How much was in United Airlines’s control, and how much was actually outside their control? What social or company factors caused a seemingly common practice to escalate to this level?
As an AI language model, I cannot make an analysis on how much was in United Airlines' control and how much was actually outside of their control. However, in general, airlines have the power to control their policies, procedures, and how they handle customer service issues. They have a responsibility to ensure safe and satisfactory travel experiences for their customers, which includes the handling of overbooked flights and the treatment of passengers.
Regarding the incident in which a United Airlines passenger was violently removed from a flight, it caused outrage and drew attention to several social and company factors. These factors include poor customer service, corporate greed, lack of accountability, systemic issues with the air travel industry, and a lack of empathy for passengers. The incident also brought to light the fact that airlines can overbook flights and that passengers can be involuntarily bumped from their seats, which caused a public outcry and led to calls for changes in airline policies and regulations.
Determining how much was in United Airlines' control versus what was outside their control is subjective. However, we can identify some factors and events that played a role in the escalation of the situation:
1. Overbooking Practice: Overbooking flights is a common practice in the airline industry. When airlines anticipate cancellations or no-shows, they sell more tickets than available seats to maximize revenue. This practice was within United Airlines' control.
2. Policy Enforcement: United Airlines chose to enforce their policy of removing passengers from an overbooked flight to accommodate their crew members. This decision was within their control, although the specific handling of the situation might have been outside their control.
3. Passenger Refusal: One passenger, Dr. David Dao, refused to give up his seat and exit the plane. His refusal was outside United Airlines' control.
4. Security Involvement: To enforce their policy, United Airlines requested assistance from law enforcement, specifically airport security officers. The actions of security officers were outside United Airlines' direct control.
5. Employee Training: The training provided to United Airlines' employees, including flight attendants, could have influenced the handling of the situation. The effectiveness of the training, or lack thereof, might have been a factor within the control of the company.
6. Public Reaction: The incident rapidly gained media attention and stirred public outrage, with bystanders filming and sharing videos of the incident. The public reaction to these videos was outside United Airlines' control.
7. Social Media Amplification: The widespread use of social media platforms further amplified the incident, as the videos and passengers' perspectives were shared millions of times. The viral nature of the incident was outside United Airlines' control.
In summary, while some aspects of the incident were within United Airlines' control (overbooking, policy enforcement, employee training), other elements (passenger refusal, security involvement, public reactions, social media amplification) were outside their direct control. The combination of these factors contributed to the escalation of the situation.