50 Replies to “Embrace Hollywood”

  3. “It’s hard not to see a connection between………’
    Of course not, that’s why you need to take off the rose colored blinders for awhile.
    A long while.

  4. Trump has chased all the violent Illegal immigrants to California, enjoy the decline of Hollow-wood & soup kitchens

  6. I enjoy flying, but I’d still rather hit the highway. However, whenever we’ve flown, our booking includes a seat map showing what’s available and what’s already booked. Somewhere along the way, someone has to override the system in order to over book an airplane. Over booking cannot be done accidentally. That means when airlines get egg on their faces over an overbooking fiasco, it’s a self-inflicted wound. It’s not one where the safety was accidentally flicked to “OFF”, but the gun had to be loaded as well. If they would simply not overbook flights, they would not have problems related to overbooking. (There’s a Dr. Laura-ism in there somewhere). The big key is following through on charging the customers who book a flight and then miss it. Book a $900 seat and then miss your flight? Too bad. That Boeing’s going with an empty seat. There would still have to be some sort of protection for flights missed because the airline failed to ensure the connection could be made.

  8. It became “overbooked” when 4 seats were given priority to a flight crew that needed to be taken to crew a plane at another airport.
    Perhaps some sort of emergency grounded the original crew of the plane that the new crew were then to operate.

  9. The TDS-inspired “Hate Has No Home” lawn signs are sprouting like crabgrass in my town. I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to take political signs down about a week after an election so at this stage of the game I’m chomping at the bit to go full ninja and take these signs down myself sometime soon.

  10. ……Hate Has No Home HERE.
    And immediately underneath its translated in Arabic.

  11. No doubt it’s a trifecta – Asian, doctor, and it’s making international headlines! UA will settle out of court before morning, he can bank and go to Vegas on it.
    Damned good thing for him that he wasn’t “Joe the Plumber”, or it’d never seen the light of day.

  13. Since when do the police have the right to use force in a contractual, not criminal, situation. They can’t even claim trespassing since United had invited the man to take his seat. United had rights to remove the man but had no suitable acceptable means to do so they chose might makes right. Their policy was not thought through.

  14. Southwest “asked” me to move from my comfortable seat next to my wife … to sit next to a large (spilling over her seat) smelly FAT woman. Seems as though some dickwad (like this “Doctor”) refused to sit next to the FAT woman … and the flight was full … so I was “asked” to swap seats with this uncooperative snowflake. I assume it was because I am a friendly and relaxed kind of guy. That I give off a cooperative vibe. So … without fully investigating where and why they were moving me … I said SURE … I’ll help you out. Then I saw her … and I immediately began to regret my go-along, get-along upbringing. The good news is that it was a flight from LA to Phoenix. I held my nose and leaned-into the aisle for this short flight. I suppose I should have RESISTED !!

  15. My answer would have been “Sure, in exchange for a free flight voucher, otherwise no thank you.”

  16. WOW! I hope that dude cleans UA’s clock. Voluntary used to mean you could say no. I am sure UA could have seated their staff on a later flight. But no, its ok to strong arm paying customers. And send in the Pinkerton’s (read paid goons) when the customer becomes “uncooperative”. Cause we all know when you mix “uncooperative” and “airplanes” its a matter of public safety.

  17. Yeah … live and learn … I didn’t even get a free Heineken on this short flight. I could have used a case of mini liquor bottles.

  18. Googled the incident, and found a great deal of reaction, but not a lot of facts. Question….why did UA pick this particular passenger to forcibly eject? Had they made the usual offers of $800, $1000, etc. vouchers?
    And y’all are right….UA has lost their shirt on this one. The lawsuit will be huge, and the PR fallout even bigger.
    But the main point of this thread is that the usual suspects are even trying to pin THIS on Trump. Sad.

  20. I’m thinking back to a time and place in Winnipeg in the fall of 1961 when my aunt and uncle were married. After the reception that was held at a hotel on Portage Avenue, we all drove to the airport to see them off on their honeymoon to Barbados. The flight was on TCA, the plane was a Canadair North Star (DC-4M powered by 4 Rolls Royce Merlin V-12 engines–1760 HP each.)
    At that time, passengers boarded the plane from a mobile staircase on the tarmac. The men wore a suit and tie and most had a fedora. The women wore dresses, high heels and fur coats. If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never forget the exhilaration that I experienced when the four engines came to life in sequence. As they revved them up, blue flames shot out of the exhaust ports. The crackle of the exhaust in cold Winnipeg night air after the plane began to roll down the runway is etched in my memory.
    And now, in 2017, they’re dragging passengers off the plane as if they were animals. And please don’t misread this, I doubt that Air Canada would force someone off a flight for no apparent reason. But I do believe it’s high time that we started evaluating our social
    values, and how we’ve lost respect for one another.

