No one will dispute the fact that it took United Airlines way too long to issue the above statement apologizing and owning up to responsibility for the events that took place on United Express Flight 3411.
Too little too late?
Definitely, agrees everyone from the Twitterverse to the 50 or so public relations experts sending me emails offering to weigh in with special insight on the event.
We don’t need experts to tell us that pretty much everyone did the wrong thing in this case.
Now come the investigations; by the US Department of Transportation, the Chicago Department of Aviation, the Chicago Police Department, lawyers galore and many others.
Heads will roll, blame will be officially affixed, reports will be made.
Will anything change?
Let’s hope so. And let’s hope some rules relating to the legal rights of airline passengers – including those on voluntary and involuntary bumping of passengers outlined on the US DOT site in a Fly Rights section last updated in December 2015 (!) – get tightened up.
Because “This is how it’s done,” “Those are our rules,” and “I’m just doing my job” just don’t cut it.
