off in your head reading "I am not going on this flight no matter what else happens" because that is the truth. How you deal with getting off the plane is up to you, walking or dragged.

A hell of a lot easier to get off and take your case up with the airlines.

Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2017 05:16 PM (/tuJf)

289 "I don't see it anywhere about private companies having the right to beat the crap out of paying customers who get mouthy with them. "

Anyone here been set upon by bouncers. I have.

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2017 05:11 PM (SIY7D)

Yep.

Try telling the bouncer that you're not leaving until you finished your drink because you paid for it. Good luck.

Posted by: Gran at April 11, 2017 05:13 PM (XIXhw)

Yes. People get beat up. All the time.

It happens. This part is not news.

Ask the cops who were videotaped beating the snot out of Rodney King where the line is between their right to enforce the law on mouthy dudes, and the right of citizens to not have the snot beaten out of them.

It's funny how those things come up in the public consciousness every now and then.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2017 05:17 PM (TOk1P)

290
231 >>>I'm not suggesting Lizard people did it, or the aliens living in our hollow earth did it. (Do I need a sarc tag after this).

You do. Did we not just have a thread about conspiracy theories? What evidence do you have that United planted the story about his name and past? Occam's Razor - it's not found in stores, but you need it.
Posted by: Banana Splits Guy at April 11, 2017 05:07 PM (u2EhZ)

Bro. Chill. Are you serious right now?

This is a PR war. Are you seriously calling this a conspiracy theory because I listed tactics either side would employ.

Good Lord.

Posted by: Widespread Pepe at April 11, 2017 05:17 PM (2qHjF)

291 242 "40k to 50k passengers get booted off flights every year. What happens when people start enmasse to refuse to deplane ?"

Suspect this is conflating facts. Getting "bumped" before you get on is a lot different than getting a boarding pass and having your ass in the seat.
Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2017 05:09 PM (SIY7D

It's only different if you are a jackhole like the good Dr. SUSPECT it would be the same to most people, they would just leave the plane like the first couple did. Ergo, the same as not getting a boarding pass. Got it ??

Posted by: nsirchov at April 11, 2017 05:17 PM (1TcdB)

292 Imagine this being done to anyone wearing a white headress and holding a Koran.

Imagine it being done to a mad black woman. Try.

This. No one, especially not the cops 'giving lawful orders, would have dared do this.'

Posted by: Blue Hen at April 11, 2017 05:17 PM (326rv)

293 Frankly after looking at his past "infractions" I wonder why they would re-instate his license?

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 05:17 PM (O2RFr)

294 A hell of a lot easier to get off and take your case up with the airlines.

Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2017 05:16 PM (/tuJf)

Before they customer service the shit out of you.

Posted by: flounder, rebel, vulgarian, deplorable, winner at April 11, 2017 05:17 PM (GX63o)

295 I don't recall asking.

Posted by: Gran at April 11, 2017 05:08 PM (XIXhw)

You seem to be loaded for bear today.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2017 05:17 PM (rF0hx)

296 My opinion blah blah United Airlines blah blah blah opinion passenger blah blah dragged off the plane opinion blah blah blah blah.

Whew! Am I part of the Internet yet! Don't want to miss out on being part of the in-crowd!

Posted by: zombie at April 11, 2017 05:18 PM (DQ4Fv)

297 is the customer always right?

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 11, 2017 05:18 PM (6Ll1u)

298 Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 05:15 PM (EAA/O)

They do it at casinos all the time.

Posted by: Jack Sock at April 11, 2017 05:18 PM (IKy84)

299 Try telling the bouncer that you're not leaving until you finished your drink because you paid for it. Good luck.

Right, its like police, its about getting and maintaining control immediately. Why? Because fewer people get hurt that way, and less problems for the company.

Usually.

Like I said though, lots of cameras, and we know almost nothing yet. Too little to be dogmatic or angry about anything.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:18 PM (39g3+)

300 I love how you jumped straight to being a dick.

Run it back a month for perspective, you fucking turd. As I stated in my comment.

Read much?

Posted by: Warden at April 11, 2017 05:13 PM (MZ8Zz)

I love how you can suggest $250 million is not important. Must be nice.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:18 PM (trdnR)

301 is the customer always right?
Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 11, 2017 05:18 PM (6Ll1u)

----

Oh. Hell no.

But they deserve to be treated right. United failed on that front. Badly.

Posted by: fixerupper at April 11, 2017 05:19 PM (8XRCm)

302 >>I love how you can suggest $250 million is not important. Must be nice.

Where's MooMoo when you need him?

Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2017 05:19 PM (2Vobm)

303 288
>>1) Keep raising the payoff to deplane until someone bites. Someone will.

2) Charter a plane or other alternate mode of transportation to move your crew around.

3) Have people remove him who know what the hell they're doing.

4) (this should go first). Do some f***ing planning. United abuses its customers as a matter of convenience for themselves.

Those are interesting things the CEO of United should consider. I'm
saying you are a gate agent with a non-cooperative passenger and you are
not authorized to raise the payoff or charter a plane or do anything
other than follow the normal escalation policy which in this case
included calling in the cops when a passenger refuses to follow the
rules.

That's what #4 is for. That's why the CEO makes the big $. It certainly isn't for his publicity skills.

Posted by: pep at April 11, 2017 05:19 PM (LAe3v)

304 The guys gonna make a bundle out of this.... I still say he's "weird."

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 05:19 PM (O2RFr)

305 Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2017 05:16 PM (/tuJf)

You said it better than I ever could. That's exactly what I think, regardless of how idiotic United handled it.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 05:19 PM (u8Ywb)

306 Ask the cops who were videotaped beating the snot out of Rodney King where the line is between their right to enforce the law on mouthy dudes, and the right of citizens to not have the snot beaten out of them.

Yeah, sometimes cops go too far, they are human beings. Rodney King was a scumbag who was in line for a beatdown, but they took it way too far. It happens, for real.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:19 PM (39g3+)

307 "Ergo, the same as not getting a boarding pass. Got it ??"

Yep, I got it. Just like the good doctor's lawyer won't use facts like this to up the settlement

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2017 05:20 PM (SIY7D)

308 I am curious though what some people think the options were when you have a guy unwilling to get off your plane as he is required to do.

How about hire a charter plane for your fucked up personnel issues that you couldn't properly plan for?

And if moving personal around the country is such a huge fucking issue for airlines why don't they have shuttle services for this specific purpose? Train companies do.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2017 05:20 PM (EAA/O)

309 292 Imagine this being done to anyone wearing a white headress and holding a Koran.

Imagine it being done to a mad black woman. Try.

This. No one, especially not the cops 'giving lawful orders, would have dared do this.'
Posted by: Blue Hen at April 11, 2017 05:17 PM (326rv)

Yep, excellent point.

Posted by: rickl at April 11, 2017 05:20 PM (xjiRE)

310 a whole lot of dirt was dug up about Joe The Plumber in 2008, all to distract from him catching Barryochus Epiphanes out as being the pompous commie he was.

Dao could have been the Devil himself, proven by his barbed tail springing out of his ass after the beating he got, and it still wouldn't have bearing on United's string of avertable errors up to that point.

Posted by: Boulder terlit hobo at April 11, 2017 05:20 PM (fAL76)

311 OK, this thread is getting edgy and hostile.

Remember the ONT that quoted Ace a few days ago...let's not get personal.

Posted by: VA GOP Sucks at April 11, 2017 05:20 PM (2VN2E)

312 292 Imagine this being done to anyone wearing a white headress and holding a Koran.

Imagine it being done to a mad black woman. Try.

This. No one, especially not the cops 'giving lawful orders, would have dared do this.'
Posted by: Blue Hen at April 11, 2017 05:17 PM (326rv)

They do it all the time that's why you are able to say 'look what happens when....

Posted by: Jack Sock at April 11, 2017 05:20 PM (IKy84)

313 United didn't keep raising the buyout until they got a taker. Why? Because it costs them money, and they'd rather just pitch someone off the plane than take an inconsequential financial hit.

I'll bet they're reconsidering.

Posted by: pep at April 11, 2017 05:20 PM (LAe3v)

314 I love how you can suggest $250 million is not important. Must be nice.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:18 PM (trdnR)

*********

Please continue making yourself look stupid.

Really give it some effort. You have an opportunity to make a name for yourself here.

Posted by: Warden at April 11, 2017 05:21 PM (MZ8Zz)

315 266 "The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure permitted Dao to resume practicing medicine in 2015 under certain conditions."

The set of "certain conditions" is the empty set. WTF?
Posted by: flounder, rebel, vulgarian, deplorable, winner at April 11, 2017 05:13 PM (GX63o)

Why would they allow this guy back into practice ?

Posted by: nsirchov at April 11, 2017 05:21 PM (1TcdB)

316
Sorry but I've lost all sympathy for this guy. You've just got your abilty to practice medicine back under certain conditions which I assume includes staying out of trouble with the law and you pick a fight over an airline seat.The dope has a history of making bad decisions and he just made another one.

Posted by: Deplorable Male Logic at April 11, 2017 05:21 PM (lKyWE)

317 Dao is a whacko, UA is obviously a poorly run organization, and the biggest loser in this mess is CEO Munoz for general dumbassery. The guy needs to get his walking papers for not de-escalating this situation with sweet talk, professionalism, empathy and diplomacy.

Posted by: Fritz at April 11, 2017 05:22 PM (MF/hn)

318 252 I am curious though what some people think the options were when you
have a guy unwilling to get off your plane as he is required to do.

1) Keep raising the payoff to deplane until someone bites. Someone will.
2) Charter a plane or other alternate mode of transportation to move your crew around.
3) Have people remove him who know what the hell they're doing.
4) (this should go first). Do some f***ing planning. United abuses its customers as a matter of convenience for themselves.
Posted by: pep at April 11, 2017 05:10 PM (LAe3v)

-------

Pep is right. Very Simple. Offer Cash.

Cold hard Cash.

Contrast,

"We need four seats. We will put you on the next plane out. We will pay you $400 cash, and give you a hotel room"

"We will give you $800 in worthless vouchers, and fly you out tomorrow if we don't screw up again."

Posted by: rd at April 11, 2017 05:22 PM (iT57s)

319 Where's MooMoo when you need him?

Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2017 05:19 PM (2Vobm)

Commenting with Amushdud at the NotAceofspadeshq, I suspect.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2017 05:22 PM (TOk1P)

320 An excellent point was just made on the Sean Hannity radio show in that
Dr. Do had just had his medical license reinstated.

