"Why don't you tell me --
what's going on?..."
~~ Fleetwood Mac
I AM CHINAMAN
I agree emphatically with the Reader Comment that included this thought:
But the real problem is, as mentioned in one of the editorials, the way we treat each other in general. If we can do this to a random person on a plane, how far are we from being able to kill each other over nothing.
In any case, this is not civilized behavior!
(reader comment from Germany, in the NY Times)
-------------------------------
Most of these reader comments are "going after" United Airlines, or all airlines in general, because that was the location of this particular incident, but I think everyone should continue to look at it with a "wider lens" -- it's a general thing in society -- too much brainless brutality and authoritarian behavior ("I'll bully you! I'll bully you! I'll bully you right out the DDDOOORRR!!!")
Inappropriate abusive insanity?
Or
inappropriate abusive evil?
---------------------------
----------------------------------
One New York Times Reading Commenter gave a four-point guide:
J. Jencks Oregon
-------------- 1. happily sold my UAL shares this morning.
2. wrote and mailed a paper letter to Oscar Munoz, telling him I was boycotting and why.
3. sent copies of that letter to Senators Roy Blunt and Maria Cantwell, the heads of the Senate sub-committee on airline operations.
4. asked the Senators to revisit the rules that enabled United to engage in such abusive behavior under cover of the law.
_____________________________________
"Ready for Transport"
Chicago O'Hare Terminal Tunnel
by John R. Rogers
More Reader Comments:
JD San Francisco
-------------- You appear to miss the most revealing thing about this incident, which was how the guys with the badges treated a human being, and how the entire United crew on board allowed law enforcement to drag a paid passenger off the plane -- in the most disrespectful and humiliating way. Let's talk about basic human rights first, not about rights of an airline -- a corporate entity that would not survive if it doesn't have customers.
Ogyu Chicago, Illinois
------------------- "no matter how challenging the situation."
What is so bloody challenging about the situation of a customer sitting in a seat he reserved and paid for?
Rima Regas Southern California
-------------- The best apology Mr. Munoz can make is to resign after firing the security firm his company uses and rescinding the policy of booting paying customers from flights so his staff can travel to work.
Somewhere in between these actions, Munoz should apologize to Asians everywhere. Had this been a white man, we all *know* he would have been left alone.
Enough is enough!
"I Can't Believe What You Say Because I See What You Do"
~ James Baldwin
Jeff M Middletown, New Jersey
----------------- United said, "...no one should be mistreated in this way..." The question is, in what way should we be mistreated? Tossed out the door at 32,000 feet? Forced to ride in the lavatory? The American flying public would like to know.
Sandra Knauf Colorado Springs
---------------- Oh, so the stocks take a dive and NOW they apologize. That means so much, doesn't it? What a joke. I'm so glad this behavior was exposed - thank you brave (and no doubt traumatized) passengers for getting the truth out there on how this big bad powerful corporation treats its bread and butter - its customers - before, during, and after an event like this!
Yellow Dog Oakland, California
--------- We seem to have entered an era of brutal demonstrations of authoritarian power. It is a logical extension of disregard for civil rights.
OneSmallVoice state college, Pennsylvania
--------------- Too late United. The thugs were brought in at your request. Every one of the people - including the United people - involved in this incident need to be brought up on charges. I will never fly United again.
James Carr Denton, Texas
------------------ I have flown since 1971. The indignities of flying have multiplied since deregulation. It is now basically unbearable.
The race to the bottom, however, seems to have been won by United, though how they beat Spirit and Delta was by what one might regard as unfair tactics -- they skipped right past disrespect, discomfort, dishonesty and bullying, and went right to brute force. Bravo, idiots!
(Urban Sketchers Workshop)
Watcher Alaska
---------------- The apology had to be dragged out of them.
Xingzhi Guo Maine
----------------- I heard that 3 of the 4 chosen passengers were Asians. I really do hope that there's no racism involved and that the selection process is "random" as United has claimed.
Third.Coast Earth
--------------- Amazing how companies STILL do not know how to manage a crisis. The CEO should be fired and the public relations firm, too. Really sad turn of events.
Fleurdelis Midwest Mainly
------------------------- He was physically assaulted, not mistreated.
How can this happen in America. I am so thankful it was captured on tape.
Sickening.
Simon Levy Los Angeles
------------------------ This is abhorrent and despicable. Will NEVER fly United again. Never.
Midway Midwest
---------------- As Americans, we need to learn to stand up and peacefully protest. Not "later" in planned protests, but spontaneously, when the assaults are happening.
If more (and then more and more) customers had stood up and blocked the aisle, or tried to give the bleeding man attention immediately, the cops would not have gotten away with what they did.
An assault on one of us is an assault on all of us.
Can we take back our dignity as humans from corporations?
"Let's Roll!"
James Baird Providence, Rhode Island
---------------------- Your Apology is too facile I will never fly United.
BR New Jersey
------------------ With so much pressure many would have complied. At the sight of police most would have definitely complied. Not this man. He resorted to civil disobedience.
At his age he subjected himself to be manhandled and bloodied.
He never gave up.
As a result there *will* be changes.
And people will benefit.
We should be indebted to this man.
I would put him in the same category as MLK or Gandhi.
Thank you sir.
