Most Airlines just don't seem to care

[Y2Jimmy0]

So basically if I have B-1 I should be concerned about my carryon fitting overhead? My duffel bag which can fit clothes for up to a week as long as I don't have to put extra shoes in there has suited me fine for trips. I've never had one of those big suitcases that people stuff up there or try to fit up there. I would basically describe my attitude toward flying as I despise it. Parking at the KC Airport is too expensive and hit or miss finding a spot. Also the food at KC Airport is horrific. Eat a banana and that's it. The actual boarding of a SWA flight is OK for me as I always pay the extra to make sure I'm in A group. The flight itself is OK as for some reason it puts me to sleep. Getting the rental car is OK because I have Avis Preferred. The only good part of travel is the part after you check in the hotel and have the trip ahead of you now.

 

Interesting (to me) story: This year I was on a trip and I ate dinner with friends and I got back to the hotel, felt my pocket and f***, the keys to my car back in Kansas City were not in my pocket. Gone. I searched my hotel room, no keys. Searched my briefcase in case I put them in there, no keys. Went back to where I ate dinner. No keys there. No keys at the Starbucks I was at. I was going to go back to the airport and see if lost and found had them. Pure angst knowing when I got to KC I wouldn't be able to get in my car and I'd have to get a ride back to Lawrence, then go back to KCI with spare keys to get in my car, etc. Well, I went to the front desk of the hotel and asked if anybody had turned in car keys. Yeah right. Yes indeed. Somebody said they got out of their car and kicked the car keys in the parking lot. Somebody turned them into the front desk. Can you believe that? Most people would keep the keys or throw them away. Somebody turned them in to the front desk. I had my car keys and crisis averted. First time I've lost something like that on the road, knock on wood. Thanks to the person who turned in my car keys.

 

 

Wouldn't most people just bring the keys to the front desk?

[greg775]

Wouldn't most people just bring the keys to the front desk?

No, it was in a parking lot. Most would say, hmmm, what's that and either throw them away or laugh and kick them harder. Think about it. Who would say, "I bet these keys belong to somebody in this hotel."

Edited April 11, 2017 by greg775

[Dick Allen]

The one thing I don't understand about SWA is they let injured people pre-board and let them take the exit row. I was on a plane with a guy who claimed his back was so bad he had to be first on the plane, but supposedly would have no problem performing exit row duties.

[RockRaines]

The one thing I don't understand about SWA is they let injured people pre-board and let them take the exit row. I was on a plane with a guy who claimed his back was so bad he had to be first on the plane, but supposedly would have no problem performing exit row duties.

Thats not supposed to happen. Thats an error by the flight crew.

 

What I dont get is they put those people in the front few rows and get them off first. It slows the entire process down. Wheelchair bound travelers should be first on, last off.

[StrangeSox]

Yeah pretty sure that's an FAA violation. No pre-boards and no one under 15 an no one who can't give a verbal confirmation that they're willing assist in an emergency are allowed to sit in an exit row.

[caulfield12]

Looks like the stock market finally gave UAL some breathing room at the end of the day...

 

 

Dave Carroll/Columbia Business School

Lessons from "United Breaks Guitars" anti-customer service song trilogy

 

 

Now the story's changing again...so his wife was one of the three who had left voluntarily? Or she stayed with him? I could understand the feeling about agreeing to switch but the Airlines not informing anyone they had to wait one full day to fly. No way they warned everyone about that before the voucher offers.

 

 

The man who ended up bloodied and screaming Sunday night had initially agreed to get off the plane, passenger Jayse Anspach said.

 

"Him and his wife, they volunteered initially," Anspach said. "But once they found out that the next flight wasn't until (Monday) at 2:30 p.m., he said, 'I can't do that. I gotta be at work.' So he sat back down."

 

The harder the officers tried to get the man to leave, the harder the man insisted he stay.

 

"He was very emphatic: 'I can't be late. I'm a doctor. I've got to be there tomorrow,' " Anspach recalled.

 

His pleas didn't work. Moments later, the man was getting dragged down the aisle. At one point, passengers say, the man hits his head on an armrest. Video shows blood starts streaming from his mouth.