Posted by: The Guy at April 11, 2017 05:15 PM (dhbO7)

Proof that they read this blog:

The guy just got his medical license back and is allowed to work in a clinic.

Maybe
he had to get back or the terms of the agreement would be violated and
he would lose his license again...perhaps permanently.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2017 04:51 PM (rF0hx)

QED

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2017 05:22 PM (rF0hx)

321 I love how you can suggest $250 million is not important. Must be nice.

In the big picture, for how much airlines make and how much their stock varies, its not a very significant drop yet. We'll see in a few days how it plays out.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:22 PM (39g3+)

322 United henchmen scanned the crowd, saw skinny asian looking guy, thought "oh he'll be easy." So they guessed wrong.
Posted by: Turd Ferguson at April 11, 2017 05:14 PM (KeRkT)

Except he's a pudger. His belly looks like Pugsly Addams's and his squeal sounds like the Grandmama.

Posted by: LASue the most deplorable. at April 11, 2017 05:22 PM (CLKfs)

323 I just finished reading an airline industry blog wherein the "expert" says everyone acted badly, shades of gray, he was at fault as much as the airline, police, etc. In the comments now, where the majority were supportive of a paying customer all of a sudden are many posts saying essentially, "this guy is a scumbag serves him right".
So that's how it works when everything moves to the virtual world. It's like a role playing game where a real person like the goofy doctor now has an avatar and a goal but dice rolls and media cards determine his life.

Posted by: Hopped Up On Something at April 11, 2017 05:22 PM (5yBi/)

324 I was once sitting behind a guy who was removed. In his cups, he was. Pilot comes back and says he'll have to leave. Guy says no. Another passenger gets up, flashes his badge, and asks the pilot if he could help. Turns out he was a Deputy US Marshall. He looks at the guy and says, son we can do this easy or we can do it real easy. No problem.

I talked to the Deputy for a while on the flight. Good guy.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at April 11, 2017 05:22 PM (kTF2Z)

325 Maybe this analogy will help explain why United is going to be held to be at fault, NO MATTER how many mistakes Ho Lee Dao made.

Suppose you're a grown man, big, physically strong, and you've got people at your house. Someone's 5 year old kid won't do what you say, is running all over, even spills ice cream on the carpet while he's chasing the cat. If you haul off and bust that kid in the mouth with your fist, you are gonna be in a HELL of a lot of trouble, even though you may have thought you were completely in the right, and he WAS in your house.

Why? Because you're bigger, you're stronger, you're in control of the situation, you have all the power. You're supposed to be able to figure out a way to deal with these kinds of problems that don't escalate to physical abuse, and you're gonna pay a heavy price if you don't. No matter how big a dork that kid was.

Posted by: Tom Servo at April 11, 2017 05:22 PM (KeRkT)

326 >>>The dope has a history of making bad decisions and he just made another one

Cocaine is a hellofa drug.

Posted by: Zombie Rick James at April 11, 2017 05:23 PM (O9Vlo)

327 Although this should not have happened the way it did, this guy helped drag himself off the plane by screaming and refusing to go.

Both parties can be culpable.

Posted by: Alana at April 11, 2017 05:23 PM (SFvPs)

328 United is really gonna take it in their Profit and Earnings Ration this Quarter.

Posted by: Barack Hussein Obama at April 11, 2017 05:23 PM (2Vobm)

329 I thought this was America!

Posted by: Randy Marsh at April 11, 2017 05:23 PM (VdICR)

330 Can those convicted of felonies own an airplane? My solution is for United to give him the plane he was kicked off and then give up one year of revenue for the entire company. Screw them.

Posted by: dfbaskwill at April 11, 2017 05:23 PM (eKCr/)

331 Couldn't we have a "pile on Sean Spicer" thread.... This one is getting stale...

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 05:24 PM (O2RFr)

332 >>That's what #4 is for. That's why the CEO makes the big $. It certainly isn't for his publicity skills.

Fair enough. Bu then you should make your comment about every CEO of every airline because this is not a unique policy of United as much as I hate that airline. They all operate this way.

Yea, he handled it poorly I agree. Despite Dr Feelgood acting like an asshole, the CEO should be smart enough to know this was a PR disaster in the making. Pretty much his job description is to handle these things without stomping on his dick.

Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2017 05:24 PM (/tuJf)

333 Teh stock! It's PLUMMETING!

DO YOU EVEN KNOW ABOUT PROFITS AND EARNINGS RATIOS, WARDEN?!!!!

http://tinyurl.com/l4eou2g

Posted by: Warden at April 11, 2017 05:24 PM (MZ8Zz)

334
Why would they allow this guy back into practice ?
Posted by: nsirchov at April 11, 2017 05:21 PM (1TcdB)

It's Kentucky.

They have problems keeping docs in state and in poor rural areas.

There are programs to get and keep more docs instate.

This may be part of that.

Posted by: naturalfake at April 11, 2017 05:24 PM (NyJwR)

335 United didn't keep raising the buyout until they got a taker. Why?

Except apparently they DID do that. And got takers, among them this guy if what I'm reading is correct. They offered 400, then 800, and he took it

Then, supposedly, when he found out he couldn't get a flight for a day, he got back on and that's when it all went pear shaped.

So they did what you said.

Should they have let everyone get back on and demand more money again and again? What's the limit here?

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:24 PM (39g3+)

336 Please continue making yourself look stupid.

Really give it some effort. You have an opportunity to make a name for yourself here.

Posted by: Warden at April 11, 2017 05:21 PM (MZ8Zz)

Not a problem. Sorry you "feeling" got hurt, let me be the first to apologize to you and offer up a safe space for you over at HA.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:24 PM (trdnR)

337 Blue Hen - Yes, they let him go. Have you ever been pulled over for speeding or maybe smoking a doobie in public, and the cop let's you off with a warning. Guilty but not charged.

All I am sayin' is that it wasn't United; it was the cops that accidental bloodied him while he resisted.

Posted by: Les Kenetic at April 11, 2017 05:24 PM (gUQmt)

338 follow the normal escalation policy

That's what's wrong. A policy that treats reserved, confirmed, boarded passengers worse than employees is wrong. And treating any passenger as a criminal before they've done anything is ridiculous.

Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 05:25 PM (FhXTo)

339 "In the big picture, for how much airlines make and how much their stock varies, its not a very significant drop yet."

United took a hit to its brand, but most airlines have poor brands.

It will hurt their traffic at the margin, especially if the late night jokes keep flying.

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2017 05:25 PM (SIY7D)

340 I don't think the public at large will care at all about this guy's background. It's obvious from his screaming that he's a crackpot.

But the airline didn't know he was a crackpot when the employees made the decision to eject him involuntarily from his paid seat, come hell or high water. If he just goes quietly? Then he's some guy the airline totally screwed over who DOESN'T have a head wound. And he's got some worthless voucher and an extra day in Chicago. He's EVERYONE who the airline screws over on a regular basis.

That's why this video showing the extremes to which an airline will go for their convenience (we can all come up with 10 different ways United could have gotten someone to give up his/her seat OR moved the crew via a different flight) is so infuriating.

Posted by: lurker at April 11, 2017 05:25 PM (w6yw3)

341 Guy makes the news for acting like an asshole. Stories from his past help give context to why he acts like an asshole. I see this as a relevant part to the story.

Posted by: Biggs Darklighter at April 11, 2017 05:25 PM (rX06+)

342 Both parties can be culpable.

Yeah, but apparently you have to TAKE ONE SIDE AND FIGHT TO THE DEATH on the internet :/

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:25 PM (39g3+)

343 The doctor didn't just get kicked off the bus, he threw himself in front of the bus. His lack of self-control has made the rest of his life relevant.

He should not put me on the jury.

Posted by: Captain Oblivious at April 11, 2017 05:26 PM (Astxw)

344 Not a problem. Sorry you "feeling" got hurt, let me be the first to apologize to you and offer up a safe space for you over at HA.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:24 PM (trdnR)
******

Been here since 2004, superstar. Go on. Make a name for yourself.

Posted by: Warden at April 11, 2017 05:26 PM (MZ8Zz)

345 pep: "1) Keep raising the payoff to deplane until someone bites. Someone will."

FBN reported that the Feds set a monetary cap on what can be offered in compensation. So, apparently, the airlines can blame The Law for limiting their compensation. Consider also it was the very same industry that almost certainly lobbied Congress/bureaucrats to enact these caps to reduce their liability and pervert what a true market would bear. The airline couldn't offer more and it was by design.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at April 11, 2017 05:26 PM (1CroS)

346 315 266 "The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure permitted Dao to resume practicing medicine in 2015 under certain conditions."

The set of "certain conditions" is the empty set. WTF?
Posted by: flounder, rebel, vulgarian, deplorable, winner at April 11, 2017 05:13 PM (GX63o)

Why would they allow this guy back into practice ?
Posted by: nsirchov at April 11, 2017 05:21 PM (1TcdB)

Your state medical board is not a union, but it will do everything it can to protect its medical practitioners, even when they screw up.

Throw in the fact that Drug Addicts, Sex Addicts and Psychologically damaged people are now protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA; and it is remarkable anyone gets their license removed..

Posted by: rd at April 11, 2017 05:27 PM (iT57s)

347 There was a song out awhile back by a band who's guitars were broken by United... It was called "United broke my guitar " or something

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 05:27 PM (O2RFr)

348 It's Trump's fault this happened.

Posted by: This. Is CNN. at April 11, 2017 05:27 PM (SzBdI)

349 It will hurt their traffic at the margin, especially if the late night jokes keep flying.

Its time for a new ad campaign, stat!

A policy that treats reserved, confirmed, boarded passengers worse than employees is wrong

But I have to wonder, again, if there weren't some union contract rules in play here.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:27 PM (39g3+)

350 I loved the part about how the struck-off doctor denied having gay sex with patients, even though he'd been flagrantly caught pants-off with one.

Shades of the classic _Onion_ op-ed piece, "Why Do All These Homosexuals Keep Sucking My Cock?"

I dunno, Doc. It's a mystery.

Posted by: torquewrench at April 11, 2017 05:28 PM (noWW6)

351 It's kinda hard to boycott airlines and fly at the same time, Costs real monkeys.

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 11, 2017 05:28 PM (6Ll1u)

352 Except apparently they DID do that. And got takers, among them this guy
if what I'm reading is correct. They offered 400, then 800, and he
took it
...

What's the limit here?

