"She Boarded a Plane to See Her Dying Mother. Then Her (UA) Ticket Was Canceled"

[Dan]

Right, but this is an issue in general, not just with UA

Didn't UA say they would never take a passenger off a plane again after the Dao incident?

[chff]

Didn't UA say they would never take a passenger off a plane again after the Dao incident?

They never removed anyone from Dao till now?
They said they won't remove in case of overbooking

[yuneeq]

Tickets run on such outdated and complicated system

So let’s blame the customer because we use an antiquated system and make sure to show no sympathy.

[stooges44]

So let’s blame the customer because we use an antiquated system and make sure to show no sympathy.

And send flowers after the fact

[chff]

So let’s blame the customer because we use an antiquated system and make sure to show no sympathy.

I didn't say blame the customer, I say blame this agency.
Yes I have full sympathy with this person. I had a while back a cleint in this situation and was traveling from the US via Canada to TLV, and they call me from the airport that they are not a US citizen and therefore require a ETA for Transit and till they got it done it was too late and the airline doesn't want to wait. I had to plead with check in agent over the phone (a miracle the agent even wanted to talk with someone) and he said it's my issue etc - I begged him and explained and as they had no luggage he agreed and they got a supervisor to speed them thru security. The flight left pretty much on time nonetheless.

Yes, United should have showed sympathy, after they removed her they should have kept the plane waiting a few minutes and give the women an option to buy a new ticket, but in this industry sadly this is too much to ask. See when it does happen it makes national news that a pilot waited 

[Dan]

And here is how the GP see this https://boingboing.net/2018/01/26/united-airlines-removed-woman.html/amp

[ExGingi]

But I don't see the airline at fault

Is the OTA acting as an agent for the airline?

If indeed the ticket was voided between the time of check-in and take off, why is the airline not trying to inquire before ordering a passenger off?

United will learn the hard way that allowing a person to fly for free (which wouldn't have been the case had they allowed her to fly, they would issue a debit memo to the agency) is a lot cheaper than removing a person, who boarded an airplane with a valid boarding pass issued by the airline, from a flight.

[a mirrer]

Tickets run on such outdated and complicated system

just a question how was it voided after checkin, the ticket should have shown up as checked in in the gds and not allowed the ta to void it?

[yandmk]

just a question how was it voided after checkin, the ticket should have shown up as checked in in the gds and not allowed the ta to void it?

I've definitely heard (a few years ago) of people "hacking" free first class tickets, by purchasing the day of travel and cancelling after boarding. Never actually tried this myself or recommended anyone to do so, because IMO it's outright stealing. But I heard that the concept exists.

[EJB]

I've definitely heard (a few years ago) of people "hacking" free first class tickets, by purchasing the day of travel and cancelling after boarding. Never actually tried this myself or recommended anyone to do so, because IMO it's outright stealing. But I heard that the concept exists.

Airline wouldn’t notice on the manifest?

[yandmk]

Airline wouldn’t notice on the manifest?

If it's voided (or if they notice) after the doors have been closed?

[chff]

Is the OTA acting as an agent for the airline?

Any TA/OTA acts fully on their own

just a question how was it voided after checkin, the ticket should have shown up as checked in in the gds and not allowed the ta to void it?

There are ways, if it's pure 016 i believe it can be done till the acft pushes back

Airline wouldn’t notice on the manifest?

The agency gets a big memo

[ExGingi]

Any TA/OTA acts fully on their own

Are you ignoring the (legal and English dictionary) meaning of the word Agent?

Do you have any insights into the contracts agencies have with airlines?

[yandmk]

Are you ignoring the (legal and English dictionary) meaning of the word Agent?

Do you have any insights into the contracts agencies have with airlines?

I'm surprised you don't know is a TA. Es past nisht far dir

[chff]

Are you ignoring the (legal and English dictionary) meaning of the word Agent?

Do you have any insights into the contracts agencies have with airlines?

I'll be ignoring, but I consider myself as an agent of my cleint, the passenger. I get from the airlines, zero zlich nothing. Airlines hates the agencies with a passion, they are trying to rid of them.

[chff]

I'll be ignoring, but I consider myself as an agent of my cleint, the passenger. I get from the airlines, zero zlich nothing. Airlines hates the agencies with a passion, they are trying to rid of them.

With that said, I don't like the airlines, beginning with United and ending with Elal and all others in between, I don't get paid by any airline, I don't hold stock in any, I just hate when facts gets spin around. This story seems similar to #LeggingsGate

[ExGingi]

I'll be ignoring, but I consider myself as an agent of my cleint, the passenger. I get from the airlines, zero zlich nothing. Airlines hates the agencies with a passion, they are trying to rid of them.

I fully understand that.

But OTAs are big enough that airlines can't ignore them.

My question is one of legal liability. What do the contracts of the OTAs state? When something goes wrong, would both the airline and the OTA be named as defendants?

[yandmk]

I fully understand that.

But OTAs are big enough that airlines can't ignore them.

My question is one of legal liability. What do the contracts of the OTAs state? When something goes wrong, would both the airline and the OTA be named as defendants?

Undoubtedly, the OTA is responsible here. The arguments is just if UA deserves bad PR for this or not. CMIIW

[chff]

But OTAs are big enough that airlines can't ignore them.

This doesn't seem like a big OTA. This seems like a guy that has a website and then issues the tickets the regular way thru consolidators, as far as the airline it's a regular agent.

Airlines in general have very strict rules for OTA, like Delta you need to have special permission to sell online, JetBlue recently banned many OTAs

I don't believe this would have happened with a big OTA 

[ExGingi]

With that said, I don't like the airlines, beginning with United and ending with Elal and all others in between, I don't get paid by any airline, I don't hold stock in any, I just hate when facts gets spin around. This story seems similar to #LeggingsGate

You seem to feel that the airline didn't do anything wrong, and that the liability lies 100% with the OTA (correct me if I am misunderstanding you). I beg to differ, and posit that at the point that a person was allowed to board, the airline assumes (full) responsibility. If they have an issue with the ticket being voided, they should address it with whoever voided it.