 

During the ordeal, the man claimed he was being profiled for being Chinese, passenger Tyler Bridges said.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/11/travel/unite...ight/index.html

 

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/11/opinions/i-g...tone/index.html

I got bumped from a flight, sued and won

Edited April 11, 2017 by caulfield12

[StrangeSox]

https://twitter.com/PatrickQuinnTV/status/8...src=twsrc%5Etfw

[Texsox]

No, it was in a parking lot. Most would say, hmmm, what's that and either throw them away or laugh and kick them harder. Think about it. Who would say, "I bet these keys belong to somebody in this hotel."

 

I believe most people would turn them in. But I live in an area known for hospitality and being neighborly.

[RockRaines]

I believe most people would turn them in. But I live in an area known for hospitality and being neighborly.

Only takes one asshole.

[Chicago White Sox]

United may suck as an airline, but it's amazing to me how many people want to see them burn to the ground over one isolated incident. Our country has really gotten out of control with this faux outrage culture. And lol @ the comment about business schools studying this fiasco for years. This will be long forgotten in a few short months and the stock price will rebound even sooner.

Edited April 12, 2017 by Chicago White Sox

[Leonard Zelig]

Why are people more worked up about this than a man walking into a school and killing a teacher and student?

[caulfield12]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion...411-column.html

 

CPD issues misleading PR statement latest weird twist in United fiasco

 

 

 

As to the previous point about gun deaths/school shootings:

 

1) The airplane incident touched a chord with nearly EVERYONE who flies, and particularly United because of its relationship to Chicago

 

2) School shooting discussions never go anywhere and just end in frustration...people are numb to them.

 

3) The "political environment" these last two years or so has been so polarized that everyone has their own "hot take" on the situation that's sure to offend someone or another. That and the racial "discrimination" angle, all of my students in China believe that all four passengers forced to leave the plane were Asian/Asian-American.

 

4) It's almost the perfect case study for a class on public relations/customer service/how NOT to do damage control until hundreds of millions of dollars of company/shareholder value have disappeared.

 

5) The fact that nearly everyone can already imagine how many millions of dollars he'll win from the forthcoming lawsuits.

 

6) That it happened in the City of Chicago, a political football for months now between the two parties.

 

7) Hundreds of millions of people around the world are commenting about the US and our unique interpretation of "civil rights" and re-accommodation.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2017 by caulfield12

[Chicago White Sox]

4) It's almost the perfect case study for a class on public relations/customer service/how NOT to do damage control until hundreds of millions of dollars of company/shareholder value have disappeared.

This is just ridiculous, the stock price will rebound as soon as people move on to the next faux outrage subject. No long-term shareholder value has been lost as a result of this. United will pay some measly settlement to this guy (a big amount for him but not them) and people will continue to fly an airline they generally dislike because that's the way the industry works. No matter how hard people like you or BigSqwert to try to burn them to the ground, they will keep chugging along like business as usual. So maybe it's time you find a different "cause" to put your efforts behind, because you're just wasting your time with this one.

Edited April 12, 2017 by Chicago White Sox

[BigSqwert]

This is just ridiculous, the stock price will rebound as soon as people move on to the next faux outrage subject. No long-term shareholder value has been lost as a result of this. United will pay some measly settlement to this guy (a big amount for him but not them) and people will continue to fly an airline they generally dislike because that's the way the industry works. No matter how hard people like you or BigSqwert to try to burn them to the ground, they will keep chugging along like business as usual. So maybe it's time you find a different "cause" to put your efforts behind, because you're just wasting your time with this one.

 

What the hell are you talking about? We're having a discussion on a baseball message board, not organizing a million man march.

[caulfield12]

Elsewhere, the doctor at the centre of the viral incident onboard the flight in Chicago has spoken out for the first time. His lawyers, Stephen L Golan of Golan Christie Taglia, and Thomas A Demetrio of Corboy & Demetrio, issued a statement saying: "The family of Dr Dao wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received."

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/united-airlines-...-073030438.html

Another United passenger in first class recently threatened with handcuffs treatment

 

 

[pettie4sox]

Why are people more worked up about this than a man walking into a school and killing a teacher and student?

 

Business as usual in the greatest motherf***ing country on earth.