Simple. Whatever it takes. It didn't have to be the same guy who finally took them up on their offer. If someone offered me $2k to deplane, I'd probably do it in all but a real emergency.

United just didn't want to, because they suck.

Posted by: pep at April 11, 2017 05:28 PM (LAe3v)

353 "...let me be the first to apologize to you and offer up a safe space for you over at HA."

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:24 PM (trdnR)

I guess I'll need one too.

United didn't lose $250,000,000 today. Their investors did.

Do you know the difference?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2017 05:28 PM (rF0hx)

354 Been here since 2004, superstar. Go on. Make a name for yourself.

Posted by: Warden at April 11, 2017 05:26 PM (MZ8Zz)

That's really important to me and I know you will accept my apology and help me "make a name" for myself.
Thanks for caring.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:28 PM (trdnR)

355 My take is: when a corporation has bad PR, they often respond by attacking the victim.

We should not encourage that.

They essentially doxxed this fellow after they beat him.

We're supposed to believe this piece of crap journalist just thought this would be an interesting story that people wanted to read. BS. She's doing it either at the direction of corporate interests or because she wants to suck up on them. That's the problem with having a corporate-dominated mainstream media.

What would happen if a gang of three thugs beat up a United pilot? Do you think the corporate media whores would rush to print stories about the pilot's private life? They wouldn't dare. They know where their (shrinking) ad revenue comes from.

I would like to know about the private lives of Courier-Journal employees, management, and ownership. Can you get me their divorce records? Can you interview their exes, former employers, and estranged relatives? Let's get to the bottom of this, Ace.

It's only going to get worse. As they get more and more irrelevant, and more and more dependent on shrinking ad revenue, print media will be less and less independent of their corporate masters. And that makes them less and less relevant to their readers. Newspapers can't die quickly enough.

Posted by: Daryl Herbert at April 11, 2017 05:29 PM (BHpB+)

356 The question becomes... why was yesterday a slow news day?

Two churches were bombed by ISIS the day before... media.... crickets... just Christians dying because they are Christians... nothing to see... move along...

We're just in combat operations in about 6 countries.... no stories there to dig up... nope...

Posted by: Don Q. at April 11, 2017 05:30 PM (NgKpN)

357 They did, and still didn't get enough people biting. Supposedly this guy did choose to go at $800 then changed his mind.

That's not what eye-witnesses are saying happenned here.

Posted by: ScoggDog at April 11, 2017 05:30 PM (BEMJs)

358 "United took a hit to its brand, but most airlines have poor brands.
It will hurt their traffic at the margin, especially if the late night jokes keep flying."

This incident has such notoriety that it will also create a perception problem for people who take United. It'll amplify every thing that United does wrong -- even when not at fault -- and god knows shit goes wrong when you fly -- further eroding United's brand

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2017 05:30 PM (SIY7D)

359 This is your big moment, Ralph.

You're gonna have to bring your best internet burn if you want to see your name up in those lights.

Posted by: Warden at April 11, 2017 05:30 PM (MZ8Zz)

360 What's the limit here?

Pretty sure United is not going to like where an IL jury sets it.

Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 05:30 PM (FhXTo)

361 Lawyers no doubt lining up for a go at united and the security officer's company. Several layers of managers and supervisors need to go. Someone should have made a better call than asking for a 3 on 1 beat down of an old man. Take it to a jury, judgement would be infinity +1 $.

Posted by: Uncle Si at April 11, 2017 05:30 PM (ZLmoR)

362 thank you lurker. you put it perfectly

Posted by: Boulder terlit hobo at April 11, 2017 05:31 PM (fAL76)

363 It's Trump's fault this happened.

Already read someone with a blue check on twitter saying that exact thing. This is because of Trump's effect on culture!!!!

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:31 PM (39g3+)

364 Imagine this being done to anyone wearing a white headress and holding a Koran.

Imagine it being done to a mad black woman. Try.

United henchmen scanned the crowd, saw skinny asian looking guy, thought "oh he'll be easy." So they guessed wrong.

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at April 11, 2017 05:14 PM (KeRkT)

THIS. Actually, they should have singled out a skinny white guy. Then, not a peep out of the MFM. Dude would have "deserved" it.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:31 PM (PY9jH)

365 I guess I'll need one too.

United didn't lose $250,000,000 today. Their investors did.

Do you know the difference?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2017 05:28 PM (rF0hx)
Good point. How much value you want to put on the negative publicity?
You think that will affect the future of the airline, or will this just go away?

Want to bet we will hear this rehashed tonight on late night TV? SNL is writing the script right now, no doubt.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:31 PM (trdnR)

366 Except he's a pudger. His belly looks like Pugsly Addams's and his squeal sounds like the Grandmama.
Posted by: LASue the most deplorable. at April 11, 2017 05:22 PM

You say that like it's a Bad Thing.

Posted by: Barney Frank at April 11, 2017 05:31 PM (DMUuz)

367 You seem to be loaded for bear today.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2017 05:17 PM (rF0hx)

Just pissed off at this whole thing and the one-sided reactions to it.

No one at United beat up anyone. CPD did that.

As soon as the cops showed up, Dr. Snowflake should've realized they were serious about removing him, acted like an adult and left the plane under his own power. Seething, enraged perhaps, but conscious and not bleeding.

Don't get me wrong - I'd be pissed off too if I were bumped to make room for airline employees, but would I resort to toddler-level protesting and screaming? No.

Posted by: Gran at April 11, 2017 05:32 PM (XIXhw)

368 "I would like to know about the private lives of Courier-Journal employees, management, and ownership."

Local Westchester NY paper used public records to create an interactive map showing every single registered gun owner in the environs

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2017 05:32 PM (SIY7D)

369 >>That's what's wrong. A policy that treats reserved, confirmed, boarded passengers worse than employees is wrong. And treating any passenger as a criminal before they've done anything is ridiculous.

I suspect this was a crew movement issue and not an employee perk one meaning they needed that crew in Louisville to work another flight and if they didn't get them their they would be inconveniencing a plane full of passengers rather than this one. This incident happened on Sunday. Last week, Delta cancelled some 3000 flights because of weather in Atlanta. Not all those cancelled flights originated from Atlanta.

I've spent a lot of time in airports waiting for the crew to arrive on a different flight.

Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2017 05:32 PM (/tuJf)

370 345 pep: "1) Keep raising the payoff to deplane until someone bites. Someone will."

FBN reported that the Feds set a monetary cap on what can be offered in compensation. So, apparently, the airlines can blame The Law for limiting their compensation. Consider also it was the very same industry that almost certainly lobbied Congress/bureaucrats to enact these caps to reduce their liability and pervert what a true market would bear. The airline couldn't offer more and it was by design.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at April 11, 2017 05:26 PM (1CroS)

++++

Nope, you have it backwards. For voluntary situations, the airline can offer as much or as little as they want. Whatever they care to do to make a deal. For involuntary removals, there is a floor. A minimum they must pay to bump a paying passenger against his will. They can still pay more if they want, but of course, once they have decided on the invoiluntary route, they have already decided to say screw the passenger and they will just pay him what they are required to pay.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at April 11, 2017 05:33 PM (R+30W)

371
Except he's a pudger. His belly looks like Pugsly Addams's and his squeal sounds like the Grandmama.
Posted by: LASue the most deplorable. at April 11, 2017 05:22 PM

Well, he's 69. He needs to work on his GAINZZ.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:33 PM (PY9jH)

372 >>>This is a PR war. Are you seriously calling this a conspiracy theory because I listed tactics either side would employ.

You said that it sounds like United dug up dirt on the guy and fed it to the media. That is a conspiracy theory - that "someone" at United immediately pulled the doctor's name and started researching his past, then contacted his local paper to tip them to the story (without attribution of course which the reporter agreed to).
I pointed out that it was a flight to Louisville and possible the Louisville paper was motivated to identify the passenger as it was a local interest story that was exploding virally. The Louisville paper would also be able to quickly pull all the doctor's background. No involvement from United needed at all.
Dreaming up ways in which other parties were involved when their involvement is not required or there is no evidence that they were involved is pretty much EXACTLY what conspiracy theories are.

Posted by: Banana Splits Guy at April 11, 2017 05:33 PM (u2EhZ)

373 United henchmen scanned the crowd, saw skinny asian looking guy, thought "oh he'll be easy." So they guessed wrong.

Wow, so the crew is racist. Hmmmm....

Posted by: Les Kenetic at April 11, 2017 05:33 PM (gUQmt)

374 Simple. Whatever it takes. It didn't have to be the same guy who finally took them up on their offer. If someone offered me $2k to deplane, I'd probably do it in all but a real emergency.

But why get off at $2k? hold out for $50,000. Whatever it takes, right? If they try to force you off, fight back! And you can change your mind and get back on and demand more, right?

You think a business should be blackmailed to an unlimited amount of money by customers? I seriously doubt you really mean that.

United just didn't want to, because they suck.

Someone mentioned above there is an actual federal limit on how much they are allowed to offer. Wouldn't surprise me a bit if that was the case, and if so... while they suck, that wouldn't be the reason they stopped going up.

And practically speaking, there has to be a limit.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:34 PM (39g3+)

375 FBN reported that the Feds set a monetary cap on what can be offered in compensation.

DOT has an established MINIMUM ... not a cap.

Dude was owed 4x that fare in cash, up to $1350, plus all expenses. Airline can always go higher.

And every other airline does. Best offer I saw was $500 Gift Card, two round trips, and hotel. My damn sister beat me to the counter.

My damn sister.

Posted by: ScoggDog at April 11, 2017 05:34 PM (BEMJs)

376 Is it possible to overload the TLA ONT to encompass One Name Troll?

Posted by: Duncanthrax at April 11, 2017 05:34 PM (DMUuz)

377 Simple. Whatever it takes. It didn't have to be the same guy who finally took them up on their offer. If someone offered me $2k to deplane, I'd probably do it in all but a real emergency.

United just didn't want to, because they suck.
Posted by: pep at April 11, 2017 05:28 PM (LAe3v)

Right. And I wonder, did they offer actual cash, or was it simply a "voucher" for a $400 refund on a ticket (which expires after 1 year)?

