re: United CEO doubles down, calls passenger "belligerent", claims United followed rules

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it clearly indicates you could be removed from the manifest in an oversold situation, good point

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Did they sell more tickets than what was available?

Were the crew members paying?

Overbooking is the least of their issues. Unless they find enough of you to drag on to the planes.

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and it clearly indicates you could be removed from the manifest in an oversold situation, good point

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Flight wasn't oversold.

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Sure, but that reason has nothing to do with anything I've said.

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It kind of does. You called him a trespasser when the legal minds are saying he had a right to be there. It appears as if the airline broke their own policies about removing him and possibly a law or two.

Also, they possibly lied and said he was unruly to escalate the security response. The only article I read quoting another passenger was the teacher who said Tempura was not unruly.

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yes and irrelevant

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How was it oversold?

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also as I've said another 15 times, there are multiple aviation attorneys who know the law and have read the entire United policy that state they do not think United had any legal grounds to kick him off the flight, so...

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and once again, IF United didn't apply their policy correctly in asking this passenger to be removed that is a court decision. Not a cop decision.

That's not the case.

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A commitment to more passengers than seats. That is why they were giving vouchers.

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This is an incredibly dangerous line for the airlines to play with. You really think it's a good idea for United to come out and say we can kick you off the plane at any time for any reason? The rules are written for unforeseen issues, not to literally give them that ability. That ability is going to cost them a lot of money.

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Also, they possibly lied and said he was unruly to escalate the security response. The only article I read quoting another passenger was the teacher who said Tempura was not unruly.

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I heard an interview with two other passengers in his vicinity, and they said they said the same thing.

Its pretty telling how upset the passengers were. I've seen unruly people thrown out of places (sporting events), and have heard of people cheering when unruly passengers have been removed from planes before.

Yet in this instance, they appears to have had quite a different reaction.

Most of the way aviation law is understood in regards to refusing service (keeping a passenger from flying on a flight) is in regards to the time before a passenger boards a plane. United may argue there is no difference before boarding and a butt in the seat, but it is no legal slam dunk for them. A plane on the tarmac certainly isn't just a private business where you can decided how and when business will be conducted, it is a unique business situation that has to operate under guidelines for the safety and well being of the public. You can't just keep a passenger waiting in the plane on the tarmac, there are laws that govern what has to happen. Since the planes themselves are considered controlled areas at the gate even before moving on the tarmac, you can argue that the same applies to a boarded plane at the gate. United may be the big dog at the gate door, but FAA and DOT (and Homeland Security) have at least some say so even on a plane at the gate.