My encounter with United Airlines

What happened Dr. David Dao on United Airlines (UA) flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville last week almost happened to me on UA flight 5292 from Colorado Springs to Chicago on March 31.

That morning there was thick fog and poor visibility as I left Radisson at 7 am. Though I had received a weather advisory from United two days ago regarding possible flight delays, but I was confident  today's poor visibility and mild drizzle shouldn't affect the flight departure.

When I reached the gate I noticed the earlier flight to Chicago operated by UA was cancelled and many passengers had queued up to get themselves rebooked. Will it be another overbooked flight and should I get prepared to the ground staff make an announcement asking travelers to offer their seats and get compensated to travel on a later flight?

Just as I waited for the same fateful announcement that made UA and Mr. Dao bloody,  I happen to notice the pilot and co-pilot circling around CRJ 200 like a bird of prey. This was the first time I've ever seen a flying crew inspect an aircraft before a journey and it made me nervous. Is everything okay? What are they inspecting? Is there an issue with this aircraft too? Will it be grounded like the earlier one? Above all, will I be able reach Chicago to have a mini-reunion with my classmate who I haven't seen in the last 20 years?

Questions kept swirling in my mind like mud storm in a desert and anxious passengers also kept swirling around the gate. Shortly an announcement from the ground staff temporarily ended the swirl and dust. We were asked to queue up by zones to board the aircraft. Privilege card holders, kids and elderly were given the right of passage and then people in Zone 1 and 2 were asked to boarded the aircraft. Being a young solo traveler I belong to none of the categories.

While waiting for them to call for Zone 3 I received a text from my classmate in Chicago asking what I fancied for lunch. Honestly, cuisines didn't matter when I was hungry for a meeting and a conversation. I texted him back anything vegetarian was okay and that I should be boarding in the next minute. Did my words get ahead of my action?

Finally, I boarded the aircraft and took the assigned window seat, put my seat belt on and mumbled the prayer I always did before a take-off. Soon, the hostess came by to speak to the passengers seated behind me on the emergency exit asking them for their consent and confirming their ability to participate in case of an evacuation procedure. After getting their consent and ensuring all passengers were on board she closed the flight door and demoed the usual safety procedure as the aircraft pulled out of the gate.

Before I shut off my phone, I texted my buddy in Chicago one last time informing him of the departure. But then my excitement came to an abrupt halt along with the aircraft as we moved towards the gate again. Did the dust storm return?

The aircraft door was reopened and the ground staff came in to have a quick chat with the two pilots. He then announced that there was an issue with the pressure release valve and asked 4 passengers to come forward to travel on a later flight. There was pin drop silence in the cabin as passengers curiously looked at each other with a hope someone would volunteer. I've been flying for the last 30 years and have never heard such an announcement made in an aircraft. I looked through the window and began to read between the lines as to how removing 4 passengers can make the safety valve function.

Seeing no one come forward, the ground staff upped the travel voucher compensation from 300 USD to 400 USD. He again announced in a threatening way that if people didn't volunteer he would choose them randomly. Is forced eviction and coercion legally tenable? Is random pick a substitute for racial profiling and discrimination?

Even after the voucher value went up, none of the passengers budged from their seat. They stopped looking at each other with a hope of someone coming forward. I kept answering questions what if I get picked by the ground staff to leave the aircraft as I was traveling? What if I take a later flight and stay overnight in Chicago with my classmate and fly out the following morning?

30 minutes had elapsed as the tug-of-war between the staff and passengers continued. The ground staff again came on the aircraft upping the voucher value to 500 USD. I got impatient with both wait and haggle. I unbuckled my seat belt and volunteered as the rest of the passengers watched me walk like a hero. I quickly picked up my jacket and backpack and disembarked the aircraft.

I noticed I was the only Asian and brown skin on the flight. As I exited the aircraft the flight attendant, an African American asked me if I were Persian and flirted with me saying that I looked like her best friend from Persia. I smirked and asked her if she meant like a Persian cat. Then I proudly said I was from India and I was often mistaken to be a Persian by the ignorant West.

10 days later when I read the treatment meted out by UA crew to Mr. Dao I froze. I patted my back for making the decision to go on the next flight. Had I decided to stay back, I would have experienced the same fate as passenger on UA 3411. When I look at the video on top what appalls me is people filming with their mobile cameras as though this is some entertainment. Should we call this American sensitivity or boorishness?

We live in interesting times (Read as Donald Trump). If you are an Indian traveling in US please consider wearing a jacket that screams I'm an Indian so that you can save yourself from being target of hate crimes and racial profiling. Also, come forward to offer your seats and walk out like a hero than being dragged on the floor like a criminal.