This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In a report issued Thursday about the April 9 dragging incident involving a passenger on an overcrowded United Express plane, United spelled out how it selects passengers for involuntary bumping.
United says the process is automated — gate agents don't decide who stays and who goes.
• First, anyone without a seat assignment is denied boarding.
• Passengers who paid the least for their ticket top the list for being bumped involuntarily.
• Passengers who paid the same fare are sorted by when they checked in for the flight.
• Customers with status in United's MileagePlus frequent-flyer program won't be bumped unless everyone on the plane has status, in which case the people with the lowest status get bumped first.
• Unaccompanied minors and passengers with disabilities won't be bumped.
Source: Company's "United Express Flight 3411 Review and Action Report"