United Airlines faced controversy on Monday after videos were posted on social media showing a passenger being dragged off a plane.
The Sunday flight, which was heading from Chicago to Louisville, was overbooked and the passenger was randomly chosen to be bumped off the plane.
On Monday, travelers at Kansas City International Airport said they were shocked at the video.
@united @FoxNews @CNN not a good way to treat a Doctor trying to get to work because they overbooked pic.twitter.com/sj9oHk94Ik
— Tyler Bridges (@Tyler_Bridges) April 9, 2017
"I'd be really heated. I'd definitely be cussing," said Marc Arujo, who was traveling to New Jersey on Monday. "If I was supposed to be in that seat at that time, I'd be really frustrated."
Others, like Xavier Avila, said he understood the business side of how United overbooks its flights.
"I'm in business and to keep costs down you got to keep the plane full," he explained. "If the plane is not full, it's going to cost more."
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's list of "Fly Rights", the tactic of overbooking a flight is not illegal, and "involuntary bumping" is allowed if an airline follows certain steps.
Among them, an airline must give affected passengers a written statement describing their rights as well as compensation for the flight.
The passengers are chosen during a random drawing after multiple attempts to find someone who will voluntarily give up their seat.
KCMO travel agent Susan Vanderkamp told 41 Action News that overbooking continues to frequently occur in the travel business.
"It's every single travel service. Every one of them has a right to boot you out," she said. "They count on a percentage canceling or not showing, so they assume they're still going to have room and sometimes they don't."
Vanderkemp said hotel and cruise companies also usually overbook.
To compensate the affected traveler, a travel service usually will offer flight, meal, or hotel vouchers.
LeAnna Lewis told 41 Action News she and her husband learned of the benefit of giving up a seat during a vacation to Hawaii.
"Between the two of us, we each got $2,000 in flight vouchers," she said. "So now, we're taking trips on that $4,000."
While getting involuntarily bumped cannot be avoided, Vanderkemp said travelers can take a small step to possibly avoid overbooked flights.
"Don't go at the most popular times," she explained. "Go when there are really bad flight times because they won't be as full."
In a statement released Monday, United Airlines apologized for the incident and called it "upsetting".
United CEO response to United Express Flight 3411. pic.twitter.com/rF5gNIvVd0
— United (@united) April 10, 2017
An officer involved in the altercation has been put on administrative leave.
United Airlines said it was working with authorities and would reach out to the passenger to gather more information.
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Tom Dempsey can be reached at Tom.Dempsey@KSHB.com.
