This has not been a particularly good week for the US carrier, United Airlines. The airline got bad press on Sunday evening after a fracas on one of the flights in Chicago. The plane was overbooked and apparently according to the company, it had offered vouchers to the passengers to rebook but no one volunteered.
This led to the airline forcibly removing a passenger who was later revealed to be Dr David Dao which was recorded and shared on Twitter.
@United overbook #flight3411 and decided to force random passengers off the plane. Here's how they did it: pic.twitter.com/QfefM8X2cW
— Jayse D. Anspach (@JayseDavid) April 10, 2017
This incident has become a PR nightmare for the airline and according to reports, it has led to the company’s stock to plummet. It also led Twitter to mock the airline for their actions towards the passenger.
Pornhub criticized the Airline (of all companies)
https://twitter.com/Pornhub/status/851431125725712385
Don’t fly in a United Airline without a Pepsi
The moral of the story is don't fly #United without a Pepsi.
— Travon (@Travon) April 10, 2017
New spokesperson for United Airlines
https://twitter.com/CounterMoonbat/status/851453872975618048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fentry%2Fpeople-drag-united-airlines-twitter_us_58ebab2fe4b0df7e20441165
When you find yourself in an overbooked United Airlines flight
https://twitter.com/AdrianNeenan/status/851452862844600320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fentry%2Fpeople-drag-united-airlines-twitter_us_58ebab2fe4b0df7e20441165
If United Airlines had their own LEGO
United Airlines Lego now available. pic.twitter.com/dVY3jUsRT1
— Sam Kalidi (@samkalidi) April 12, 2017
Thank you for flying United Airlines…
"Thank You for flying United Airlines"pic.twitter.com/XHkKpmkJrq
— WWE Coverage 24/7 (@WWECoverage247) April 12, 2017
The new drag and drop feature of United’s app
https://twitter.com/NickNicotera/status/851602092468731906
The app jokes didn’t end there
https://twitter.com/CaseyNewton/status/851462245561229313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Fentry%2Fpeople-drag-united-airlines-twitter_us_58ebab2fe4b0df7e20441165
People even came up with a hashtag #NewUnitedAirlines Motto
New Boarding Policy: "Eeny, meeny, miney, mo…" #NewUnitedAirlinesMottos pic.twitter.com/vMErTbfmaA
— ⚡️🍻⚡️ (@TheBurkeReport) April 11, 2017
This one is based on the movie ‘Fight Club’
https://twitter.com/zenmasterchris/status/851671884085174272
Savage
Jet lag isn't the only thing you'll need to recover from #NewUnitedAirlinesMottos
— Patrick Carty (@Patrick_Carty) April 11, 2017
“…putting the hospital in hospitality.”
https://twitter.com/GossenLiteratur/status/851795576391950336
Rival Airlines could not let this moment pass as they also mocked United Airlines for their major faux pas
Starting off is Emirates with their subtle shade
https://twitter.com/emirates/status/851845063999188994
Royal Jordanian couldn’t let this slide
We are here to keep you #united Dragging is strictly prohibited 🚫 pic.twitter.com/CSjZD7fM4J
— Royal Jordanian (@RoyalJordanian) April 10, 2017
This is not going away soon and in the age where social media use is already part and parcel of normal life, it will take a long time for United to have a better PR image with the world.
