[XorNot]

Your link is literally a very large list which argues against you entirely:

> The business practice of bumping is not illegal. Airlines oversell their scheduled flights to a certain extent in order to compensate for “no-shows.” Most of the time, airlines correctly predict the “no shows” and everything goes smoothly. But sometimes, passengers are bumped as a result of oversales practices.

...

> it is legal for airlines to involuntarily bump passengers from an oversold flight when there are not enough volunteers

> If there are not enough passengers who are willing to give up their seats voluntarily, an airline may deny you a seat on an aircraft based on criteria that it establishes

Not to mention:

> Other Reasons You May Be Removed From a Flight

...

* Attempting to interfere with the duties of a flight crew member.

* Disrupting flight operations or engaging in unruly behavior.

As well as: FAA regulations state that “no person may assault, threaten, intimidate, or interfere with a crewmember in the performance of the crewmember’s duties aboard an aircraft being operated.”

[zenmaster10665]

He didn't interfere or disrupt the flight operations through unruly behaviour. He didn't assault, threaten, intimidate or interfere with anyone. This was all on video...United were in the wrong.

That is why they settled the suit - and why the rules were changed!

It amazes me that people think this is ok - and that David Dao was somehow in the wrong here.

[XorNot]

The issue of police brutality - how he was treated - is separate to whether United were within their rights to bump him off the flight. And the answer is...yes, in every possible way, they were.

And since they were, once he's asked to leave and doesn't he's now in the process of disrupting flight operations and interfering with a staff members duties by not leaving.

Very politely refusing to leave private property when asked to is very politely committing trespassing and that situation always escalates to involving the police.

Who, in the performance of their duties, should not use excessive force or cause physical injury but again - this is a separate matter to whether they have the authority to remove an uncooperative passenger, which as your link asserts repeatedly - they do.