Originally Posted by
kale73
The FT chorus has drilled into us that IDB only applies when a flight is oversold. This apparently was not the case. It leaves me wondering what recourse those passengers whose boarding passes were apparently scanned (that's the only way I know to get on the jetway) and who were "involuntarily denied boarding" (although we can't call it IDB) by having the boarding door slammed in their faces have? Unless the GA offered profuse apologies, meal vouchers, luxury hotel accommodations, and at least the amount of compensation I'd receive for a "true" IDB, I'd be filing a DOT complaint and contacting the MSM.
I'm not sure - maybe technically not IDB, as I said, I'm not an expert on FAA/DOT regs. But seems to be completely violating the COC at a minimum, which states that pax need to be checked in by X minutes before scheduled departure, and at the gate, for a domestic flight (ready to board) at T-15. Obviously, folks in the jetway were there on-time and IME, UA violated its obligation to those passengers. I know OP is an elite, which gives them priority boarding, but certainly doesn't give them any more right to be on the airplane then any of those folks who had the door slammed in their face.
I hope UA was still giving out lots of comp to those who didn't get on - hotels (if there were even any), and cash compensation.
My guess if this happened to me, I would never fly UA again (even as a plat) - I'd simply match my status elsewhere. There is no way any customer deserves being treated like that. Nice for some to get into IAH, but nowhere near appropriate to strand others while they watch their plane depart without them through no fault of their own.
On the other note, wonder who's decision this was to do this - was it the Captain? Ops? GAs? This behavior should seriously be looked into.