  21. I think you could read that more than one way. Could it be a mssg. for Arabs contemplating trouble?

  22. If you can’t find a volunteer for $400, jump it to $800, if you can’t find one at $800, jump it to …
    At some point you’ll have more than enough volunteers. I’m sure that Trump understands this concept.

  23. This passenger claimed to be a doctor and seeing his patients was a time sensitive issue.
    Could be true. It does make UA look bad.
    Linda said: “Could it be a mssg. for Arabs contemplating trouble?”
    It certainly is a bad message for the UA brand to be sending to paying customers who aren’t masochists and have sensitive time schedules.

  24. That’s exactly what I thought they should be doing.
    We need to get somebody off this plane. How much is it going to cost. 1000, 2000 doesn’t matter whatever it costs it’s going to be a lot less than what it’s gonna cost them now.
    Once they give me the boarding pass and I’m sitting in my seat I ain’t leavin the plane.
    It doesn’t matter if he’s a doctor, a plumber, fisherman, whatever, he has every right to sit there.
    For them to forcibly throw him off the plane speaks to a real stupid corporate mindset.

  25. I do a lot of running before the sun comes up…been known to tidy up the neighbourhood sometimes…..

  26. ya have 100 seats on your plane and you book 101, that shows a level of stupid that most cannot comprehend.

  27. Oz
    Maybe the “emergency” that affected the crew that needed replaced was a drunk flight crew. Maybe the airline would rather face the sh*tstorm over dragging this doctor off the plane than publicise the reason for the replacement!

  28. That overbooking is called Yield Management and every airline does it. It’s a calculation based on historical data that says, simplified, there is a certain percentage of no-shows on any given flight and so the airlines overbook within that percentage. It most often works, but when it doesn’t they then have to pony up compensation to those passengers who are denied boarding or, lately it seems, beat someone up.
    The tension in airports is so elevated, thanks to the threat of terrorism, that many people are overreacting…another thing for which we can thank the religion of peace and our more than a decade of week-kneed, groveling response to the situation.
    I expect UAL (a member of the Star Alliance with AC) and others associated with this horror story, will pay a huge price for this.

  29. “I enjoy flying, but I’d still rather hit the highway.”
    A fairly common view in the US.
    In the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, America was gripped with fear. The human mind cannot operate rationally in a state of fear. Hence the irrational response like PATRIOT, NDAA, TSA etc.
    Faced with increased hassles and humiliation due to flying, many Americans opted to drive instead of taking short haul flights. This resulted in increased highway traffic — and increased traffic fatalities.
    Most people do not calculate relative risk prior to decision-making. Case in point: you are more likely to die on your way to the airport than flying on a plane, but how many are cognisant of it?
    It has been estimated that increased driving instead of flying post Sept 11 has lead to an additional 500 deaths annually in traffic accidents. Multiply that by 16 and you get 8,000 lives lost since 9-11.
    So the Americans lost 8,000 lives to save 3,000.

  30. Who is John Cho and why should we much care what he thinks?
    When it comes to the perspicacity of actors, one great name leads the way:
    “There’s not going to be a President Donald Trump. That’s not going to happen…”
    – George Clooney, Cannes, 12 May 2016

  31. “We need to get somebody off this plane. How much is it going to cost. 1000, 2000 doesn’t matter whatever it costs it’s going to be a lot less than what it’s gonna cost them now.”
    I see a massive lawsuit in United’s future. Indeed, I see the security/police/goons whatever they were who ejected him being slapped with lawsuits too.
    Add enough bad press and outrage over this to the mix and United’s shareholders might be looking for a new CEO too.

  32. No liability here. A computer picked the names of those passengers to be removed in a totally random fashion. Once again, however, the stereotype of the constantly outraged class has been validated.