Posted by: OregonMuse, deplorable since 2004 at April 11, 2017 05:34 PM (SzBdI)

378 Gosh, this got unfriendly fast. Never thought I'd hope for a dress/shoes thread takeover but WELP, here we are.

Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 05:34 PM (8nWyX)

379 I think we've beaten this ~~horse~~ thread to death.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:34 PM (PY9jH)

380 The cap is $1300 for domestic and $5000 for international. United was nowhere near $1300.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:35 PM (trdnR)

381 Not sure if anyone has mentioned it yet, but this guy PAID for a seat. In advance.

You don't drag a paying customer out of his seat to accommodate employees. If United effed up, it's their problem. Let them figure it out without impacting passengers to paid IN ADVANCE for their service. Let them figure it out before the passengers are seated in the plane. Let them figure it out without treating people like garbage.

So sorry United has the organizational abilities of a hamster on crack.

So sorry this guy acted like an idiot and is unstable.

But.. he was jackbooted off a plane for a seat that he paid for legally.

I'm on the side of crazy dude, and United deserves to shell out millions to this guy. Maybe then they'll learn paying customers are not prisoners.

Posted by: shibumi at April 11, 2017 05:35 PM (FkAXz)

382 "And this wasn't even that bad of a situation. Oh no, you're going to be given $800 and a hotel for the night to skip your scheduled flight and leave the next day. Who in their right mind behaves in such a way when given free money and accommodations for the night for a slight inconvenience?"

This has probably already been addressed, but it isn't $800. It's a voucher (supposedly) worth $800. After blackouts and restrictions, it's worth about $80 and a stick of gum.

Posted by: Buy More Brawndo at April 11, 2017 05:35 PM (vaFpc)

383 And practically speaking, there has to be a limit.

Christopher, there is a limit - if the airline decides to go the involuntary route, there's a required compensation amount that's codified in the law. But if it's voluntary, there is no limit.

Posted by: VA GOP Sucks at April 11, 2017 05:35 PM (2VN2E)

384 his was a crew movement issue

Irrelevant in that it's United's problem.

Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 05:35 PM (FhXTo)

385 Is Dr. Doodoo still on probation for the crimes that they suspended his license for ? Was he not supposed to travel without permission ? Did he have a meeting with some authorities the next day? Got to be something. I know a lot of Dr.s and missing an appointment is not a big deal. It's why they have staff

Posted by: nsirchov at April 11, 2017 05:35 PM (1TcdB)

386 Posted by: Tom Servo at April 11, 2017 05:22 PM

Wasn't that the plot line to the one season long TV series called "The Slap"? The slapper was Zachary Quinto. Kid was a raging brat and the last straw was when he was swinging a bat around at the other kids around him. Kid's parents were moonbat libs, of course, who refused to keep their kid under control.

Posted by: Doctor Neal Page at April 11, 2017 05:35 PM (7A4qQ)

387 379 I think we've beaten this horse thread to death.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:34 PM (PY9jH)

I think we have.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 05:36 PM (u8Ywb)

388 Frankly after looking at his past "infractions" I wonder why they would re-instate his license?

Posted by: It's Me donna at April 11, 2017 05:17 PM (O2RFr)

Maybe he offered them prescriptions drugs or sex or both to get it back

Posted by: TheQuietMan at April 11, 2017 05:36 PM (493sH)

389 How much value you want to put on the negative publicity?
You think that will affect the future of the airline, or will this just go away?

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:31 PM (trdnR)

I value it in the 10s of millions of dollars.

No, it will not affect the future of the airline. Management is the problem, not Dr. Dao.

Yes, it will go away. Not today or tomorrow, but it will go away.

UAL is flat in after-hours trading.

1.1% swings are nothing. I own several individual stocks that move that much occasionally on nothing like this kind of news.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2017 05:36 PM (rF0hx)

390 don't look over here, Ralph. I'm a dinosaur now

Posted by: The Chicken at April 11, 2017 05:36 PM (fAL76)

391 THIS. Actually, they should have singled out a skinny white guy. Then, not a peep out of the MFM. Dude would have "deserved" it.

If there's one group of people the press cares less about than white guys, its Asian guys. Its okay to be racist against them, you can still do it in movies and TV.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:36 PM (39g3+)

392 These points may have been made - haven't read all the comments yet -

The airlines are limited in how much $$$ they can offer to a bumped passenger per Federal rules, so it is not a matter of just raising the price till you get enough takers.

Flight crews do sometimes have to be moved without the airlines being able to plan ahead for that. If a crew is delayed incoming due to weather, mechanical problems, whatever, they are subject to Federal Hours of Service Laws and can not fly again for a certain time. If you do not inconvenience 4 passengers, you will end up inconveniencing 200 passengers on that flight your crew needs to get to. And then your whole system gets backed up and whacked out and even more people are inconvenienced.

The guy snuck back on the plane and refused to leave. No flight crew is taking off with a recalcitrant passenger aboard. If he's an asshole on the ground, what if he is an asshole at 45K feet? What do you do then?

Posted by: cfo mom at April 11, 2017 05:36 PM (RfzVr)

393 Shades of the classic _Onion_ op-ed piece, "Why Do All These Homosexuals Keep Sucking My Cock?"

I dunno, Doc. It's a mystery.
Posted by: torquewrench at April 11, 2017 05:28 PM (noWW6)

Heh. Yes, a true classic, from way back in the day when you could differentiate between The Onion and CNN. Good times.

Posted by: LASue the most deplorable. at April 11, 2017 05:36 PM (CLKfs)

394 Maybe he offered them prescriptions drugs or sex or both to get it back
Posted by: TheQuietMan at April 11, 2017 05:36 PM (493sH)

Probably went there to keep his seat.

Posted by: golfman at April 11, 2017 05:36 PM (0lTCU)

395
No good guys on this one, starting with UA overbooking, not finding volunteers smartly, Dr. Screamy McScreamer, the 'authorties', and the idiot CEO.

And add the doxxing of the Gay for Play Doctor which had nothing to do with the incident and which I didn't need to know about, but does explain his screaming.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at April 11, 2017 05:36 PM (ODxAs)

396 People are super into this story.

I'm kind of not sure why...

Posted by: Max Power at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (q177U)

397 Pfffttt!

This case isn't worth that much. Not enough physical damages.

You know what's a great case. When the vacuum on a pool goes crazy and sucks out most of the guts of an eight-year old. Man you can live high off that for a few years, even with they way Mary Elizabeth used to spend money

Posted by: John Edwards, nearly President at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (SIY7D)

398 Oh my gosh. This is still a thing?

Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (dFi94)

399 We had a company party across from John Wayne Airport one year, when the crews came in it really got going. As the kool-aid says, oh ya.

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (6Ll1u)

400 381 Not sure if anyone has mentioned it yet, but this guy PAID for a seat. In advance.

So did everyone else on the plane. They were delayed because of this guy's tantrum.

Posted by: Gran at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (XIXhw)

401 $800 is more than half way to $1,300

Posted by: Les Kenetic at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (gUQmt)

402 But why get off at $2k? hold out for $50,000. Whatever it takes, right?

That's not how markets work.

Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (FhXTo)

403
Maybe he had to get back or the terms of the agreement would be violated and he would lose his license again...perhaps permanently.

For being bumped off an airline flight? I doubt that.

Posted by: Deplorable Male Logic at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (lKyWE)

404 Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2017 05:32 PM (/tuJf)

Yes, which is a personnel issue. That you (or at least I) would like to think that a transportation company could work out without booting paying customers. Without the blood this would be an everyday thing that *with* the blood now has people looking at how airlines work and if it is worth it to deal with them.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (sEDyY)

405 384
his was a crew movement issue

Irrelevant in that it's United's problem.

Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 05:35 PM (FhXTo)

Actually it was a planning and greed problem. They planned poorly and they didn't want to cancel the Louisville flight.

Makes one a little nervous about flying with an outfit that is stretched so thin that it can't find a crew on short notice

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:38 PM (trdnR)

406 Gosh, this got unfriendly fast. Never thought I'd hope for a dress/shoes thread takeover but WELP, here we are.
Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 05:34 PM (8nWyX)
--------

Tempting, but even I am not bold enough to stick my oar in this thread.

Posted by: bluebell at April 11, 2017 05:38 PM (sBOL1)

407 People are super into this story.

I'm kind of not sure why...

Posted by: Max Power at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (q177U)
============================

I'm with you. A guy I don't know got yanked off a flight I don't care about and I see no ramifications of this that would affect my life in anyway.

Pop News.

Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:38 PM (dFi94)

408
Actually it was a planning and greed problem. They planned poorly and they didn't want to cancel the Louisville flight.

Makes one a little nervous about flying with an outfit that is stretched so thin that it can't find a crew on short notice
--

Good point.

Posted by: shibumi at April 11, 2017 05:39 PM (FkAXz)

409 384 his was a crew movement issue
Irrelevant in that it's United's problem.
Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 05:35 PM (FhXTo)

This suggests a great advertising slogan:

"United Airlines: We Make Our Problem Your Problem."

Posted by: OregonMuse, deplorable since 2004 at April 11, 2017 05:39 PM (SzBdI)

410
But why get off at $2k? hold out for $50,000. Whatever it takes,
right? If they try to force you off, fight back! And you can change
your mind and get back on and demand more, right?

You could do that, sure, but you run the risk that someone else will leave for a lot less. And they will.

Posted by: pep at April 11, 2017 05:39 PM (LAe3v)

411 396
People are super into this story.

I'm kind of not sure why...

Posted by: Max Power at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (q177U)

VIDEO! The SNL skit is going to be outrageously funny.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:39 PM (trdnR)

412 I agree RE vouchers. They're basically confetti. And airline promises are always very contingent on various rules and restrictions and timing, etc. They can even degrade over time if you don't use them soon enough: you lost miles, sorry!

I get that airlines are kind of struggling to make money like they used to, but the answer to that is to not make as much of a profit margin and learn to live with it, not gouge your customers and mistreat people like a pack of moronic hyenas.

There can be bad guys on both sides of a story, and this one sure looks like it is that way, to me.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:39 PM (39g3+)

413 387 379 I think we've beaten this horse thread to death.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:34 PM (PY9jH)

I think we have.
Posted by: CaliGirl

maybe we can drag it toward something more interesting

crossbow vs longbow?

Posted by: Rick in SK at April 11, 2017 05:40 PM (FZYNt)

414 1.1% swings are nothing.

Whew, glad to be off the toobz.

Posted by: Exploding Samsung Engineers at April 11, 2017 05:40 PM (FhXTo)

415 THIS! "If you do not inconvenience 4 passengers, you will end up
inconveniencing 200 passengers on that flight your crew needs to get to"

System crashes if assholes are allowed to rule the plane

Posted by: Les Kenetic at April 11, 2017 05:41 PM (gUQmt)

416 People are super into this story.

I'm kind of not sure why...

