United is ‘looking into’ physical assault on violinist

United is ‘looking into’ physical assault on violinist

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norman lebrecht

June 06, 2017

United Airlines says it is ‘reviewing an incident‘ in Houston where a supervisor tried to wrestle a violin from the hands of passenger, Yennifer Correia.

The assault, reported yesterday on Slipped Disc, has provoked widespread outrage against an airline that could hardly be doing worse at the moment in lack of customer care (see below).

 

Comments

  • Alexander says:

    have you phoned them already ? ( remembering BA case;) )

  • Lisa says:

    The photo that you posted with this story looks quite familiar, of the man being dragged down the ailes. That is the man who was forcibly removed from a light a while ago, not the violinist in queston. What are these photos of? There’s no reason to fan the flames here. Let the truth speak for itself.

  • Bruce says:

    In the linked article, the caption for photo #13 reads: “In 2015, United Airlines apologized after they failed to aid a disabled man out of his seat into a wheel chair. The man, who had to use the bathroom, crawled through the aisle as attendants watched.”

    Fits right in with my comment on the previous post, that personnel are clearly not being trained adequately. I can totally understand someone wanting to help but unsure if they’re allowed to. In the US, at least, it is a cultural norm not to touch a stranger for any reason; any unasked for touch can be considered assault. Also, if someone is not trained in whatever they’re trying to do — wheelchair transfers in this case — they are usually afraid something will go wrong and they will be sued for injuring the person they were trying to help.

    Seems like flight attendant training school certainly must include CPR and basic first aid; it should also include some basic “assisting handicapped passengers” instruction. Something like this should never happen, ever.

  • Braniff Brian says:

    The personnel are not being trained adequately because that costs money. Corporate policy is evidently that the economy class airline passenger is a piece of dirt and the only parameter of significance is the profit margin and the managers’ bonuses and stock options that are coupled to it.

    Competition among US commercial airlines has been reduced to a minimum so they are all practically the same cattle transport. If you are Joe or Josephine Blow with an average income you cannot escape to a better one. Best to drive, stay at home or use video conferencing.

    The elite have their own Gulfstream business jets or use private jet charter services.

    • Bruce says:

      I guess the only way they might be encouraged to put money into that kind of training is if the lawsuits eventually become so expensive that the training would be cheaper; and at this rate of “only” a few high-profile incidents per year, that will take a long, long time.

      I’m glad my lifestyle no longer includes flying more than once every few years (and wish it didn’t even have to include that).

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