Man violently removed from United Airlines plane. ~Update~ United may have broken the law.

[SvennoJ]

Machiavellian said:

SvennoJ said:

Which regulations are those? Can't find it in here
https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/fly-rights
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/contract-of-carriage.aspx#sec21
It's all about denied boarding, after boarding there's nothing about forcing passengers from flights due to overbooking. (Now they're saying it wasn't even overbooked, perhaps trying to cover themselves with some other obscure rule about making room for employees?)

Did you not read those rules.  Since it does not stipulate when or where but what must be done first before involuntary bumping means its up to the airline how they proceed after asking for volunteers.  Here is the part you need to pay real attention to.

"OT rules require airlines to seek out people who are willing to give up their seats for compensation before bumping anyone involuntarily"

Nothing about when, only that they need to ask for volunteers before kicking you off.  This is what I mean.  There is no mandate on the how, when or where so the regulations are very open to the discretion of the airline.  When regulations do not state exactly a rule then its open.  

Bumping is before boarding. Bumping does not mean removing from the plane. Where does it state that?

They have very specific rules for when you can be removed from inside the plane, this is not part of those rules. It stands to reason that they have no right to remove you if you comply with the specific rules set out. Why have such specific rules if it's open to the discretion of the airline?