Edited April 13, 2017 by KagakuOtoko

[BigSqwert]

From someone on the flight. Nice to see that people tried to help in whatever way they could (see bolded):

 

Unfortunately, I was aboard United Airlines flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville, Ky., on Sunday. Even more unfortunate was the fact that I was returning from a spring break trip with seven of my students from Louisville Male High School who also witnessed the unconscionable treatment of the passenger.

 

The disgusting mishandling of the situation included everyone from the rude ticket agent who demanded that this man give up his seat on the flight United overbooked, to one of the officers laughing in the midst of the incident, to the violent, abusive way the passenger was dragged off the plane by the officer. It was the worst possible model for my students, and frankly, was traumatizing to many of us who watched this from such close proximity.

 

What are we modeling for our children? Are we teaching our children to scream at other people, to jump quickly to force if we can’t get the results we want, to use violence to solve problems, to have total disrespect for other people?

 

I was appalled at how United Airlines and the officers handled the situation, but I was also encouraged by my fellow passengers’ attempts to interfere — despite how helpless we all felt. Some passengers audibly protested to the officers, some stood and removed themselves from the plane rather than continue to witness the abuse, and one father, while trying to console his 8-year-old daughter, confronted the officer saying, among other things, “you ought to be ashamed of yourself!” These are the models of which I hope our children will see more.

[StrangeSox]

Oh god, now they are digging up dirt on this passenger. AWful.

Crucified man had prior run-in with authorities

 

 

Born (possibly out of wedlock?) in a stable, this jobless thirty-something of Middle Eastern origin had had previous run-ins with local authorities for disturbing the peace, and had become increasingly associated with the members of a fringe religious group. He spent the majority of his time in the company of sex workers and criminals.

 

He had had prior run-ins with local authorities — most notably, an incident of vandalism in a community center when he wrecked the tables of several licensed money-lenders and bird-sellers. He had used violent language, too, claiming that he could destroy a gathering place and rebuild it.

 

At the time of his arrest, he had not held a fixed residence for years. Instead, he led an itinerant lifestyle, staying at the homes of friends and advocating the redistribution of wealth.

 

He had come to the attention of the authorities more than once for his unauthorized distribution of food, disruptive public behavior, and participation in farcical aquatic ceremonies.

 

Some say that his brutal punishment at the hands of the state was out of proportion to and unrelated to any of these incidents in his record.

 

But after all, he was no angel.

Edited April 12, 2017 by StrangeSox

[southsider2k5]

Why are people more worked up about this than a man walking into a school and killing a teacher and student?

 

Or the judge in Chicago getting gunned down.

[StrangeSox]

People react to visual stories more than print. Why did people care about Ray Rice more when the video came out, even though we had written descriptions of exactly what happened?

[BigSqwert]

Or the judge in Chicago getting gunned down.

 

I can only speak for myself but it's hard to get worked up after a mass shooting, knowing nothing will change. After a room full of pre-schoolers were killed and literally nothing changed because of it...what else can I do about it?

 

No one is stopping you guys from creating a new thread to discuss these specific shootings.

Edited April 12, 2017 by BigSqwert

[Leonard Zelig]

People react to visual stories more than print. Why did people care about Ray Rice more when the video came out, even though we had written descriptions of exactly what happened?

I hope the next school shooter wears a body cam.

[Leonard Zelig]

I can only speak for myself but it's hard to get worked up after a mass shooting, knowing nothing will change. After a room full of pre-schoolers were killed and literally nothing changed because of it...what else can I do about it?

 

No one is stopping you guys from creating a new thread to discuss these specific shootings.

I wasn't specifically talking about this board. I haven't been following this story, but I've seen plenty of headlines and fake UA commercials and ads, but very little about the school shooting.

[BigSqwert]

I wasn't specifically talking about this board. I haven't been following this story, but I've seen plenty of headlines and fake UA commercials and ads, but very little about the school shooting.

 

Maybe oversaturation of shootings? People get desensitized when it's a headline seemingly every other day.

[Jenksismyhero]

Maybe oversaturation of shootings? People get desensitized when it's a headline seemingly every other day.

 

See also: Violence, Chicago