  33. You are kidding right?
    Who are you calling the “constantly outraged class”?
    Someone makes plans that involves flying. He perhaps makes them far in advance. He perhaps is also on a tight schedule. It doesn’t matter. He pays for a ticket, gets the boarding pass, gets on the plane, and is settled in for the flight. How does the airline get off telling him he has to get off, for whatever reason? By whatever method of choosing the victim, randomly or not, the airline has absolutely no right to do such a thing. A priori, the passenger has much more to lose with the contract. He forfeits the payment if he doesn’t show up, and the airline takes the money, and can still sell his seat. The airline should assume equal liability in not honoring the contract.
    I hope United goes bankrupt over this, not only from the impending yuge lawsuit, but from the fallout over the bad publicity. Everything being equal, who would want to fly an airline that feels it has a right to yank you out of your paid for seat?

  35. OMG… some nitwit just said this in one of my meetings this morning. I called him a dummy in front of everyone and everyone laughed and laughed.

  36. You are kidding right?
    ___________________________
    No, anonymous, I’m not kidding. I’m taking into account that the purchase of a ticket very clearly states conditions. These conditions were accepted by the consumer. You, yourself, admit this by calling it a contract.
    Reasonable people would be upset, perhaps even angry at the inconvenience. Of course, reasonable people wouldn’t have to be dragged from the plane. They would accept the unattainable position they were in (which they agreed to with the purchase of the ticket) and remove themselves without the “outrage” and childish behavior of the consummate victim.

  37. I guess I am the ONLY one in America who questioned the character of this RESISTing “good Doctor”. Now, I see my instincts are proved correct.
    http://www.tmz.com/2017/04/11/united-airlines-doctor-convicted-drugs-sex/
    Suffice to say that every flight I take is filled with the dregs of our society. Flying is so cheap as to attract the rabble and losers who feel they are above-the-law … and more importantly … feel superior to every other passenger. So these cretins remove their shoes and put their feet on the tray tables, scream at the flight crew, refuse to pacify their screaming children, recline their seats into the lap of the seat behind them, carry on conversations in “outdoor” voices, refuse to turn-off their electronic devices, refuse all manner of flight crew requests and in general just act like the boors they are. I have -0- sympathy for this “Doctor” … and if United agrees to “settle” with this LOSER for even 10cents … I will NEVER fly United EVER AGAIN.
    Sorry Mr. Cho … what this CHINESE “Doctor” proved his actions (and United’s actions) have NOTHING to do with Trump … but EVERYTHING to do with what is wrong with our; Medical system, or Immigration system, and the degeneration of our culture (i.e. “progressivism”).

  38. “I guess I am the ONLY one in America who questioned the character of this RESISTing ‘good Doctor’. Now, I see my instincts are proved correct.”
    So exactly what are you suggesting?
    That because a passenger picked entirely at random by a computer for arbitrary ejection from the flight turns out to have a less than salubrious background, his shabby treatment by United is now A-OK?
    Sorry, the repercussions of this event can’t be conveniently fobbed off on the passenger; it stinks because it could just as easily happen to anyone.

  39. Sorry, the repercussions of this event can’t be conveniently fobbed off on the passenger; it stinks because it could just as easily happen to anyone.
    ___________________
    Uh no…it would only happen to those who act like a three year old and require forced assistance to remove their posterior from the plane. I fly weekly. I’ve been bumped. I’ve stayed while others were bumped. I’ve never made a scene and required the airline personnel to carry me from the plane.
    We’re now a society of social justice nonsense and immediate gratification (see everyone’s nose buried in their little IPhones). This happens to breed the ingrate idiots like the this guy whose reaction to being told “no” was to throw a tantrum. I’d not only toss the guy off the plane….I’d lobby to get him on the no-fly list. People who don’t know how to behave don’t belong in an enclosed captive area with people who do.

  40. If you cannot see the ethical failure (and, for that matter, execrable business sense) of a company which, having duly accepted a person’s payment for their flight, arbitrarily chooses to eject them in order to accommodate one of their own employees instead, then it’s a waste of time discussing much more with you.

  41. If you cannot see the ethical failure (and, for that matter, execrable business sense) of a company which, having duly accepted a person’s payment for their flight, arbitrarily chooses to eject them in order to accommodate one of their own employees instead, then it’s a waste of time discussing much more with you.
    ___________________________________
    It’s written in plain black and white in the contractual agreement accompanying the purchase of the ticket. Whether you or I agree with their said policy is something to take into account when choosing your airline. Capitalism creates a competition among competing entities. Other airlines may choose to seize on the issue and promote a “customer first” type program. Here’s the thing, though. They all do it. And, these “customer first” programs pop out every year or so to little fanfare.
    In reference to accommodating their own employees. Perhaps a flight in Atlanta could not proceed because they didn’t have the correct personnel due to union restriction as far as work hours ect. (I use Atlanta arbitrarily). Perhaps the flight crew previously scheduled for a flight in Omaha was grounded due to bad weather.
    It all comes back to an agreed to contractual agreement between passenger and United Airlines. They exercised their right to remove a passenger for whatever reason they deemed necessary.
    Ethics do not apply here. Legal obligations and potential civil liability issues do.

