United Airlines Overbooked A Flight, So Naturally They Proceeded To Forcefully Drag A Passenger Off Of It

Watch that video □
A passenger was dragged off #United flight #UA3411 after the airline overbooked the fligh □ pic.twitter.com/Mtk08FDFnc

— pilot (@UAVPILOT07) April 10, 2017

.@united The doctor was simply trying to get to work. He didn't volunteer to leave the overbooked flight so they removed him. pic.twitter.com/enR7qLTDVv

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) April 10, 2017

I think we have to give a little credit to United here. Anyone that has an extensive history of traveling should know that you are barely privy to the most basic of human rights while flying. I'm not saying it's okay for a company to have a paying customer dragged out of his seat like a whiny kid in the candy aisle after they failed - in spectacular fashion - to handle their inherently greedy overbooking process prior to boarding. I am just saying that I am glad that finally one airline was shamelessly candid about how little they give a shit about their passengers lives and/or general well being. There's something to be said for being forthright, and United letting an innocent doctor who wanted to get back to his practice in a timely fashion get assaulted due to their own goddamn negligence is just that. 

That said, can we agree that the victim here was actively complicit in how bad of a visual this ended up being? I too would have put up a huge stink if I was sitting comfortably in my seat and was told I had to get off the flight....until multiple police officers were standing over me. Once I was staring into an arsenal worth of barrels belonging to some bouncer-looking motherfuckers' guns I would have been halfway to the terminal with my carry-on in tow. That situational awareness would have netted me a whole hell of a lot less money than what this dude is inevitably going to pocket, but at least it would have saved me a complete and thorough emasculation. I'd be the sucker that begrudgingly left after a expletive-ridden argument that would probably make me look like the guilty one when captured on video, but at least I wouldn't be the sucker that starred in a viral video as the grown man shrieking like a school girl. 

The point is, this confrontation was ending one way - and one way only - once that poor Asian guy was "randomly" selected for looking like a pushover, and it was with him de-boarding. Obviously it's inexcusable to (inadvertently) beat the consciousness out of him and haul him down the aisle like a caveman returning with the family dinner. However, it's just as inexcusable for him to think that a "no" accompanied with a rational explanation was enough to save him from the harsh reality of being massively inconvenienced by others' stupidity while traveling. It's admittedly a tough way to learn that lesson, but I'm sure he'll sleep well once the settlement goes through. Assuming, of course, that's something he's encouraged to do while recovering from the concussion he sustained from that arm rest. 

P.S. Everyone can spare me with "I am boycotting United!" nonsense. That stand will be over the next time the cheapest seat is on a United flight. You know it, I know it, and that lady who was extremely outraged, but not quite enough to offer up her own seat knows it.