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got ejected from my exit aisle seat(777) because arm has a quarter-size bruise

got ejected from my exit aisle seat(777) because arm has a quarter-size bruise

Old Aug 27, 2017, 11:37 am
  #1  
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got ejected from my exit aisle seat(777) because arm has a quarter-size bruise

so, I was chilling in my favorite exit aisle seat on the 777 this morning, waiting for the other half of the plane to finish boarding.

a flight attendant was just standing in front me. She asked me if I would be willing to swap seats because a couple wanted to sit together. I politely declined and told her I picked that seat months ago. I'm very tall, so other seats wouldn't be as comfortable. She didn't seem amused. Then she asked me if I paid for that seat because exit seats are Economy Plus seats. I told her that I was Permiere Gold and E+ was free Gold members.

She left for a few minutes... then she came back and aske me again... I was standing at this time, putting my carry-on away... when I took my light jackt off, she saw the quarter-size bruise on my arm, near my hand. (for non-US folks, the U.S. quarter coin is about 1-inch or 2.5 cm in diameter). I got it when my arm scraped against the back of an office chair while I was adjusting it. It cause no pain at all. In fact, the morning of the flight, I just worked out in the hotel gym and lifted weights... also did my usual 30 push-ups.

Anyway, the FA said, is that an injury? I told her the cause of the bruise. She thought for a few seconds and then ordered me to another seat. Unfortunately, this being a 100% full flight, I ended up in the middle seat in the center row in E-. I tried to show her that the bruise was just a bruise to the skin and had no affect on my ability to lift things or help in an emergency. I picked up my carry-on bag and lifted it several times with just one hand... even lifted it over my hand. She was having none of that. She said a bruise was a bruise and the "official United policy forbids anyone with a bruise from sitting in an emergency row.."

Where in United's official policy does it say that? I was too tired to keep arguing with her and just gave up. It was very uncomfortable for the next several hours.

After the meal, I was standing around waiting for the lav to open up. I was standing by the seat that I was kicked out from. I watched another FA having a chat with the woman who occupied my original seat. It was clear that she was a non-rev going on vacation. The woman's husband or boyfriend was in the seat next to her.

How many people think that the FA used some BS excuse to kick me out of my seat just so that her friend and boyfriend/husband who were non-rev employees can sit together?

When I was telling this to my co-worker who picked me up after the flight, she just said "why the heck did you take your jacket of in the first place?" She has a very good point.. next time I have a bruise, I'll just wear long sleeves or a jacket.


***

added Monday:

This is what the bruise looks like on my arm.(it's where the sleeve ends if I'm wearing a short sleeve shirt)

During a regular check-up today, I showed it to my PCP doctor and she said "what are you, 10 years old? that's nothing!"



(in case anyone wonders about the 1972 quarter... I've had it since 1975 and I keep it because it's my "lucky" coin. that quarter was in my pocket the night that I lost my virginity to K.M. in 1975, behind the gym at our high school )
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Last edited by MrWilliamston; Aug 28, 2017 at 3:34 pm
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 11:38 am
  #2  
 
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...wow, if this is true, that's a pretty flagrant abuse of power by the FA. I would write in and explain what happened.
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 11:42 am
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Originally Posted by mtftw
...wow, if this is true, that's a pretty flagrant abuse of power by the FA. I would write in and explain what happened.
before I do that.... does anyone have the "official" UA policy regarding the rules of sitting in an emergency row seat? I remember there's always a pop-up window when I select exit row seat on the website, but I'm not sure how to make that come up again.
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 11:45 am
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Sounds like absurd favoritism and abuse of power by the FA. I would definitively write to corporate to make sure this goes in the FAs file. Make sure to get their name next time.
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 11:46 am
  #5  
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Originally Posted by MrWilliamston
Where in United's official policy does it say that?
It doesn't, but you are unfortunately required to follow cremember instructions even when they've flagrantly abusive. Your only recourse is to lodge a complaint after the fact.
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 11:50 am
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Go and take it up on United's Twitter account. Seems to have shown some results in other cases. The more publicity you can generate the better for your cause. That's in case you plan to pursue this.
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 11:54 am
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Ridiculous.
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 11:56 am
  #8  
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I would reduce this to two short declarative sentences and eliminate the irrelevant stuff. File a complaint with UA and note that you are filing with DOT as well. Make sure you do file with DOT.

