Originally Posted by ijgordon

Possibly, maybe even probably. But if he wanted to avoid getting bashed in the head (and maybe he wanted to get bashed in the head), then he could have taken that up with the court afterward. And the court would have determined the financial damages due as a result of UA breaking its contract.

Like it or not, there is a heightened element deference to the operators of an aircraft. Some may be terorrism related, but certainly a lot has to do with, oh, being in a metal tube that flies 35,000 above the ground. When a passenger on the ground shows a tendency to refuse a reasonable order from the crew, it's in everyone's best interest that the passenger not fly on the plane. And please let's separate "reasonable order" from "contractually permitted order." That is probably why the LEO got involved as he did.