Originally Posted by DrPSB

I agree, the policies were derived from a bean counter with a spreadsheet. They also assumed that the policies could be enforced with the aid of airport police, and didn't include the possibility we'd get a passenger like Dr. Dao and sympathetic fellow passengers with cell phone cameras. It also didn't include the intangible effects of numerous passengers who have felt run over with limited travel options and airline CoCs which favor the airlines at their expense. That's why this story has resonance. Elite, business, frequent flyers may not get this - they are insulated from the worst of these practices, heck, they even get a special apology letter from the CEO to emphasize they aren't the same as the average Joe.