On the spot, you really are in a pickle. You could raise a real fuss and ask that the Captain become involved, but you run the risk of being off-loaded or worse.

It isn't going to take much for the FA to justify ordering you to move, including a simple assessment that the injury left her concerned for other passengers, but the specific circumstances here do suggest that an investigation is appropriate.

You won't get anything back other than a cut & paste, but UA does follow up and the mere fact that the FA has to respond internally will likely end her practice.
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 12:08 pm
  #9  
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Originally Posted by Often1
...File a complaint with UA and note that you are filing with DOT as well. Make sure you do file with DOT....
I'm not arguing here, just want to know how the DOT is involved here? Is it just a recording of a complaint, without any judgement or other involvement by DOT?
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 12:11 pm
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Why is ANYONE surprised ? It is just one more example of the abuse of power by UA FA's. It is beyond possible that the new occupants of the seats were non rev FA's. It is part of United's culture.
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 12:33 pm
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Originally Posted by TonyBurr
Why is ANYONE surprised ? It is just one more example of the abuse of power by UA FA's. It is beyond possible that the new occupants of the seats were non rev FA's. It is part of United's culture.
Yeah... I wasn't "surprised" so I just complied. I didn't have to pay for the E+ exit because of my status. But what if I paid to sit in the E+ seat? Was the flight attendant going to refund me my money? IIRC, for that flight, it's at least $200 for the E+ seat.

I'm sure if I contact UA, they'll just throw some free miles(5000 or 10,000?) into my account, plus a canned response. Oh well, it's not like I got beat up by the flight attendant and had my teeth knocked out... so I guess ranting here is the best therapy to help me forget the incident. Going to a bar with my co-workers later today, so I'll get some extra rum(double, triple?) in my frozen pina coladas.
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 12:36 pm
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You gave the wrong answer to the FA's question. You should have said, "No, that is a birth mark."
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 12:43 pm
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Originally Posted by Miggles
You gave the wrong answer to the FA's question. You should have said, "No, that is a birth mark."
I should have shown her my displeasure of being unjustly forced from my original seat by showing her my actual birth mark, which is on my right butt... it's the shape of a maple leaf.(no, I'm not Canadian) although that would probably have gotten me forcibly dragged off the flight and thrown in jail.
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 12:45 pm
  #14  
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Originally Posted by Miggles
You gave the wrong answer to the FA's question. You should have said, "No, that is a birth mark."
Also, "yes, I did pay."
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Old Aug 27, 2017, 12:45 pm
  #15  
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Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
I'm not arguing here, just want to know how the DOT is involved here? Is it just a recording of a complaint, without any judgement or other involvement by DOT?
The DOT accepts service complaints.

https://www.transportation.gov/airco...umer-complaint

"Other than safety or security issues, complaints and comments about airline and air ambulance operator service may be registered with DOT's Aviation Consumer Protection Division (ACPD)."

Why do they do that?

"All complaints are entered in DOT's computerized aviation industry monitoring system, and are charged to the company in question in the monthly Air Travel Consumer Report. This report is distributed to the industry and made available to the news media and the general public so that consumers and air travel companies can compare the complaint records of individual airlines and tour operators."


Originally Posted by MrWilliamston
Yeah... I wasn't "surprised" so I just complied. I didn't have to pay for the E+ exit because of my status. But what if I paid to sit in the E+ seat? Was the flight attendant going to refund me my money? IIRC, for that flight, it's at least $200 for the E+ seat.
So I guess as a MM my answer in a situation like that will be "Yes, of course I paid for it" (with my loyalty flying over 1 million miles).

You should take a photo of the bruise and include it with your complaint.

How long of a flight was it?
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