I refuse to "voluntarily" give up a seat I have paid for, and am, in fact, occupying, and some

[calimary]

71. Welcome to DU, burnbaby!

Of course one should comply with a duly-sworn police officer. But these weren't duly-sworn police officers. They were airline security. They WAY over-reacted. Maybe he did, too, but for Pete's sake - rough him up like that? It's not like he was a suspected terrorist, forcryingoutloud. He PAID for his seat!

It's just astounding to me - the pennywise/pound-foolish attitude of these corporations. They refused to offer more than $800 in compensation? Well, that's not much to compensate for all that extra inconvenience, missing your flight, having to stay over an extra day, what kinds of appointments and obligations and job-demands or family-needs were waiting for you at your destination, that you had to skip? Why didn't the airline go to $1000 or more? I bet if they offered $1500 + overnight room, or maybe $2000 + room, they'd have had 30 people volunteer to give up their seats.

Instead, they stayed cheap, and resorted to force, and look at the mess they're in now! The PR nightmare will cost them hard dollars for YEARS. That video clip will be there FOREVER. And every time United Airlines has another problem, that clip WILL be played. Again and again. MSNBC just ran through a LIST of offenses that's marred the company's track record of late - like that leggings snafu, for example. Oh yeah, THAT'S gonna win them more customers...

I'd love to corner the CEO or other officials near the top of the United corporate food chain, and ask: "Just how much DID you save by trying to go cheap upfront on the compensation offer to the passengers? Please tell me, how much DID you wind up saving the company by taking that approach?"

I have a friend who has to fly for her job all the time. Every week. She's complained about United several times - unrelated to any of this. But THIS - OY! They've lost her as a customer, for sure. And you certainly won't find me flying United anytime soon, either.