Washington: It’s been a rough week for United Airlines.
And the rough patch continued on Sunday when a couple was kicked off their United flight as they were headed from Houston to Costa Rica for their wedding.
Michael Hohl and Amber Maxwell had allegedly boarded their flight on Saturday and were about to take their seats when they said they saw a passenger napping across the row they were assigned to.
Gold Rate
Saturday 22 March 2025
When a United Airlines flight attendant approached them to ask if they were in their ticketed seats, they explained that they weren’t and asked for an upgrade but were turned down.
The couple claims they returned to their original seats calmly but that a US Marshal appeared moments later to escort them off.
“They said that we were being disorderly and a hazard to the rest of the flight, to the safety of the other customers,” Hohl said. “I think customer service and the airlines has gone real downhill. The way United Airlines handled this was really absurd.”
The airline has disputed Hohl’s version of events, saying the couple had repeatedly tried to sit in upgraded seats and refused to comply with requests to move back to their assigned seats.
The incident caps off a nightmarish week for the embattled airline which has been flooded with complaints, criticism and worldwide outrage since a video emerged showing police violently dragging a doctor off a flight in Chicago.
Dr David Dao was left with severe injuries and bleeding from the mouth when he was physically dragged against his will from the aircraft.
A video of his shocking removal from the flight went viral last week.
