Physician removed forcibly from United flight after overbooking--UPDATED

[haele]

210. If he stepped out of the plane, he already lost his seat - and most likely any right to redress.

It also seems he was not an English native speaker, and that along with the most recent hostility shown to people who are obviously "Not American Enough" most likely contributed to his confusion and anger on why he was apparently being singled out to be kicked off a plane that he had already been seated on with his spouse.

As for being in Louisville, there are all sorts of reasons Doctors or other medical staff travel...could be a medical conference, could be volunteer work, could be a consultation (specialists often travel when asked to come in and consult), could be a short teaching/training requirement for professional credentialing - or could be just taking time off to see relatives or friends for a special visit - like a funeral or a birth, or some other once in a lifetime event. He could have already been delayed getting a flight out due to weather.

The other thing to understand is that if one is aware of the crap Airlines have been pulling lately with over-booking and the additional expense and potential waste of days one experiences if one voluntarily agrees to be bumped, well - the Federal Government recommends that travelers do not voluntarily give up their seats, because it may take up to a week to get back across country on some airlines - like United or Continental, and cost both the traveler and the government thousands in lodging and re-booking fees, no matter how much "Voucher" they're given.
Two weeks ago, my supervisor ended up taking a weather delay over-booking on a United return flight from DC two weeks ago - on a first-thing Friday Morning flight - thinking he'd be able catch a flight out by Sunday, as had happened three years prior in a similar situation.
But - he ended up remaining in DC working his ass off to eventually find a flight on a totally different carrier until a 9:20pm Monday night flight out of Dulles - which still didn't get back in to the West coast until Tuesday Morning because of two connection stops including a layover in Denver along the way. (One of our co-workers picked him up, and boy was he spitting nails once he got back...)
The entire cost to him out of pocket close to $2K over the $1300 voucher - because he couldn't get a guaranteed seat on United flight out until the next Thursday, as well as three whole days wasted hanging around airports in DC and two days of actual work lost because of United Airlines and their booking - and he swore he'd never, ever do anything like that again.

I can totally understand being seriously upset as well as insulted if you're told to get off the plane for apparently no reason other than random chance.
And while I might be able to remain calm and zen while they get two cops to drag me out of the airline seat I paid for and had been allowed to board for, I can understand someone getting combative, especially if they feel they also have people depending on them that expect them ready to work the next day. It's not a tantrum if the situation is warranted.

Haele