United Air removes engaged couple traveling to wedding from plane
United, owned by United Continental Holdings Inc did not immediately respond to a request for comment
United Airlines planes are seen on platform at the Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. PHOTO: REUTERS
An engaged couple flying on United Airlines from Houston, Texas, to their wedding in Costa Rica were removed by a federal law enforcement officer from the flight on Saturday amid disputed circumstances, according to media reports.
The removal comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of the airline's approach to customer service after a video emerged a week ago showing security officers dragging a bloodied passenger off an overbooked United Express flight in Chicago.
United hit with fresh controversy as passenger 'stung by scorpion'
United said the couple repeatedly tried to sit in more expensive seats for which they had not paid and would not follow flight crew instructions, according to the KHOU 11 New channel in Houston.
United, owned by United Continental Holdings Inc (UAL.N), did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday evening.
Michael Hohl and his fiancée, Amber Maxwell, gave a different account. Hohl said he and Maxwell found another passenger sleeping sprawled across their seats after they were the last to board the flight, according to an interview with KHOU.
Soon after moving to other, empty seats in the economy cabin a few rows up, flight crew denied their request to pay a supplement for the seats, which United sells as "economy plus", and told them to move back to their original seats, Hohl said.
United Airlines CEO sorry for 'horrific' passenger removal
"We thought not a big deal, it's not like we are trying to jump up into a first-class seat," Hohl told KHOU. "We were simply in an economy row a few rows above our economy seat."
They then cooperated with an officer from the US Marshals Service who boarded and told them they had to get off the plane, Hohl said.
The removal comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of the airline's approach to customer service after a video emerged a week ago showing security officers dragging a bloodied passenger off an overbooked United Express flight in Chicago.
United hit with fresh controversy as passenger 'stung by scorpion'
United said the couple repeatedly tried to sit in more expensive seats for which they had not paid and would not follow flight crew instructions, according to the KHOU 11 New channel in Houston.
United, owned by United Continental Holdings Inc (UAL.N), did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday evening.
Michael Hohl and his fiancée, Amber Maxwell, gave a different account. Hohl said he and Maxwell found another passenger sleeping sprawled across their seats after they were the last to board the flight, according to an interview with KHOU.
Soon after moving to other, empty seats in the economy cabin a few rows up, flight crew denied their request to pay a supplement for the seats, which United sells as "economy plus", and told them to move back to their original seats, Hohl said.
United Airlines CEO sorry for 'horrific' passenger removal
"We thought not a big deal, it's not like we are trying to jump up into a first-class seat," Hohl told KHOU. "We were simply in an economy row a few rows above our economy seat."
They then cooperated with an officer from the US Marshals Service who boarded and told them they had to get off the plane, Hohl said.