In an unusual incident, the United Airlines have canceled an Indian-origin man’s flight reservation.
The airline took this extreme step, because he filmed an employee during an argument, the latest public relations headache for the under fire airline. Navang Oza, said he was refused entry on a flight to the West Coast, after he started recording his experience on his cellphone.
Oza was quoted by a news channel saying that he was checking in Monday for a flight, home to San Francisco from New Orleans. And that is when he complained to a United Airlines agent about a USD 300 charge for his luggage. Oza said he paid USD 123 to check the same bag on the first segment of his journey. Unable to get an explanation from the officials, Oza said he decided to do what many other frustrated passengers have done and filmed the dispute.
The clip begins with the agent pointing her finger at him, saying, “You did not have my permission to videotape”. Next, she appears to instruct an agent to her left. “Cancel the reservation,” she says.
“I want to know why,” Oza asks. “Because you did not have my permission,” she said.
“I was shocked because I didn’t know she had the right to cancel my flight because I started recording,” he said.
About a minute after ordering his trip canceled for taping her, the United agent is seen recording Oza.
“Ill do the same thing,” she said, pointing her smart phone at Oza. Oza said the United agent eventually called airport police. Oza was still rolling when an officer appeared.
“Can I at least keep this recording?” Oza asks the officer. The officer replies, “Sir, you have the right to do whatever you want; its a public space”.
Oza ultimately re-booked his flight on a different airline. The United Airlines reported the news station that it was investigating the incident. United said in a statement that “The video does not reflect the positive customer experience we strive to offer, and for that we apologize. We are reviewing this situation, including talking with Mr Oza and our employees to better understand what happened.”
In the recent weeks, United Airlines has faced a series of scandals including the violent removal of passenger David Dao, who sustained injuries from being dragged off an overbooked flight. Also this week, a Missouri woman claimed that a United staff told her to urinate in a cup rather than leave her seat to use the restroom on a flight from Houston. However, the claim has been denied by the airline.
Simon, the three-foot-long giant rabbit, died at a United Airlines pet holding facility in Chicago, after a flight from London. It has been claimed that the rabbit died in the care of United Airlines after he was allegedly placed in the freezer by staff. The rabbit was expected to outgrow his father to become the worlds biggest bunny.
SUPRAJA
