Family of 4 thrown off a flight !-gctid807601

[Chief_Alen]

If this can happen to them it can happen to any one of us !

What say YE !

http://www.fox29.com/news/252639675-story

[Don77]

I have taken 1 flight in 15 yrs and that was to Hi. I wont go back until the build a bridge!!!! I say the heck with the air lines Ill drive where I need to go!!!

Just my 1 1/2 c!

Don

[Four_Pyrates]

"Chief Alen" post=807601 wrote:
If this can happen to them it can happen to any one of us !

What say YE !

http://www.fox29.com/news/252639675-story

The stew was wrong on her information on the car seat. BUT....you threaten to arrest me and take my kid, I'll friggin kill you. That is a line Stewbabe better not cross with me. Hope you other folks feel the same. Hearing that come out of her mouth was disgusting.

[Jeffw]

I quit flying years ago, I won't submit myself to all their BS. There is no place I want or need to go that I can't drive to.

[Four_Pyrates]

"Jeffw" post=807640 wrote:
I quit flying years ago, I won't submit myself to all their BS. There is no place I want or need to go that I can't drive to.

I think a lot of people are thinking with you these days. I used to jump on a plane in Birmingham and fly to New Orleans, Nasville, and Atlanta all the time. Now, it takes more time to fly than drive over. It is become a big pain to play their game.

[CptCrunchie]

"Don77" post=807615 wrote:
I have taken 1 flight in 15 yrs and that was to Hi. I wont go back until the build a bridge!!!! I say the heck with the air lines Ill drive where I need to go!!!

Just my 1 1/2 c!

Don

I'm exactly that way too. I resent how I'm treated by TSA staff, airlines, lineups, angry people pissed off by being manhandled, waiting, having flights cancelled at the last moment with nowhere to stay, only to sit belted in an uncomfortable seat with no breathing space nor leg room, with only peanuts and pop - or expensive drinks - to feed on. It's not like it used to be, and I don't see it getting any better.

And I'm with you David on your comments about the flight attendant. That was malicious, unethical and completely unacceptable. But moreover, I'm surprised that anyone who was waiting would have taken that seat. Moreover, the family didn't give up just one seat, they gave up 4. Even if I was in a rush, I would never ever take a seat if it meant removing small children - or senior citizen - to do it.

UPDATE: It appears they didn't give up 4 seats, they only gave up 3. Read post #24.

[Norton_Rider]

I dealt with airlines and airline executives during most of my career. Twenty+ years ago the business model at pretty much every airline assumed an 75%-80% load factor. So there was no overbooking. Since then the competition has gotten fierce and the profit margins have been decreasing. In order to make money they have been forced to increase the load factors. Now their business model is based on 95%. In order to reach this they have to overbook.

I'm not saying it is right, but it is the unfortunate reality.

[boatworkfl]

Once seated that passenger should never have to give up a seat, it was assigned to them. I would sue.

The airlines know their policy sucks, but they will not change it.

Several years ago delta called me in the middle of winter and told me if I did not buy a ticket within 30 days they would take my miles away, they did the same thing with my other Deborah only they did not notify her, I have not flown on an commercial aircraft since, and I will not ever again!

The days are gone when you received a decent seat and a decent meal on a long flight, now they cram you together with some 300 lb man in the middle seat and he has to cross his arms to keep from crowding you out.

They need to charge a fare and make a profit, but they need to give you what you pay for-a comfortable seat.

Gone are the days when NW airlines served a nice filet meal on a long flight, or invited a veteran with a shoulder wound on a service flight to MPLS to get him home, they did for me a long time ago, late 60's..

That will never happen these days. Commercial airlines have gone to hell, and they can stay there as far as I am concerned.

[Solandri]

"Norton Rider" post=807689 wrote:
I dealt with airlines and airline executives during most of my career. Twenty+ years ago the business model at pretty much every airline assumed an 75%-80% load factor. So there was no overbooking. Since then the competition has gotten fierce and the profit margins have been decreasing. In order to make money they have been forced to increase the load factors. Now their business model is based on 95%. In order to reach this they have to overbook.