I can't tell if you're being facetious, but the answer is obvious. Everybody who has flow in the last 40 years hates the airlines, and with good reason.

Posted by: pep at April 11, 2017 05:41 PM (LAe3v)

417 People are super into this story.

I think its a useful distraction from the cthulhuian-level horrors of politics right now

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:41 PM (39g3+)

418 I'm late to the party, but since you asked: the digging up backstory feels to me like when they throw Maria Conchita Alonso into The Running Man while playing her greatest hits track of bullshit.

Not saying his charges were bullshit. But if this were anyone, they'd gleefully talk about that stupid reefer pinch you took in the 70's.

Posted by: Chupacabra at April 11, 2017 05:42 PM (/x6xU)

419 397 Pfffttt!

This case isn't worth that much. Not enough physical damages.

You know what's a great case. When the vacuum on a pool goes crazy and sucks out most of the guts of an eight-year old. Man you can live high off that for a few years, even with they way Mary Elizabeth used to spend money
Posted by: John Edwards, nearly President at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (SIY7D)

How about neighborhood kid gets sucked into chipper?

Posted by: nsirchov at April 11, 2017 05:42 PM (1TcdB)

420 >>Yes, which is a personnel issue. That you (or at least I) would like to think that a transportation company could work out without booting paying customers. Without the blood this would be an everyday thing that *with* the blood now has people looking at how airlines work and if it is worth it to deal with them.

Actually, this is how the industry operates. They don't have unlimited crew sitting around at every destination waiting in case of flight changes which are common. Most of their crews live around major hubs and they are ferried on their own planes as needed.

People seem to be conflating two distinct issues, one is how the industry works and the second is how this particular passenger was treated and most of that treatment was done by a branch of the Chicago PD and not United.

Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2017 05:42 PM (/tuJf)

421 Pop News.

Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:38 PM (dFi94)

He was wearing a corset.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2017 05:42 PM (rF0hx)

422 I'm with you. A guy I don't know got yanked off a flight I don't care about and I see no ramifications of this that would affect my life in anyway.
Pop News.
Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:38 PM (dFi94)

My first (and only) journalism class was taught by a guy with actual reporting experience. He started out his first lecture by asking 'what is news? How do we define it?' After kicking it around for a bit, his definition was 'news is anything that makes you say 'gee whiz.''

This story is making a lot of people say 'gee whiz'.

Posted by: OregonMuse, deplorable since 2004 at April 11, 2017 05:42 PM (SzBdI)

423
372 >>>This is a PR war. Are you seriously calling this a conspiracy theory because I listed tactics either side would employ.

You said that it sounds like United dug up dirt on the guy and fed it to the media. That is a conspiracy theory - that "someone" at United immediately pulled the doctor's name and started researching his past, then contacted his local paper to tip them to the story (without attribution of course which the reporter agreed to).
I pointed out that it was a flight to Louisville and possible the Louisville paper was motivated to identify the passenger as it was a local interest story that was exploding virally. The Louisville paper would also be able to quickly pull all the doctor's background. No involvement from United needed at all.
Dreaming up ways in which other parties were involved when their involvement is not required or there is no evidence that they were involved is pretty much EXACTLY what conspiracy theories are.
Posted by: Banana Splits Guy at April 11, 2017 05:33 PM (u2EhZ)

You are taking this way too seriously and acting like a thread stalking dick iching to start shit. Chill. I get it. Speculation equals Conspiracy Theory that you have the right to shout down.

Point made. Now again please chill out.

Enjoy some boobs and enjoy your evening.

http://www.menprovement.com/big-boobs/

Posted by: Widespread Pepe at April 11, 2017 05:42 PM (2qHjF)

424 You find out a lot about posters here in threads like this. I don't know if that's such a good thing. Ignorance is bliss.

Posted by: Jack Sock at April 11, 2017 05:43 PM (IKy84)

425 "United Airlines: We Make Our Problem Your Problem."

United Airlines: We'll Make Our Problem Your Problem - or else.

Comedy can be a joint effort.

Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 05:43 PM (FhXTo)

426 Bob Beckel just said the Doc is being treated in a Chicago hospital for his injuries.

I guess the Doc's patients had their appointments rescheduled.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:43 PM (PY9jH)

427 421 Pop News.

Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:38 PM (dFi94)

He was wearing a corset.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2017 05:42 PM (rF0hx)

This is why I love you guys.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 05:44 PM (u8Ywb)

428 I'm with you. A guy I don't know got yanked off a flight I don't care about and I see no ramifications of this that would affect my life in anyway.

Pop News.
Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:38 PM (dFi94)

From my PoV, because the airline ditched paying passengers who had reserved seats and plans and schedules after bribing them with a nice shiny quarter didn't get any takers. I have no idea what the story is with Dr. Yakity Sax, but pulling passengers to replace them with crew for another flight because they couldn't figure out how to get them there otherwise is shady.

Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 05:44 PM (8nWyX)

429 Do you know how many brave Australians died from mutant animal attacks and giant spider bites in the time it took to drag one asian queer down the isle of an airplane?

Posted by: Max Power at April 11, 2017 05:44 PM (q177U)

430 If you go to John Wayne Airport and look around and see all the glass, ya I did that.

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 11, 2017 05:45 PM (6Ll1u)

431 I think it's a story that stays with United for a while, but I could be wrong.

Considering airlines have to overbook to supposedly stay afloat , even small changes could put the long term solvency at risk.

If I had stock in it and it only went down 1%, I would sure as hell cut my losses and move on.

Posted by: Maritime at April 11, 2017 05:45 PM (27hAb)

432 He was wearing a corset.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2017 05:42 PM (rF0hx)
========================

What color? And does it go under or over the bust? (desperately trying to make this into a fashion thread)

Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:45 PM (dFi94)

433 "If you do not inconvenience 4 passengers, you will end up

inconveniencing 200 passengers on that flight your crew needs to get to"
---
Maybe plan ahead and buy your employees' tickets?

Posted by: Methos, back to Let It Burn, and also, done with Trump at April 11, 2017 05:45 PM (3Liv/)

434 Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:38 PM (dFi94)

It matters to me in that I'm likely to need to fly the two youngest Kidlets from Colorado (a United hub I believe) to Texas this summer. Now I know I *really* don't want them flying United if at all possible.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 11, 2017 05:45 PM (sEDyY)

435 I r5ead today that the crew needing seats was from another airline. I know they have an agreement between airlines to accommodate crews heading to work. I doubt they were deadheading.

So... the crew takes precedence. simple.

Not United's fault. Unruly passenger at fault.

Dr. Do is no more or less important than other passengers.

Posted by: Les Kenetic at April 11, 2017 05:45 PM (gUQmt)

436 426
Bob Beckel just said the Doc is being treated in a Chicago hospital for his injuries.

I guess the Doc's patients had their appointments rescheduled.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:43 PM (PY9jH)

No doubt running up his "DR" AKA, chiropractor's bill for the lawsuit.
The sharks are circling his hotel room right now.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:46 PM (trdnR)

437 I worked (briefly, between advertising jobs) in the ATL NBC bureau. It was exactly as you'd expect. But I was a lib at the time and was comfy among my fellow travelers.

News "business" is just that. Bidness.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:46 PM (PY9jH)

438 426 Bob Beckel just said the Doc is being treated in a Chicago hospital for his injuries.

I guess the Doc's patients had their appointments rescheduled.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:43 PM (PY9jH)

The patients are still at his office, refusing to leave until they get their drugs and sex

Posted by: nsirchov at April 11, 2017 05:47 PM (1TcdB)

439 Apropos of nothing my friend was an FA/18 pilot and now he flies for jetl blue. He told me he hates it and he feels like a glorified bus driver.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 05:47 PM (u8Ywb)

440 If you go to LAX and see the lighted glass pylons, ya I did that.

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 11, 2017 05:47 PM (6Ll1u)

441
I don't even know what a corset is. Is it one of those WWII flying planes?

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at April 11, 2017 05:48 PM (ODxAs)

442 Spicer did not misspeak. Hitler did forbid the use of chemical weapons on the battlefield due to his own experience with them in WW1. The Zyklon B gas used in the death camps were a method of execution, but not a battlefield weapon. It was still evil, but the statement that Hitler did not use chemical WEAPONS is still true.

Posted by: Brisco_County at April 11, 2017 05:48 PM (vVSvq)

443 Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 05:47 PM (u8Ywb)

Kind of an insult to bus drivers.

Posted by: Jack Sock at April 11, 2017 05:49 PM (IKy84)

444
Apropos of nothing my friend was an FA/18 pilot and now he flies for
jetl blue. He told me he hates it and he feels like a glorified bus
driver.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 05:47 PM (u8Ywb)

On a flight home from ATL (after overseas trip), we had really nasty weather. The pilot announced that he was a former Navy fighter pilot, as was his co-pilot. He told us not to worry, that he was going to avoid any nasty weather between ATL and Savannah. Then he said....

"I apologize in advance for the landing."

I love pilots like that. Reminds me of my late AF pilot dad.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:49 PM (PY9jH)

445 Also, the flight wasn't overbooked. Read Sean Davis' piece at The Federalist about it.

Posted by: Chupacabra at April 11, 2017 05:49 PM (/x6xU)

446 I don't even know what a corset is. Is it one of those WWII flying planes?

That's the one with the funny bent wings, right? Black Sheep Squadron flew them?

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:49 PM (39g3+)

447 Anon Y. Mous: "Nope, you have it backwards. For voluntary situations, the airline can offer as much or as little as they want..."

Then FBN made a big mistake on one of their host/guest exchanges. Maybe they've since amended their coverage.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at April 11, 2017 05:50 PM (1CroS)

448 407 People are super into this story.

I'm kind of not sure why...

Posted by: Max Power at April 11, 2017 05:37 PM (q177U)
============================

I'm with you. A guy I don't know got yanked off a flight I don't care about and I see no ramifications of this that would affect my life in anyway.

Pop News.

Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:38 PM (dFi94)

++++

Lots of people have experienced getting dicked around with by airlines and they don't like it much. I have never flown United, but most of the airlines I have dealt with don't seem to put the customer very high on their priority list. The notable exception is SouthWest, without fail, always go out of their way to make the customer feel like he is appreciated.

