Groom, bride asked to get off a United Airlines flight
A groom and his bride who were supposed to get married in Costa Rica were booted off a United Airlines flight on Saturday. The incident took place on United Airlines flight 1737 from Houston, Texas to Liberia, Costa Rica per NBC.
Michael Hohl and his fiancée, Amber Maxwell, have learned that a man was sleeping at their allocated seats when they boarded the plane following a layover at George Bush Intercontinental airport after leaving Salt Lake City. They said they were the last to board the plane.
Hohl said the man was spread across their row when they approached their seats, 24 B and C. The couple opted to transfer to different seats in the same class because they did not want to wake the man sleeping at their original seats. They moved to 21 B and C and thought it wouldn’t matter because the flight was half full with several empty rows.
He said they thought their decision to move was not a big deal because it was not like they were trying to jump up into a first-class seat. He pointed that he and his fiancée were just in an economy row a few rows above their economy seat.
But after they took their new seats, Holh said they were approached by one of the flight attendants and asked if they were in their ticketed seats. The couple said they were not and asked if they could get an upgrade instead. They were told they needed to go back to their original seats.
Holh detailed that upon doing what the flight attended told them to do, a US Marshall came onto the plane and asked them to get off. They got off the plane as they were told without an understanding why they needed to be booted off. The couple were just told that they have acted disorderly and were a hazard to the rest of the flight and to the safety of others.
According to United Airlines, Hohl and Maxwell actually tried to sit in an upgraded seat "repeatedly" and they "wouldn't follow crew instructions.” In a statement provided to WCNC, the company said it is disappointed whenever a customer has an experience that doesn’t match their expectations, but the couple tried to sit in upgraded seating which they did not purchase. United Airlines assured that they contacted the couple and have been rebooked for a different flight.
YouTube/CBC News