Unexpected Turbulence: United Flier’s Bumpy Ride

What kind of country do we live in that United Airlines can treat a boarded passenger with a paid ticket like a criminal (“Flying worst class,” April 11)?

It was unconscionable for the CEO of United to initially try to place blame on the passenger.

For about the same cost as the cash incentive United staff offered to passengers to voluntarily give up their seats, they likely could have found empty seats on another airline to fly its crew. It would have been less expensive than what this behavior will cost when United loses customers over this PR nightmare.

It seems the airline is only truly “united” in its abuse of passengers.

S. Chute

Naples, Fla.

The incident on the United flight where a passenger was dragged off an over-booked plane to accommodate employees was not a system error or reservationagent mistake. Overbooking is part of the programming.

United should have inconvenienced the employees, not the paying passenger who was already seated. If the customer turned down the customary free flight and cash option, the airline should have booked its employees on another flight or found another airline that could accommodate them.

John Piccolo

Estero, Fla.

United is taking back the skies. And for this frequent flier, it’s about time.

Unruly plane passengers have run roughshod over solicitous flight attendants and accommodating pilots for too long.

Oliver Mosier

Astoria

United has set a very dangerous precedent by violently removing a passenger who refused to give up his seat to allow its employees to board.

As a frequent flier, I have never ever encountered such a violent, thuggish event.

Carl Machin

Calgary, Canada

The airline with the slogan “Fly the friendly skies” was rather unfriendly to the passenger who was yanked from his seat and dragged down the aisle.

Maybe the motto only applies once United’s planes are in the air.

Vin Morabito

Scranton, Pa.