But, as for the rest of the airlines, I for one would like to see them reeled in a bit. It should cost them when they mistreat their passengers, like they did in this case.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at April 11, 2017 05:50 PM (R+30W)

449 If you fail to follow the instructions of the flight crew, nothing good happens after that.
The optics suck, true.

Posted by: navybrat at April 11, 2017 05:51 PM (w7KSn)

450 One other thing going on here?

Media piling on after the asshole CEO tells employees it was OK and texts that they had to "Re Accommodate" a passenger.

Talk about tone deaf.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:51 PM (trdnR)

451 I feel strongly about this story because

rule of law and such.

The man had recourse if he felt he was wronged. He squandered that if you ask me.

Posted by: Les Kenetic at April 11, 2017 05:51 PM (gUQmt)

452 It was still evil, but the statement that Hitler did not use chemical WEAPONS is still true.

I agree, and the idiots saying things like "he is saying nobody was gassed in camps, he's a holocaust denier!!" are worthless lying trash.

But Spicer's attempt to conflate Assad with Hitler, or worse, was stupid. And really, if you kill people with bombs full of gas or throw them into a room full, which is worse?

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:51 PM (39g3+)

453 I actually own a lace corset. Not for actually "wearing" IYKWIMAITYD.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at April 11, 2017 05:51 PM (PY9jH)

454 443 Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 05:47 PM (u8Ywb)

Kind of an insult to bus drivers.
Posted by: Jack Sock at April 11, 2017 05:49 PM (IKy84)

I meant no offense to bus drivers. His words, not mine. He was always really cocky anyway.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 05:51 PM (u8Ywb)

455 442 Spicer did not misspeak. Hitler did forbid the use of chemical weapons on the battlefield due to his own experience with them in WW1. The Zyklon B gas used in the death camps were a method of execution, but not a battlefield weapon. It was still evil, but the statement that Hitler did not use chemical WEAPONS is still true.
Posted by: Brisco_County at April 11, 2017 05:48 PM (vVSvq)

Of course that is what he meant but he didn't say that and as a Republican press secretary, you can't give the enemy any opening.

Posted by: Jack Sock at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (IKy84)

456 My take. The man's past should have no place in this story. Unless, he was mentally unbalanced and/or a danger. I am sick of this.

Posted by: gracepc at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (OU4q6)

457 Imagine it being done to a mad black woman. Try.

United henchmen scanned the crowd, saw skinny asian looking guy, thought "oh he'll be easy." So they guessed wrong.

Posted by: Turd Ferguson at April 11, 2017 05:14 PM (KeRkT)

Don't have to imagine it very hard

United would have fired every employee on that plane to appease the #hashtag mobs

United's CEO would then agree privately to give large sums of money to Black Lives Matter "leaders"

Sensitivity training of all employees done by BLM affiliated "consultants" who would get paid large sums of money making every white employee stand up in the classes and confess their crimes

Chicago cops from that plane being pulled off duty (already happened) and demands that to the state of Illinois that they be fired and prosecuted for civil rights violations

Anger at Trump for not inviting the passenger to the White House with "This is not who we are" platitudes

Oh, and regardless of the race of the passenger, this is already being blamed on the "climate of hate because Trump"

Posted by: kbdabear at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (AOrEZ)

458 Ace, I think the problem a lot of people have is that the media is working hand in glove with the powerful interest here, United.

It's hard to believe that it wasn't United who leaked his name and info on his past to both the Daily Mail and other outlets. It's possible, but it smells like United. It made sense when that stuff leaked (pretty quick to finger a random Asian doctor in KY, gone to the trouble of pulling dirt on him, etc), and it makes sense now (that play failed, so United shifted to mea culpa mode and resigned to a decent settlement).

In publishing this dirt the media was essentially doing United bidding.

Posted by: Doug at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (6/K6S)

459 I know a pilot, too. Feels exactly the same way.

Posted by: Chupacabra at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (/x6xU)

460 OT.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg confuses Lindsay Graham for a woman. Just when I think she's getting senile she has a moment of utter clarity!

Posted by: Minnfidel at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (WSWlB)

461 And once again the computer that caused all this gets off scot-free.

#SkynetWinz

Posted by: Mortimer - Finish Her! at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (UD5U6)

462 From the looks of him, the doc could actually use a corset.

Posted by: bluebell at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (sBOL1)

463 The court case included a psych evaluation that concluded he has anger issues and lacked the ability to navigate difficult situations.

Posted by: Lily at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (N1oNg)

464 I actually own a lace corset. Not for actually "wearing" IYKWIMAITYD.

Women are the only ones who buy underwear only for show and to be removed in short order. Its like Christmas wrapping, sorta. Guys don't do it because the package underneath isn't really all that worth the reveal.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (39g3+)

465 Posted by: CaliGirl at April 11, 2017 05:51 PM (u8Ywb)

Oh I know you weren't. I've heard pilots say that before and I always thought bus drivers might take offense.

Posted by: Jack Sock at April 11, 2017 05:53 PM (IKy84)

466
Of course I meant fighter planes not flying planes, I mean who wants a plane that doesn't fly.

as for the trivia, black sheep flew corsairs. probably a few corsets too.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at April 11, 2017 05:53 PM (ODxAs)

467 I wish my doc was as dedicated to his patients as this guy.

He is from Vietnam?.....mmmmmm. Maybe he had a flashback to the days as a boat person and he thought by the cops dragging his yellow ass off of that plane he was going to a re-education camp.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at April 11, 2017 05:54 PM (5VlCp)

468 Also, this puts doubt in passengers mind about flying United.

If their paid ticket can be arbitrarily voided for the sake of the airline, how can you be assured your ticket is worth buying?

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:54 PM (trdnR)

469 I don't even know what a corset is. Is it one of those WWII flying planes?

That's the one with the funny bent wings, right? Black Sheep Squadron flew them?
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:49 PM (39g3+)

Yep! Vought F4U Corset. Gull wings to keep the airscrew from chewing up the flight deck, wing-mounted oil coolers, 2,000HP P/W Wasp radial engine, 6 Browning M2 .50's.

Not sure why the 'ettes are all gushy about the F4U Corset, but that's why we love 'em.

Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 05:54 PM (8nWyX)

470 Fry the friendly skies - unless we kick your bitch ass off while we're still on the ground.

Posted by: broseidon king of the brocean at April 11, 2017 05:54 PM (uuwor)

471 FWIW, my sister was a flight attendant with American out of O'Hare for many years. She had to get from job to job using passenger space, if she didn't make it they had to scramble for flight crews and planes got delayed. She also said passengers can be removed at the discretion of the pilot. Many times it was the flight attendant who would inform a pilot of a passenger who needed to go. She also said most people are assholes.

Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:55 PM (dFi94)

472 463 The court case included a psych evaluation that concluded he has anger issues and lacked the ability to navigate difficult situations.
Posted by: Lily at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (N1oNg)

Would have to say that is spot on

Posted by: nsirchov at April 11, 2017 05:55 PM (1TcdB)

473 I actually own a lace corset. Not for actually "wearing" IYKWIMAITYD.
===

Back pain , huh. Sorry.

Posted by: Mortimer - Finish Her! at April 11, 2017 05:55 PM (UD5U6)

474 My wife bought me some silk boxers once, it did feel good.

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 11, 2017 05:56 PM (6Ll1u)

475 Of course that is what he meant but he didn't say that and as a Republican press secretary, you can't give the enemy any opening.

Right, his job is to know the press and handle them, like a schoolteacher with a room full of malevolent retards. It was a slip, and a bad one. Not fatal or at least shouldn't be. But not a smart move. I think the "alternate facts" line was a dumb flub, too. I know what he meant then, too but it sounded bad and gave the left an easy talking point.

You can't always win. Even Kershaw has bad outings.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 05:56 PM (39g3+)

476 >>FWIW, my sister was a flight attendant with American out of O'Hare for many years. She had to get from job to job using passenger space, if she didn't make it they had to scramble for flight crews and planes got delayed. She also said passengers can be removed at the discretion of the pilot. Many times it was the flight attendant who would inform a pilot of a passenger who needed to go. She also said most people are assholes.

I agree with all of this.

Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2017 05:57 PM (/tuJf)

477 She also said most people are assholes.

Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:55 PM (dFi94)

I've always found that if you think someone is an asshole, they won't disappoint you.

You know even dogs know when you don't like them. So do most people.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 05:57 PM (trdnR)

478 http://tinyurl.com/jvtzhm7

apropos

Posted by: DaveA at April 11, 2017 05:57 PM (FhXTo)

479 She also said most people are assholes.
Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:55 PM (dFi94)

No fuckin way

Posted by: nsirchov at April 11, 2017 05:58 PM (1TcdB)

480 In publishing this dirt the media was essentially doing United bidding.
Posted by: Doug at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (6/K6S)

The media knows that United makes large ad buys in newspapers and on TV news. Dr Dao does not

Posted by: kbdabear at April 11, 2017 05:58 PM (AOrEZ)

481 Well, this guy has certainly gotten his 15 min(36 hours) worth of fame.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 11, 2017 05:58 PM (j06YM)

482
What I find most shocking about this story is that a flight to Louisville could be overbooked

Posted by: Deplorable Male Logic at April 11, 2017 05:58 PM (lKyWE)

483 "She also said passengers can be removed at the discretion of the pilot. Many times it was the flight attendant who would inform a pilot of a passenger who needed to go. She also said most people are assholes.

Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:55 PM (dFi94) "

Well of course - it happened on Seinfeld, and as we know, everything that happened on Seinfeld is accurate. *Everything*.

And it wasn't too long ago that a woman was kicked off a plane because she wouldn't stop harassing the Trump voter next to her. But this wasn't someone being kicked off for being unruly or because the pilot thought they'd be a disturbance.

Posted by: broseidon king of the brocean at April 11, 2017 05:58 PM (uuwor)

484 Since 9/11 if a member of a flight crew says jump, the correct response is to ask how high. You can't disregard instructions on a plane and have a great outcome.

Posted by: NCKate at April 11, 2017 05:58 PM (fYnwI)

485 It's a bit of a leap to suggest United likely leaked info. Why does everyone want to blame them when it was the Dr and the cop who had the altercation. United sure United could have offered more, but I can also see that they couldn't keep negotiating with themselves. Airline business is very tough and margins are extremely tight to provide a $200 round trip ticket.

If we need to blame - blame our culture. Me, I blame the douchy Doc.

