We've all seen the video of Dr. Dao being dragged off the United Airlines flight last week. In its magnificent wisdom, United's policy has been that a passenger sitting in the seat he'd paid for has no rights.
A concussion, broken nose and two missing teeth later, United offers a bonehead "apology" - complementing the manner in which the staff handled the situation.
But this is SOP (standard operating procedure) for United - being bonehead.
Twenty years ago I swore I would never, ever fly United, and after seeing Dr. Dao's ordeal, my resolve is solidified. There are plenty of other options out there. It just takes planning and patience.
As a free citizen, I refuse to be herded like a cow heading for slaughter. I will not pay for the opportunity of being groped or strip searched, treated like a prisoner in a jail or a hunk of meat.
Aside from these things, my refusal to fly United is deeper.
Twenty-four years ago my daughter and I were flying from San Francisco to Seattle. The plane was delayed an hour-and-a-half because of a mechanical problem. Right there, that raised a big red flag, but what was I going to do? I was there with my daughter and our carry-on bags, sitting in the waiting area, ticket paid for. Options? None.
We boarded. Got settled. The plane stank as all planes stink - sweat, dust, under-cleaned toilets - a Greyhound bus for the air.
Take off was fine but, over southern Oregon, there was a loud BOOM and the plane jolted. You don't think that's a bit worrying?
Sudden silence. Everyone looking at everyone else, all thinking "oh SHIT!" or variants thereon. The attendants scurrying around, peering out the windows - not normal.
My four-year-old hasn't a clue, and I'm trying not to make what might be her last minutes on Earth worse than they might be, anyway.
Long story short, we landed safely in Portland. A series of firetrucks lined the runway like a bizarre honor guard, each of them following us to the gate. United's offer for both scaring the crap out of everyone, and inconveniencing us because WE had to scramble through the airport to try to find another flight? A $25 certificate off our next flight.
Yeah, right.
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