4 ms·

Airlines operate in very uncertain and variable environments (weather isn't always what it is predicted, mechanical issues are pretty common, and pilots can get

by tdb7893 10y ago

Airlines operate in very uncertain and variable environments (weather isn't always what it is predicted, mechanical issues are pretty common, and pilots can get sick and other stuff) and having planes or pilots on call everywhere is prohibitive expensive so it's really not surprising that they have to do stuff like this sometimes. Airlines need to be more up front about their policies but there doesn't seem to be a good way to fix it without increasing prices, which they can't really do because people flying are generally so price sensitive.

djsumdog 10y ago
Or they can just take the hit. In this case, they decided to comp four people so they didn't have to cancel a plane load. Seems like good economics, but no one wanted to give up their seats. I mean why would you. It's bad enough you have to get molested by the TSA once. Twice? Fuck that. I want to go home. No I don't want a voucher for $200 of my next flight with the same shitty airline that will expire before I can use it. They should have just realized they can get a crew to that plane and canceled that flight; take the hit. Those passengers haven't boarded yet and would be easier to deal with.
- tedmiston 10y ago
  You are legally entitled to cash compensation over an airline voucher -- you just have to ask for it and a lot of people either don't know that or just don't do it. Also the rebooking is not necessarily on the same airline if they don't have a similar flight available that day but others do.
  - tarlinian 10y ago
    This is only true if you are involuntarily kicked off...if you volunteer you get whatever they agreed to give you.
    - tedmiston 10y ago
      Yeah, good point that cash must be explicitly requested in advance for voluntary denied boarding vs involuntary. The Points Guy has a pretty good guide for VDB. https://thepointsguy.com/2010/08/points-guy-pointer-anatomy-of-an-airline-bump-and-tips-for-success/ https://thepointsguy.com/2010/08/points-guy-pointer-anatomy-...
- tdb7893 10y ago
  By cancelling they could be cancelling all subsequent flights from that plane for that day. If I had the choice between kicking 4 people off a plane and cancelling potentially multiple flights I don't get how cancelling the flights would be better? Getting pilots and planes where they need to go after the planning gets messed up is incredibly expensive and also screws a bunch of passengers
btbuildem 10y ago
And how does any of that justify assault and bodily harm?
- tdb7893 10y ago
  How else should they have gotten him off the plane? Legally he needed to leave and they had asked him to leave peaceably
  - btbuildem 10y ago
    Just sit there, hold the plane and wait until other passengers get fed up and start asking him to leave. Peer pressure like that could very well work.
    - tdb7893 10y ago
      Yes but then all the people will miss their connections if you delay that long. Also you run the risk of the guy refusing to leave and you need to take him off anyway.

by tdb7893 10y ago

djsumdog 10y ago

Or they can just take the hit. In this case, they decided to comp four people so they didn't have to cancel a plane load. Seems like good economics, but no one wanted to give up their seats. I mean why would you. It's bad enough you have to get molested by the TSA once. Twice? Fuck that. I want to go home. No I don't want a voucher for $200 of my next flight with the same shitty airline that will expire before I can use it. They should have just realized they can get a crew to that plane and canceled that flight; take the hit. Those passengers haven't boarded yet and would be easier to deal with.

tedmiston 10y ago
You are legally entitled to cash compensation over an airline voucher -- you just have to ask for it and a lot of people either don't know that or just don't do it. Also the rebooking is not necessarily on the same airline if they don't have a similar flight available that day but others do.
- tarlinian 10y ago
  This is only true if you are involuntarily kicked off...if you volunteer you get whatever they agreed to give you.
  - tedmiston 10y ago
    Yeah, good point that cash must be explicitly requested in advance for voluntary denied boarding vs involuntary. The Points Guy has a pretty good guide for VDB. https://thepointsguy.com/2010/08/points-guy-pointer-anatomy-of-an-airline-bump-and-tips-for-success/ https://thepointsguy.com/2010/08/points-guy-pointer-anatomy-...
tdb7893 10y ago
By cancelling they could be cancelling all subsequent flights from that plane for that day. If I had the choice between kicking 4 people off a plane and cancelling potentially multiple flights I don't get how cancelling the flights would be better? Getting pilots and planes where they need to go after the planning gets messed up is incredibly expensive and also screws a bunch of passengers

btbuildem 10y ago

And how does any of that justify assault and bodily harm?

tdb7893 10y ago
How else should they have gotten him off the plane? Legally he needed to leave and they had asked him to leave peaceably
- btbuildem 10y ago
  Just sit there, hold the plane and wait until other passengers get fed up and start asking him to leave. Peer pressure like that could very well work.
  - tdb7893 10y ago
    Yes but then all the people will miss their connections if you delay that long. Also you run the risk of the guy refusing to leave and you need to take him off anyway.