United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) faced social media backlash after a paying first-class passenger was moved to a coach seat to make room for a crew member on a flight bound for Chicago from London Heathrow Airport. The incident happened to a newly engaged couple, with the man being relocated, forcing the couple to sit apart.
Danielle Schwab, the fiancée of the bumped passenger, recorded the incident and posted the video on TikTok. According to Schwab, it was discriminatory to move a paid passenger to accommodate a crew member, and it was illegal to split a couple during a long-haul journey. The post received nearly 400,000 likes and over 21,000 comments, and the couple received sympathy and support.
In response to the incident, the airline representative revealed that United had to move two paid passengers from Polaris to Premier Plus seats to provide space for crew members to rest during the flight. Additionally, the airline refunded the price difference for the ticket and offered the couple a $1,500 certificate for future travel. The airline’s statement offered a rationale for the change of seating and compensation, but it did not address the couple’s complaint of splitting them apart.