Posted by: Les Kenetic at April 11, 2017 05:59 PM (gUQmt)

486 If only Kendall Jenner had been there, she could have given Dao a Pepsi and a dance party would have broken out.

Posted by: broseidon king of the brocean at April 11, 2017 05:59 PM (uuwor)

487 463 The court case included a psych evaluation that concluded he has anger issues and lacked the ability to navigate difficult situations.
Posted by: Lily at April 11, 2017 05:52 PM (N1oNg)

I didn't think those medical records could be made to the public? How did his psych evaluation get made public?

Posted by: Widespread Pepe at April 11, 2017 06:00 PM (2qHjF)

488 Knute.
er, Canute.

I mean nood.

Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 06:00 PM (8nWyX)

489 If only Kendall Jenner had been there, she could have given Dao a Pepsi and a dance party would have broken out.

So many things could have been avoided just with white boobs and Pepsi.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 06:00 PM (39g3+)

490 I didn't think those medical records could be made to the public? How did his psych evaluation get made public?

Its a mystery to me how this stuff keeps happening!

Posted by: Barack Hussein O'Bama at April 11, 2017 06:01 PM (39g3+)

491 I'm a Trump supporter, but Ivanka and Her husband have to go. It's a case of blind devotion, and that's the problem. Let them go back to selling shoes and hinky hedge funds.

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 11, 2017 06:01 PM (6Ll1u)

492 So....we're still talking corsets....

Posted by: lindarising at April 11, 2017 06:01 PM (JNDQi)

493 It broke my heart when Continental, whom I've never had a bad flight experience with was bought out by United whom I've never had a good experience with

Posted by: kbdabear at April 11, 2017 06:01 PM (AOrEZ)

494 So many things could have been avoided just with white boobs and ~~Pepsi~~pudding.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 11, 2017 06:00 PM (39g3+)

Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 06:01 PM (8nWyX)

495
I didn't think those medical records could be made to the public? How did his psych evaluation get made public?
Posted by: Widespread Pepe at April 11, 2017 06:00 PM (2qHjF)

It was probably entered as evidence in his court trial

Posted by: Deplorable Male Logic at April 11, 2017 06:02 PM (lKyWE)

496 So have we determined the chink was ghey or not?

Seems to me if he was we would have heard about it by now.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 06:03 PM (trdnR)

497 FWIW, my sister was a flight attendant with American out of O'Hare for many years. She had to get from job to job using passenger space, if she didn't make it they had to scramble for flight crews and planes got delayed. She also said passengers can be removed at the discretion of the pilot. Many times it was the flight attendant who would inform a pilot of a passenger who needed to go. She also said most people are assholes.
Posted by: grammie winger - alleluia! at April 11, 2017 05:55 PM

Oh, no doubt about that. But as a frequent flier it's a two way street. I've had awesome flight crews and attendants and some bad/crabby ones. Allot of times you get what you give. The airline acted like complete toolboxes in this case I believe. Flying is expensive. I never ask too much of them. I bring my own snacks and beverages on board and usually just want to be left alone and get to where I am going. All I ask is that in return they are at least courteous and realize I paid a shitload of money to get to point A to B and get my luggage there too. It's all I ask. Most of the times it all works out. When it doesn't I ask for a little understanding. You don't have to kiss my ass. Just be courteous about a screw up. When they can't do that is when I get pissed.

Posted by: Minnfidel at April 11, 2017 06:03 PM (WSWlB)

498 "It broke my heart when Continental, whom I've never had a bad flight experience with was bought out by United whom I've never had a good experience with

Posted by: kbdabear at April 11, 2017 06:01 PM (AOrEZ) "

Yeah, it's been a steady downhill trajectory since United bought out Continental. If Cleveland-Hopkins weren't a United hub, I doubt I'd ever fly them.

Posted by: broseidon king of the brocean at April 11, 2017 06:03 PM (uuwor)

499 Re vouchers: these are caca. They need to offer cash!

Posted by: Lily at April 11, 2017 06:06 PM (N1oNg)

500 Cameras should follow Dao around like Trumen.

Next week watch Dao get evicted from a chinese restaurant while waiting for his pork fried rice - another customer was willing to order mu shu pork. Watch Dao get tossed from apublic sidewalk into moving traffic as there wasn't enough room for him and Micahel Moore inpersonator Rosie O'Donnel....

After each eviction the press can recount all his previous crimes, including the complete list of evixtions from previous episodes with humorious screen caps.

Posted by: Burnt Toast at April 11, 2017 06:06 PM (P/kVC)

501 495
I didn't think those medical records could be made to the public? How did his psych evaluation get made public?
Posted by: Widespread Pepe at April 11, 2017 06:00 PM (2qHjF)

It was probably entered as evidence in his court trial
Posted by: Deplorable Male Logic at April 11, 2017 06:02 PM (lKyWE)

I thought medical records like that and some other special status types of evidence were sealed to the public except the courts/judges.

Interesting. I'd love to hear some clarification on this essay types of matters from any Morons or Ettes who are lawyers.

Posted by: Widespread Pepe at April 11, 2017 06:06 PM (2qHjF)

502 You don't have to kiss my ass. Just be courteous about a screw up. When they can't do that is when I get pissed.

Posted by: Minnfidel at April 11, 2017 06:03 PM (WSWlB)

THIS. I have permanent priority, two million miles, so I get some respect, but when I fly an airline not with my priority I get the feeling every employee on the plane would rather be somewhere else.

The "geese" as they are called are treated like shit.

I try to fly business mostly, cause I am too old to fck with screaming two year olds and thugs that smell like they just got out of prison.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 06:07 PM (trdnR)

503 Flying these days is awful. But my worst experiences have been due to other passengers. Sorry but true.

Posted by: Lily at April 11, 2017 06:09 PM (N1oNg)

504 grammie winger: "She also said most people are assholes."

And rightly so. I put myself in their shoes and consider the crimp it could put in my schedule (which could range from trivial to urgent matters) and I'm certain I wouldn't be as normally loveable as usual. Then add on the authority trip that would get shoved down my throat the millisecond I voiced displeasure even if I was willing - even belatedly - to leave "voluntarily". The airline is begging for assholish responses given the parameters in which the industry chooses to operate.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at April 11, 2017 06:09 PM (1CroS)

505 I hate that he got booted, but he's also a loser. When law enforcement tells you to get off, you get off. And then maybe hire a lawyer.

Posted by: Lily at April 11, 2017 06:13 PM (N1oNg)

506 Well, that didn't take long.

http://tinyurl.com/m6pxz7y

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 06:14 PM (trdnR)

507 It is their plane. When they ask nicely for you to get off the premises, and you do not, YOU ARE TRESPASSING. law is against you. kicking and screaming may get other passengers on your side, but not the law. running back on the plane was definitely trespassing egregious as you had just been removed (kinda like the southern border trespassers we throw out and come back in)
his background shows the kind of person that throws a fit just like he did. UA should give him medical, $800, and ban for life.

Posted by: arbitrary turn back at April 11, 2017 06:16 PM (8RQER)

508 People who do not think rules apply to them tend to have a personal history that reflects this disposition.

Posted by: potadas at April 11, 2017 06:18 PM (QhC/f)

509 It is their plane. When they ask nicely for you to get off the premises, and you do not, YOU ARE TRESPASSING

Then what in the world are people buying?

Give us your $$ and you may/may not get to your destination doesn't seem like a stellar business model.

Posted by: Buy More Brawndo at April 11, 2017 06:23 PM (vaFpc)

510 United's public stock "plunges" in wake of passenger being dragged off plane

No it didn't.

A 1% move isn't even noise for an airline stock.

Posted by: fake financial news at April 11, 2017 06:24 PM (wpC7C)

511 Daily Mail story I linked said "Dr" lost his license for having gay sex with a 26 year old in exchange for drugs.

Nice guy.

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 06:24 PM (trdnR)

512 Here's the thing I don't get...
Everyone is horrified that they would dare take a doctor off the plane, when he had to see patients the next day. (his previous agreement to accept $1600 to do so, aside).

Why could none of these fellow travelers offer to give up their seats since his purpose was so noble and they are so...kind-hearted to care so deeply about him and hos mistreatment. Do they hate sick people?

Because they are all selfish, self-centered nobodies, who have no purpose or accomplishments in life.

Except of course, to criticize and vilify others.
Atop their valiant steed: iPhone 7S.

Posted by: Gunslinger at April 11, 2017 06:26 PM (4S7hN)

513 Spent a couple of days putting a new fuel pump in my vehicle and it quit again after four days.

Turns out the sending unit on the cheap Chinese pump is crap and was reading 1/4 tank when I had just run out of gas. Sheesh.

Posted by: Mr. Peebles at April 11, 2017 06:29 PM (oVJmc)

514 I don't know if it was said upthread, but the flight in question was NOT overbooked. Four crew members showed up at the last minute, they needed to get to Louisville. The mistake was UAL's: no one informed the gate agents about the appearance of the crew. Had the gate agent been informed, the seating issue could have been resolved before everyone boarded.

This is UAL's mistake, all of it. Gross incompetence with a dollop of physical customer abuse thrown on top.

Posted by: kallisto at April 11, 2017 06:30 PM (kD8Fh)

515 Daily Mail story I linked said "Dr" lost his license for having gay sex with a 26 year old in exchange for drugs.

Gay Healthcare is a human right!!

Posted by: Mr. Peebles at April 11, 2017 06:30 PM (oVJmc)

516 Failure to comply with a flight safety officer at a minimum. He should be prosecuted.

But we have to fall all over ourselves to excuse the asshole for his ridiculous behavior. Because caring and all that crap.

Posted by: charley Horse at April 11, 2017 06:35 PM (+kahX)

517 512 Here's the thing I don't get...
Everyone is horrified that they would dare take a doctor off the plane, when he had to see patients the next day. (his previous agreement to accept $1600 to do so, aside).

Why could none of these fellow travelers offer to give up their seats since his purpose was so noble and they are so...kind-hearted to care so deeply about him and hos mistreatment. Do they hate sick people?

Because they are all selfish, self-centered nobodies, who have no purpose or accomplishments in life.

Except of course, to criticize and vilify others.
Atop their valiant steed: iPhone 7S.

They were all too busy doing Mona Lisa Vito imitations.

Posted by: nsirchov at April 11, 2017 06:36 PM (1TcdB)

518 but pulling passengers to replace them with crew for another flight because they couldn't figure out how to get them there otherwise is shady.

Posted by: hogmartin at April 11, 2017 05:44 PM (8nWyX)

see 541

Posted by: kallisto at April 11, 2017 06:37 PM (kD8Fh)

519 Viet Victim Vows Vengeance Verdict!

After being caught Uniting with patient, Disgraced Disbarred Doc Dao Declares, "Dream Team will Deliver Decision to render United D.O.A.!"

