In light of the disastrous UA3411 incident, it seems that people are a sensing an opportunity to take advantage of United Airlines. Or maybe United is still just tone deaf.
A married couple embarking on their honeymoon to Costa Rica was thrown off a United Airlines flight in Houston on Saturday. United 1737 from Houston (IAH) to Liberia, Costa Rica (LIR) was lightly filled, but the couple claimed upon boarding someone was occupying their seats.
Instead of waking the man, who allegedly was sleeping over three seats, the couple decided to move from row 24 to row 21. Row 24 is regular economy class while row 21 is an EconomyPlus exit row with a lot of additional legroom.
The groom stated, “We thought not a big deal, it’s not like we are trying to jump up into a first-class seat. We were simply in an economy row a few rows above our economy seat.”
A FA asked if the newlyweds if they were in their assigned seats and they said no. They were sent back to their assigned seats.
The couple claims they went back to their assigned seats without arguing and moments later an Air Marshall boarded the flight and removed them. The groom added, “They said that we were being disorderly and a hazard to the rest of the flight, to the safety of the other customers.”
United tells a different story. In a statement, the airline claims the couple repeatedly tried to self-upgrade to EconomyPlus–
We’re disappointed anytime a customer has an experience that doesn’t measure up to their expectations. These passengers repeatedly attempted to sit in upgraded seating which they did not purchase and they would not follow crew instructions to return to their assigned seats. We’ve been in touch with them and have rebooked them on flights tomorrow.
So Much Doesn’t Add Up
Many things do not add up here. First, who would be stretched out sleeping over three seats during boarding? Two, how stupid would United be to throw a couple off for moving to another economy class seat then moving back to their own seats?
But here’s the counterpunch — United threw me off for taking a picture of my seat and stopping immediately when a FA told me to…
Why — if the couple flouted FA instructions and was deemed a safety threat — were they rebooked on a flight the next morning? Indeed, United just rebooked them to a flight on Sunday (which they refused to take).
CONCLUSION
I’ll reserve judgement until other passengers come forward. I tend to side with United, but I should know better by now.
My work dealing with people has taught me one thing repeatedly – people lie. Everyone lies all the time. Sometimes its just one party but just as often its both sides. If I had to bet, I would say a video of the event would show that neither side is telling the truth.
I doubt the honeymooners were asked to move only once but I also doubt that they refused to move when the crew asked them. Obviously they were not too much of a problem since they were not arrested and were rebooked the next day.
Matthew –
I was on a transpacific flight in economy plus a couple days ago when about 1/2 hour from landing a man moved up to the empty seat next to mine and claimed that because he was on a tight connection that he was given permission by the flight attendant to move closer. I was not informed by the flight attendant and told the attendant that I was upset at not being informed. The flight attendant told me that unless I had purchased the other seat there was no seat assignments and he could sit anywhere he wants. This clearly contradicts the news here.
Raymond, was the man who moved up next to you also originally seated in EconomyPlus?
He was not an economy plus passenger. He was in regular economy. It is hypocritical of united to bend the rules one way then the other.
I’ve asked FA to move me into Premium Economy on LHR-ORD once when I had a tight connection and they let me move there about 30min before landing. I was very appreciative and I think it is a very reasonable customer accommodation. I would have no problem even I was seated in Business class and someone was moved there just for the end. I liken it to letting someone cut the security line if their flight is leaving soon which I am happy to do.
I would have no problem if the flight attendant gave me a head up first rather than having the guy tell me he got permission from the flight attendant. It’s the lack of proper communication from united people that made me not happy. If that’s the case I might as well sit in business class 30 mins from arrival saying that i have a tight connection when I could be lying and saying I have permission.
I’m not sure why the FA on your flight said what they did but to be very honest, I don’t think the FA should have to inform you at all. If you asked the FA and the FA said it was ok for you to sit in business then I don’t think the FA has to inform the other business class passengers. This is matter that is in their discretion and shouldn’t affect seat neighbours especially since it is the last 30min of a flight.
@Raymond – I literally can’t count the number of times I’ve seen this happen over the years.
You really complained about a guy sitting next to you for 30 minutes to try to catch a connection? That’s not even DYKWIA behavior, because you have no remote claim to being entitled to that seat.
I’m not sure what to call that kind of behavior.
“Jerk”?
Matthew– I’m with you on this one, esp the end.
Ummm … FAMS wouldn’t have been the ones removing them from the aircraft.