  42. “Ethics do not apply here. Legal obligations and potential civil liability issues do.”
    We’ll see how long all the legal quibble-dicking holds up if United starts losing market share from this incident.

  43. We’ll see how long all the legal quibble-dicking holds up if United starts losing market share from this incident.
    ____________________
    Did you skip over the part about capitalism? I think you did. I tend to think that they were moving a flight team to another location to assure that a separate flight wasn’t cancelled. That would inconvenience hundreds as opposed to one misbehaving passenger.
    But, please continue to take the side of the passenger who throws a tantrum when things don’t go his way.

  44. Okay, Air Canada has never called a rent-a-cop to drag me down the aisle, but I think that was only because they hadn’t been made aware of the possibilities.
    Canadians are stereotyped as unfailingly polite; perhaps this is because the ill-mannered people are all hired for Air Canada. I almost said “work,” but sitting on your (self) and snarling “NO! There is no more coffee!” is hardly work.

  45. If his wife was sitting beside him, which I read she was, were they both unwilling to get off? One certainly wouldn’t go without the other, so that’s not clear. Reading about his private life on Daily Mail, I’d say it was more important for his wife to get back to her patients. Which actually means nothing at all to the scenario as we know it. If he was travelling alone and refused the offer, that should be it.
    All that being said, and regardless of his personal life which has no relevance to this case at all,this is a family of doctors whose lives are now ruined. His wife is a pediatrician and four of their five children are doctors.
    The air line will lose money, but I think the family has lost much more.

  46. I understand the Russians actually removed the passenger.
    It makes “sense” given climate change, the Trump presidency and elitist morons assuming power is their birthright, with snowflakes melting everywhere.
    So it must be right, so an investigation to bring evidence to conclusions is all that’s required. Too busy with the Dem Russia witch hunt eh? Ahh.
    Maybe the chief witch (hunter) Elizabeth Warren is available. Susan Rice is also at the ready with whatever talking point lies are required.

  47. if the seat has been paid for you do not do yield management. when I was in business if I ever did such things to my customers I would never have been there long enough to reach retirement. It is a policy that should be cut off. you do not sell what you do not have, that is fraud in other businesses.

  48. I agree. If the airlines want to speculate then they should be subject to serious penalties, much more serious that a travel voucher or some relatively small sum as compensation to passengers impacted by this risky behaviour. To me it’s sort of like a grocer selling the last sack of potatoes to two, or more, customers thereby inciting conflict when they all show up to claim their purchase. I seriously doubt that the grocer would be in business for very long nor would government regulatory bodies stand still and let this continue.

  49. Orson: “Did you skip over the part about capitalism? I think you did. I tend to think that they were moving a flight team to another location to assure that a separate flight wasn’t cancelled. That would inconvenience hundreds as opposed to one misbehaving passenger.”
    Capitalism, you say?
    Given that United’s stock took a big tumble and the attendant bad publicity will no doubt cost the airline millions in lost fares, perhaps next time it might be more cost-effective to hire a private jet to get that flight crew to another location (hiring a jet for a short hop would be even cheaper than the likely lawsuits hovering on the horizon for United).
    Hey, maybe they could use their CEO’s jet. He might not be needing it soon.
    Capitalism, indeed.

  50. New United corporate slogan:
    The beatings will continue until morale improves.
    Orson: you want to talk about capitalism? Really? How about we start by understanding that the seat was worth more to all the passengers than $800 in vouchers. What is the capitalist solution? Raise the reward for voluntarily giving up the seat (and offer real money not vouchers). Simple really. The next number in the sequence: $400, $800 isn’t $whoopass. Both TSA and United will settle out of court. But as others have already pointed out the legal costs are nothing compared to the bad PR costs. And then they better be very clear how does the supposedly random process of selecting who gets booted off the plane works. Because if it is anything but random? Oh boy. Can you say: class action lawsuit?
    You know how bad things are for United? Type “tone deaf” into your search engine (preferably duckduckgo).

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