Posted by: goatexchange at April 11, 2017 06:41 PM (YFnq5)

520 see 541

Posted by: kallisto at April 11, 2017 06:37 PM (kD8Fh)

when you write it?

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 06:41 PM (trdnR)

521 Posted by: Hairyback Guy at April 11, 2017 05:54 PM (5VlCp)

I had a similar thought. The guy is old enough to have suffered some kind of trauma as a result of the Vietnam war.

I skimmed the comments, someone upthread said that a one percent drop in stock value is not a big deal. Before CEO Munoz came out with the second apology though, UAL shares had plummeted 3.4%, for a total 950 million dollar loss.

Munoz had to stop the hemorrhaging, and he did. Shares went back up after his statement, however still closed down for the day. I heard a public relations expert say that Munoz's first statements regarding the incident were "brand suicide".

Posted by: kallisto at April 11, 2017 06:41 PM (kD8Fh)

522 when you write it?

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 06:41 PM (trdnR)

Why not?

Posted by: kallisto at April 11, 2017 06:42 PM (kD8Fh)

523 Why not?

Posted by: kallisto at April 11, 2017 06:42 PM (kD8Fh)

I eagerly await it, praying the thread will die first, ha ha

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 06:45 PM (trdnR)

524 Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 06:41 PM (trdnR)

Oh, I get it - s/b post 514, already written.

Happy hour typo

Posted by: kallisto at April 11, 2017 06:47 PM (kD8Fh)

525 Modern air travel sucks because modern air travelers accept it. I don't care if this guy is a dick smoking drug addict I hope he sues for millions. If more people didn't agree to be treated like cattle there would only be 9 seats across than 10 and airlines couldn't randomly select which tickets they would honor.

Posted by: Mr. Feverhead at April 11, 2017 06:48 PM (j1Wvr)

526 I eagerly await it, praying the thread will die first, ha ha

Posted by: Ralph at April 11, 2017 06:45 PM (trdnR)

I'm usually not at the end of these things, I think that's miss willow's territory.

Posted by: kallisto at April 11, 2017 06:48 PM (kD8Fh)

527 "The doctor did nothing to seek fame or notoriety."

He most certainly did.

If he did not, then why aren't we hearing about the other three people who got bumped?

Posted by: Bea Arthur's Dick at April 11, 2017 07:05 PM (0xzXo)

528 Due throws a man-fit when asked to get off the plane, tries to play the "do you know who I am?!!" card, gets his ass kicked a little for it and we're suppose to blame the guys who had to remove him from the plane?

Sorry, I have zero fucking sympathy for this douche doctor. "Just kill me" oh shut up, drama queen.

Posted by: SGT Ted at April 11, 2017 08:48 PM (UBQaO)

529 Clearly they headed straight for the Chinaman.

Posted by: Random Thought Generator at April 11, 2017 08:51 PM (iOKfQ)

530 My background on this is flying home with my stepson from Iraq on emergency leave due to my father in law being on his death bed. We got bumped in Amsterdam due to the flight being over booked. We got 400 Euros and an apology. Neither my son or I played the snivel card.

Posted by: SGT Ted at April 11, 2017 09:09 PM (UBQaO)

531 The fact that Dao was a poker player -- and a rather good one -- is interesting. Maybe the sort of guy who used to ride chance events into big payouts for a living viewed the flight-bump as another chance event to be parlayed into a big payout.

Posted by: Dave O'Connell at April 11, 2017 11:53 PM (KeEXI)

532 The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure assessment of Dao was posted over The Smoking Gun, btw. The subject of Vietnam, mentioned by a few posters here, comes up.

http://thesmokinggun.com/file/united-dragging?page=7

Posted by: Dave O'Connell at April 12, 2017 12:06 AM (KeEXI)

533 I don't see any connection between the event that happened this week to Dao, and things he has done many years ago. The past is irrelevant and the reporter should have had the decency to ignore irrelevant information. I was taught that in the Navy a punishment served cleared the deck... you would be judged on what you do going forward. Similarly, if you've done your time and have kept your nose clean for years, and then happen to get caught up in a newsworthy event, your entire personal history shouldn't be made public.

Posted by: ObiJohn at April 12, 2017 12:15 AM (qjYPs)

534 Sgt Ted, were you forcibly deplaned after having been allowed to board with a valid board7ng pass? The United contract of courage reserves them the right to deny boarding in case of overbooking, but not to deplane an already-aboard passenger. They do differentiate between boarding and deplaning.

Posted by: ObiJohn at April 12, 2017 12:18 AM (qjYPs)

535 Durn auto correct...

Posted by: ObiJohn at April 12, 2017 12:18 AM (qjYPs)

536 No, Dao's past is not relevant and not news. It's nothing more than a barely tangentially related fact.

Now, IF he had problems with airlines before or caused some other public ruckus, or even had a history of such things, now THAT would be relevant news.

No, they should not have run that story and they should feel like the despicable assholes that we already know virtually every member of the media is. Fact is, this is just reason number 8,754,201 that people hate the media. You're slandering an innocent member of the public for no reason other than United fucked him over for a seat he paid for and video of the confrontation went viral.

When you stop and ask yourself, what value is this story, there is only one answer - click bait or eyeballs on your pages. In other words, worthless to other people and valuable only to the insider assholes of the media that everyone already hates.

Posted by: deadrody at April 12, 2017 06:55 AM (fRgyI)

537 Entitled ? Did some retard in here actually call someone who PAID FOR A TICKET "entitled" ?

Unreal. Yeah, when you pay for a plane ticket, it does - in a sense - ENTITLE you to the seat you fucking paid for.

Posted by: deadrody at April 12, 2017 06:57 AM (fRgyI)

538 I love this other line of thought - well, this was a LEGAL or LAWFUL thing for United to do, therefore the guy should have quietly complied.

First of all, who gives a shit if come company's act is technically "legal" if it is also BS and unethical ?

Second, maybe, just maybe it ought NOT to be legal or lawful. And until someone does NOT comply, when is there any momentum to change that, exactly ? Hhhmmm ?

What United and whatever police / security detail did that was, follow along now, W-R-O-N-G. Whether or not there is a law against doing so is almost entirely irrelevant. It is crazy what some people claiming to be on the political right in one fashion or another are willing to overlook despite it being clearly wrong.

Posted by: deadrody at April 12, 2017 07:10 AM (fRgyI)

539 Not sure I am following the wrongness here (responding to deadroody @53

...

United, like all airlines, treat passengers overall with what would be considered poor customer service in most other industries. They should probably reconsider how they handle their overbooking - specifically, if they want to maintain flexibility to add staff, etc, then you don't put everybody on the plane until just before departure (meaning you keep a handful of seats open until last few minutes). Once a customer is in their seat, bad idea to then pull them from the plane. Even in this terrible service industry, that seems like a dumb idea.

However, that does not change the fact that this guy, or any of us when sitting on a United plane, has no inherent right to be there. It's not his plane! Is United "in the wrong" for telling him he has to get up and out? In a good service kind of way, sure. But totally their call, just as it's all of our call (the customers) to use their service or not.

When the cops are called in to tell him to leave, United goes to a new level of offensive, perhaps, but still not inherently wrong. When the cops (correctly) tell the guy he has to leave because United wants him to leave, and he fails to comply - now we have something truly wrong. When the guy forces the police to forcibly remove him, a lack of training in better handling of such a situation is displayed - that, too, is wrong. There must be a better way to forcibly remove someone from a plane seat. Taser, maybe? I don't know, but that didn't look like the best option.

This guy may have had a good lawsuit for failure to comply with a contract (ticket paid, in seat, etc) though the fine print on airline tickets likely protects United's ability to treat us like meat. But in no way could a refusal to leave the plane be seen as a right, or a right thing to do. This is not some great morality play or time for social change.

Posted by: Betaphi at April 12, 2017 07:42 AM (VWwjv)

540 Airline was wrong. Passenger seems to be a chronic trouble-maker. Both facts are newsworthy and relevant. Neither fact cancels out the other.

It's a bit like the infamous Travone case. The kid was a menace. The shooter was an idiot. Another recipe for bad a outcome.

Posted by: Newyorkslim at April 12, 2017 12:28 PM (pW+3f)

541 You know, if I ever intended to travel by plane again, this story would deter me.

This guy, through no fault of his own, gets picked to lose his seat, for which he paid, on that plane and objects, and the ensuing kerfuffle makes him inadvertently famous.

Then they go and dig up his past to smear him.The doctor lost his license and worked like mad to regain it, but now
the fact that he lost it is public knowledge. It had absolutely nothing to do with the event on the airplane, but that won't matter. The information is now out there.

The thing is, there is not a person on Earth who doesn't have something, somewhere in his past of which he is not proud, and that he would not wish to see dragged in front of the public eye. I don't think the airing of the man's past is going to help the airline. If anything, it may gain more sympathy for him. It cements his status as a victim of a system that cares nothing for its customers. And it also emphasizes the lengths to which the company will go to get its way and then defend itself. Ruining someone's life is unimportant, I guess.

I hope he sues them for everything they own including their fillings and the clothes on their backs. And I hope he wins.

Posted by: Nan at April 12, 2017 02:27 PM (HUejd)

542 There are only about 200k regulations and statutes that cover an ass if you want to toss out a fool. So what it's bad PR. It's still PR. Ozzy Osborne pissed on the side of the Alamo and still Sella out Texas. The stock dropped, for now, I bought some at the low.

I used to do bar security, never once did anyone complain that I would use a drunks head to open the door on his way to the street.

A self entitled prick was shown to the street. You'll notice, nobody had the balls to help.

Principles don't mean shit until it costs something

Posted by: Dave of Dodge at April 12, 2017 05:53 PM (flbmJ)

543 My take is that this guy, after committing multiple felonies, should not be allowed to practice medicine. Even "under certain conditions."

We're entirely too lenient on criminals in this society. Especially white collar ones. I'm especially hardline when it comes to businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Posted by: Lamont Cranston at April 12, 2017 06:47 PM (3ufaJ)

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United CEO: "I'm Sorry"But, Meanwhile, Newspaper Runs Story Dredging Up Dragged Passenger's Past

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United CEO: "I'm Sorry"
But, Meanwhile, Newspaper Runs Story Dredging Up Dragged Passenger's Past