Stubborn Facts Denver
----------------------------------- This is what we've now come to under free-market fundamentalism -- it's now standard business practice for a company to assault a customer after having committed fraud by double-selling the same thing to multiple customers.
Congress should take note. This is exactly the sort of thing that infuriates ordinary citizens when corporate elites get away with lining their own pockets and simultaneously abusing paying customers!
Tara Brooklyn, NY
--------------------------- The Security Officer should be fired. It's disgusting.
United Airlines should be horrified.
James Rothenberg N. Chatham, NY
----------- A reader asks, what were the cops supposed to do? One of the answers is, nothing. Absolutely nothing. No law was being broken and it is not a citizen's responsibility to obey authoritarian commands.
Kate California
----------------- United, the Wells Fargo of airlines!
ayitey
---------------- It is time to "mistreat" United with our wallets. This was not mistreatment-this was an assault. Full on assault.
DDay The Flyover
----------------------- Is anyone truly surprised? Air travel has become such a dehumanizing experience that this episode is the obvious end result. From the moment we buy a ticket, we become a commodity to this industry....
For years now, the airlines have used the presence of heightened anti-terrorism security in the airport to engage in some of the worst business behavior on the planet. The ability to declare someone's behavior disruptive and have them hauled off by security has given them a free license to engage in business practices that are outrageous.
Most of us breathe a sigh of relief after we've run the gauntlet and finally fasten our seat belt. We finally believe we are actually going to complete our trip. And, then, to have this happen? No wonder this 69 year old man lost it.
AJ Midwest
---------------------- It shouldn't take a Twitteroar (a "roar" by the users of the app) to get an apology. Mr. Munoz is incompetent.
Karekin USA
---------------- Too late, United.... you blew it, big time! That any business would do this to a PAYING customer, who had DONE NOTHING, is just beyond comprehension. He had a contract with you for a seat. He paid for it!
You, on the other hand, decide to arbitrarily end the contract? And, to do it in the most horrible way possible. What were they thinking???
Are we now a fascist, police state, where thugs and goons enforce stupid ideas on behalf of billionaires? I sure hope not, though that's exactly how it looks.
Scott New York State
-------------------- A 69 year old Chinese doctor. What might have United's response been if the passenger had suffered a heart attack??
The video begs a comparison to the police assaults on black Americans during the civil rights era. 50 years later and apparently we've learned nothing.
What was United thinking???
Vox NYC
-------------------- Oh, so United "apologizes" and the CEO takes "full responsibility"?
And WHAT does taking "full responsibility" mean to him?
Resigning forthwith for running an airline that operates with such contempt for its customers? Forgoing his salary and bonuses for a year? Oh, of course not--SAYING "sorry" and "I'm responsible" is the same meaningless blather as usual--right out of the "corporate crisis handbook"!
Airlines these days routinely treat their paying customers like dirt, to be jammed into sardine-can-like seats, fork over money for a snack, and be subjected to endless delays and conditions that are ALWAYS "somebody else's" fault!
How about a little true accountability?
Sheri Vancouver
------------------- United are indeed idiots, but the real issue here is POLICE BRUTALITY. That is somehow getting lost in all the United bashing. The actions of ORD's security forces are unconscionable - they need to be held to account for their thuggery!
sunil Boston
------------- ...Absolutely appalling. No one should ever be treated in this inhuman manner, leave alone a paying customer.
ZOPK Sunnyvale, California
------------------- Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat because she had a long day and wasn't putting up with the usual nonsense.
mparticular Palo Alto, California
------------------------- Thank goodness for cellphones with the ability to capture events like this. Those who make them public deserve accolades from journalist societies.
SLBvt Vermont
--------------- The passengers witnessing this nightmare also seem traumatized.
ALL the passengers deserve compensation, as far as I'm concerned.
LG Phillips California
----------------------- Just takes a day or two but never underestimate journalists' steadfast dedication to the "cause". Well done, business page, in retelling this as a "PR snafu" story as opposed to a "what kind of monsters does free market capitalism turn us into" story.
Dave Clemens West Chester, PA
------------------------ I am so touched to know that this tone-deaf corporate bozo decided to grovel after the public rightly branded his airline a commercial aviation leper.
The "apology," which might have meant something had it been issued right away, means less than nothing now. As for United's review, I'm sure it will not come up with any findings that would interfere with revenue maximization, the main reason this awful incident happened in the first place.
Jason McDonald Fremont, California
----------------- What is stupid about this, beyond United's terrible and inexcusable handling from start to finish... is that they could easily have offered $1000, $2000, $5000 to passengers.
To say that they couldn't get volunteers is to miss the point that they just wanted to be cheap: run over the little people, so that they can maximize their profits.
For just a few thousand dollars, United cost itself incalculable millions in damage to its brand and humiliated and hurt an Everyman of whom every one of us should say, "There but for the Grace of God go I."
Matt Seattle, Washington
---------------------- Where is Congress on this issue?
nyc
------------- UA stock plummeted to a $1b loss today. That is the only reason the contentious, racist, elitist CEO Munoz conceded to apologize. The United States has turned into a fascist, police state, airlines have historically abused passengers when executing protocols to make space for their for-free flight employees.
I used to fly UA on a regular basis, business class. No more.
Oakland
------------------- At this point you would have to forcibly drag me into the cabin for me to fly on United.
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