For the record, and to correct something that virtually has pointed out: this was a United Express flight, not a United Airlines flight, operated by a contractor company called Republic Airways
AND
We presume, in this case, the employee was a deadheading crew on assignment, being repositioned to fly elsewhere. Pilots or cabin staff on repositioning flights are considered a high priority. Hundreds of passengers could be affected further down the line should these crew members be delayed.
This is the post I’ve been waiting for today. I was talking to Heather this morning. The outcome was a result of someone following their manual until there was a point where the next steps wasn’t outlined. Once they reach $800 offer per seat, no one ever rejects that offer and someone made the bone-headed decision to blindly tell local police “remove passenger from seat XX” Police blindly removed a passenger after a manager ran out of options.
This wasn’t a United flight and it’s true. Deadheading crew do have priority over standard-fare passengers. Their delay impacts hundreds more down the line when a flight in another city can’t take off due to a crew missing.
The outcome was completely out of line but I have read a lot of misguided commentary on this incident today.