The story, as I understand it is that the Airline was trying to make room for 4 UAL crew members who were DeadHeading to Louisville.
Call it over booking, or call it piss poor customer service, regardless, they offered compensation to bump folks, a couple accepted something like $800 or so.
UAL supposedly used some random algorithm to pick folks to be bumped.
The doctor stated that he couldn't miss the flight, that he had patients he had to meet the next day.
The United Airlines flunkie, in their typical arrogant fashion, would have rather won an argument than to win a friend and decided to call the police.
All in all this his a huge Cluster fU*! Once the cops arrived the doctor should have chartered a limo, been on his way and sent the bill to UAL. But, UAL, notorious for their rude employees and terrible customer service, absolutely stepped in it on this one.
As to the comments that the doctor was being a D!ck? No more than the slugs @ UAL for allowing such inept idiots to work there and treat customers that way.
As to the "Rules are there for a reason" argument. Help me understand....
I buy a ticket.
I board the plane.
Airline realizes that it needs to move some of it's employeee, for whatever reason, to destination of flight and decide to bump passengers.
Compensation is offered
Passengers decline
Compensation is increased, a couple of passengers accept
The excuse is given that the subsequent bumped passengers were drawn at random by some computer
Passenger declines
Cops are called in
Passenger forcibly removed
So, with all of that, help me understand what "Rules" were in place that essentially turned UAL's problem of needing to move their employees from point A to point B, What part of those "Rules" constitutes that their screw up is now my problem and it is incumbent upon me to comply with their arbitrary "Rules"???
Sounds a whole lot like the FDA "Deeming" Horse Sh!t to me.
I had enough of their BullSh!t back in 2004. Haven't stepped foot on one of their planes since.