It's an economic roulette game played by the airline. Lets use GFretwell case as an example (all wild ass guess').
Ticket price: $600 per person negated by the fact they have to be transported the flight. Westin hotel room $300 ? Dinner & breakfast $150 Clothing $150 Spiffs & miles & cash $600
There is a real good video of the fall that ran on NBC news tonight. He was holding onto a seat on the starboard side and when they pulled him, he twisted around and landed on a port side aisle arm rest, face first.
If the passenger in the C seat had just stuck his arm out, there probably would not been more than a bruise but they looked like they were trying to get put the window.
Yes, you do have the right to politely argue your point. But every action has unintended consequences. Argue with the intolerant liberal left and they'll likely resort to violence. Maybe that's where you want to be, maybe it's not.
My opinion on all this is that Dr Duh was making big bucks selling prescription drugs and got used to the easy money. Unfortunately (for him) he got caught, lost his license to practice full time and is now going broke. I think when airport authorities asked him to deplane, he saw an opportunity to make some easy cash. I'm sure if this goes to trial, his legal team will have no trouble finding a panel of easily-duped jurors.
If the flight leader had just got on the intercom and announced "We can push back until that jerk in 22 D gets his ass off this plane" the passengers would have kicked his ass and threw him onto the jetway.
Clearly they should have handled him differently. But if he was resisting, holding on to a seat, they pull him, he finally let's go and goes flying, that isn't the police beating him up.
It does matter when the cops are accused of beating him and people are claiming they have been or will be criminally charged. It also matters with regard to a civil case. You don't see a difference in a damage award to someone like Rodney King, deliberately beaten by the cops while not resisting and someone like the doc, who is resisting, clinging onto a seat, winds up smashing into another seat because the cops are trying to pull him out because he won't go?
Obviously not a poster boy for the medical community but he did draw attention to an airline practice that few paying public would agree with. I seriously doubt that he did this deliberately as it draws attention to his dirt bag past.
You can count me as one of the people who understands the airline policies, the fact that they can bump you and I understand their occasional need to get a replacement crew somewhere to fly a plane. I also understand the reason for over booking and am OK with that.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.