I'm not saying it is right, but it is the unfortunate reality.

I think that's what a lot of people are missing about these airline stories. So often they're cast as good guy / bad guy. But the endgame of this is purely financial. If people want less overbooking, prices will go up. If they want no overbooking, prices will go up a lot. Complaining about it can't fix it. Only higher ticket prices will.

"boatworkfl" post=807691 wrote:
Several years ago delta called me in the middle of winter and told me if I did not buy a ticket within 30 days they would take my miles away, they did the same thing with my other Deborah only they did not notify her,

Delta expired my miles without notifying me either. So did United (technically they informed me, but the fact that they were adding an expiration time was buried in a 10 page booklet advising me of changes to the frequent flyer program).

Frankly I'd be happier if they just prohibited frequent flyer programs altogether. What people have to understand that there's a bottom line cost for a seat on a flight. No matter what incentives, programs, rewards, contests, coupons, etc. you add, that bottom line cost does not change. So frequent flyer miles don't really give you free trips - you paid for those trips with slightly higher ticket prices during all the flights where you accrued those miles.

The real purpose of frequent flyer miles is to discourage people from price-shopping airfares between multiple airlines. Basically to get you pass up a cheaper ticket with a different airline, and willingly pay more for a ticket with the airline where you have most of your frequent flyer miles.

[MidnightSun]

Get rid of those stupid frequent flyer miles, most are rather useless at the end of the day unless you are using them personally as an upgrade from economy or similar. I traveled for 20+ years of my life and had tons of those useless miles. Try booking something for you and your wife or even worse add a couple of kids just for the heck of it, good luck. Last time I used the miles they had me flying with 3 connections on dates that were not at all convinient for me, each landing involves airport tax which is not included in the free trip. That trip to Europe cost me $1000. Normally we pay $2000 however this is a direct flight at the time and date I chose.

Guess my point is, if they would stop giving away seats for frequent flyers then they would not need to overbook to get paid for the few seats that may be empty by not overbooking.

[ken51k]

It would be nice if everyone could get together and stop flying for a couple of days.

Show these airlines a thing or two. They would change if they didn't have any passengers

at all for even two or three days.

[Chief_Alen]

Should the Captain of the plane intervene ?

He is in charge of the plane, anything and everything that happens on the plane is his responsibility... Just asking.

[ksanders]

"Solandri" post=807707 wrote:


I think that's what a lot of people are missing about these airline stories. So often they're cast as good guy / bad guy. But the endgame of this is purely financial. If people want less overbooking, prices will go up. If they want no overbooking, prices will go up a lot. Complaining about it can't fix it. Only higher ticket prices will.

If a ticket costs $500, and there are 130 people on board then the cost of a single vacant seat would necessitate a price increase of 500/130 or $3.85 per ticket. Three empty seats would cost what $3.85 X 3 or $11.55

[green650]

I'm not sure if that guy still paid for that seat. It says he purchased it for his son that took an earlier flight. Did his son purchase an entirely new ticket for the earlier flight or trade flights? The father didn't purchase the seat for his lap baby.

Regardless of that, the flight attendant was out of line too. Flying has become very low class on US flights since it is so cheap and airlines have to stay cheap to remain competitive.

[Solandri]

"ksanders" post=807743 wrote:
If a ticket costs $500, and there are 130 people on board then the cost of a single vacant seat would necessitate a price increase of 500/130 or $3.85 per ticket. Three empty seats would cost what $3.85 X 3 or $11.55

Right. I'm certainly willing to pay $20-$40 extra, but I and I suspect most people here are fairly well off (to be able to afford a boat) so don't represent the typical flier.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of fliers have shown they'll book with a different airline if their price is $1-$3 cheaper. Which is what drives airlines to cut corners to reduce fares. This isn't the airlines just doing whatever they want. It's a constant feedback loop, a continuous election if you will, with passengers voting with their dollars and influencing airline behavior. And for decades those votes have told airlines to shave every penny they can off the fares, even if it occasionally massively inconveniences a random flier.

You can't get something for nothing. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. etc.