markonline1

It doesn't take that long, especially on a little regional jet. Not that should have any bearing on letting people board before you've established who's getting bumped.
That crew might have turned up after the plane had boarded, but I absolutely refuse to believe they turned up out of the blue.

DaveLovesDee

Apparently they were to be on duty the next day.

Can an Airline Really Just Yank You Off the Plane?

Giantaxe

Let's say you are correct; I don't see how the ground staff could or should delay boarding just because some crew members might show up at the very last minute. Sounds to me like the airline should have procedures in place where staff have to be at the gate a prescribed amount of time before it departs. You know, just like passengers.

kimilseung

I have a feeling the exact procedures might come to light. It will be interesting to see how closely they were followed, or not, in this instance. What seems to separate this case (other than it being filmed) is the refusal after boarding.

markonline1

So, yeah, let's say I am correct. And for arguments sake, we'll say the dispatcher is in charge of the whole boarding procedure like the majority are in the UK.
That dispatcher will have a print out of all the people on that flight. On that print out will almost certainly be 4 crew members. That dispatcher will now realize 4 pax need be be bumped. Do you think it would be easier to do whatever you have to do to decide who doesn't board before people have started boarding (obviously you can let your business and frequent flyers on board, cause they ain't getting offloaded)? Or wait until everyone is on the plane and try to get them off again?
Now the fact that this crew was needed for a flight the next day, almost certainly means they didn't just show up at the gate out of the blue. And even if they turned up at the gate last minute, those gate staff would have known 4 staff were dead heading.
The fact people are bumped every day, yet in my 20 years in the industry, I have NEVER heard a story like this suggests this was some huge cluster****!

petitefrancaise

I think the only notable thing about this saga is that the guy made a massive fuss, had a tantrum, security was called and it was all filmed and released out into the ether.

2 other people got taken off the plane and we're not hearing much about them.

In my story, the guy was asked to leave the plane and he did so without saying anything at all.
I'm guessing this happens quite a lot but the passengers are better behaved about it and the staff are usually better equipped to deal with anyone being obnoxious.

scrubbedexpat091

I've worked for a few US airlines, and ground handle a US airline now, and I have never seen one use dispatchers to control boarding or anything to do with boarding. That is all done by customer service agents.

And it is entirely possible for a dead heading crew to show up last minute with little warning to the gate agent and after passengers have boarded.

Happened to me on more then one occasion when I worked gates. I would have everyone boarded on a full flight, then dead heading crew would appear with no notice given to me.

Crew scheduling isn't always on the ball at informing the airport/listing dead heading crew in advance.

Giantaxe

Well, they were "disgruntled" is what I've read. And apparently others refused to get off before this guy was dragged out of the plane. Maybe the 2 others didn't want to be "deplaned" in a similar manner...

To me the very notable thing about this story is that people were removed after boarding to make way for airline employees. Yes, people do get bumped sometimes on overbooked flights in this manner, but that wasn't the case here.

Pulaski

While this is a PR disaster for United, objectively speaking the United CEO was correct - the problem was the fault of the would-be passenger, who refused to leave when told he must vacate his seat. The terms of carriage give the passenger no right to that seat, or any other. Unfortunately in an era of widespread phone video cameras, the consequences of the behaviour of an idiotic passenger are primarily going to bite United.

scrubbedexpat091

Dead heading crew have priority over passengers, they are a must ride passenger on nearly all if not all US airlines.

markonline1

That's why I said assume. The dispatcher won't control the boarding, but will be in overall charge of the process, along with a million and one other things. It's why BA no longer refer to them as dispatchers. They are turn round managers now.

Giantaxe

Even if this is the case, having crew show up at the gate after the entire plane has boarded and booting off passengers to accommodate them is a piss poor way to run an airline.

I see United's third attempt at an apology was a little more forthcoming than the previous two. Too bad it took a share price hit before that happened.

scrubbedexpat091

It's not done that way at US airlines, the dispatcher doesn't deal with much at the airport, not even located at the airport.

scrubbedexpat091

Republic Airlines isn't the best regional out there and most wouldn't say they are well run. I think they may still be in Chapter 11 bankruptcy as well.

markonline1

Eh? How can they do the job if not based at the airport? Don't they supervise the loading of the bags, the fuel, the catering, gather all the paperwork for the flight crew? Decide if late passengers are getting bumped?

That's because United ARE a piss poor airline. No, wait. That's an insult to piss poor airlines.