[quantumhobbit]

He was a doctor trying to get to the hospital he works at. In this case he actually is "too important to accept being bumped".

Not that that would justify doing this to anyone else but he had a very good reason to not want to get off the plane.

This is why offering more and more money is a good strategy. There almost certainly were people on the flight willing to get bumped for $1500. But the doctor likely would have turned down nearly any sum of money if it meant putting his patients in danger.

[valuearb]

They should have offered more.

But he's a doctor, not royalty. Hospitals have more than one doctor in case someone can't make their shifts. He was no more important than any other passenger.

[Dagwoodie]

Perhaps he or his employer valued his timely flight at $5,000 or more while some other passenger would have gladly taken $501 in cash. Now it looks like United will end paying millions directly in court or settlement costs, plus many more millions in lost revenue due to negative publicity. Hopefully United, by paying his laywers will have bought themselves a clue and start offering real values to Volunteers. And other airlines will learn by proxy if they know what's good for them.