Twitter Has Mixed Feelings About Who’s to Blame in United’s Latest Passenger Scandal
Just days after a man was stung by a scorpion on a United flight, one week after United Airlines physically removed a man off an airplane, and several weeks after refusing to allow two preteens aboard a flight for wearing leggings, the embittered company is facing negative news once again. With its stock prices plummeting, the airline has now allegedly removed a couple from a flight on their way to their destination wedding after the pair moved seats without permission.
After boarding their flight from Houston to Costa Rica, Michael Hohl and Amber Maxwell noticed that another passenger was asleep across their row of seats as they tried to board. The pair didn’t want to disturb the tired traveler and moved a few rows up. Since the plane was half empty, they didn’t think it would be a problem. But here’s where it gets wild.
After a few minutes, the couple says that a flight attendant asked them to move back to their seats, since they hadn’t actually been upgraded (it turns out the seats in the rows above were Economy Plus and not Economy like their original seats). Once they were moved back to Economy, they say a US Marshal boarded the plane and asked them to get off the flight.
In an interview with KHOU-TVin Houston, groom Houl said, “We thought not a big deal, it’s not like we are trying to jump up into a first-class seat.” United, on the other hand, claim that the pair kept trying to sit in upgraded seats, which is why they were removed from their flight.
People on Twitter are divided about this latest scandal, however, with some feeling like the airline is just terrible at customer service, and the others wondering if the couple isn’t just taking advantage of United’s recent bad press to get a free seat upgrade.
.@United strikes again!
A couple flying to their wedding was booted off a flight for sitting in upgraded economy seats without permission. pic.twitter.com/2RkOkIVAAO
— AJ+ (@ajplus) April 17, 2017
@HD_KSank Exactly! #fakenews these freeloaders paid 4 a coach seat and wanted to sit in economy comfort. Sorry! Not how it works #michaelhohl #united
— Strong island (@Ponohawaii1) April 16, 2017
@united I call bullsh*t! You just kicked engaged couple Michael Hohl and Amber Maxwe off a nearly empty flight! 1.5 billion in stock value lost! 😡🤑💩
— strongforu (@strongforu) April 17, 2017
Hey @united: I hope you don't give Michael Hohl & his fiancée something for free. If you do, United will be rolled by EVERYONE for freebies!
— Live And RAW (@LiveAndRAW) April 17, 2017
The airline had no good reason to get them to leave. Further proof of the crap culture of uncaring employees at @united #NoFlyZone https://t.co/0zDpBxYwao
— Chris Ward (@cwardphotos) April 17, 2017
While the airline isn’t commenting further about the incident just yet, we’ll be watching what happens once the couple return from their wedding.
Who do you think was in the wrong on this one? Tell us over @BritandCo!
(h/t Marie Claire; photo via Scott Olsen/Getty)
