As United Airlines continues to review its policies related
to bumping passengers, it and its competitors already have announced a few
changes. Amid the media storm surrounding the
forcible removal of a passenger who refused to give up his seat to
accommodate needed crew movements last week, United said in a memo last week it
would no longer ask law enforcement officers to remove passengers from aircraft
"unless it is a matter of safety and security." Additionally, United
is requiring crews to book their seats an hour before departure rather than
allowing them to book up to the time of departure. That will avoid the need to
bump a passenger after boarding.
American
Airlines also has updated its policies to ensure passengers are never asked to
give up their seats after boarding. Delta increased compensation maximums for
bumped passenger from $1,350 to nearly $10,000, according to an internal memo
reported by The Associated Press.