Jack Kemp

You've probably seen the recent news story about the United Airlines passenger, a doctor, who was forcibly removed and beaten when his flight became overbooked because the airline had to give the seats to a four person, traveling United air crew. See  http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/united-airlines-forcibly-removes-passenger-from-flight-video-w475977

There have been other civilian passenger abuses by United, including a teenage girl with autism, along with her mother, kicked off of a United flight. http://abcnews.go.com/US/woman-claims-daughter-autism-kicked-off-united-airlines/story?id=30926832

But I want to focus on United's abuse of military veteran passengers with PTSD and physical ailments. One example is that of a Marine Lance Corporal in a wheelchair in 2012. See http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/14/christian-brown-disabled-marine-delta-airlines-_n_2303358.html

Probably the most famous case of this happening was the poor treatment of the Army veteran and Paws and Stripes spokesman Jim Stanek also being mistreated by United Airlines in 2012. (See article below). The Youtube video he made after that incident went viral with over one million views. Stanek later starred in the A&E cable tv miniseries "Dogs fo War."

All of these (except for the autistic teenager story) airline mistreatment incidents happened with United Airlines at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Ironically, the airport is named after a WWII U.S. Navy pilot who received The Congressional Medal of Honor. It seems that this very bad behavior by United (and other) Airlines has finally reached a point where the public is taking notice and creating a backlash. For openers, the CEO of United gave a half hearted apology for this latest outrage and United Airlines stock plunged three points on Tuesday morning but recovered to "only" a one point loss by the end of the day. I suspect many Americans are chosing to cancel their flights and book with other airlines rather than flying the "unfriendly skies" of United. I suspect this is only the beginning of the backlash against United, a backlash involving both military veterans and civilians.

Here is an excerpt from an article on the famous 2012 incident at O'Hare involving a veteran and his service dog:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2176900/Disabled-veteran-says-United-Airlines-staff-kicked-service-dog-asked-retarded-delays-forced-spend-THREE-days-airport.html

Disabled veteran says United Airlines staff kicked his service dog and asked if he was retarded as delays forced him to spend THREE days at the airport

ByLaura Cox for the Daily Mail

Published: 10:39 EDT, 21 July 2012 | Updated: 00:29 EDT, 22 July 2012

A disabled veteran and his service dog were abused by United Airlines staff, he has claimed.

Jim Stanek, a three-tour Iraq veteran suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, said employees of the airline kicked his dog, Sarge, and asked him if he was retarded.

In a YouTube video (NOTE: it is no longer available) the Paws and Stripes founder describes his ordeal which began on July 16 at Dulles International Airport in Washington.

Persistent delays to Stanek's flight home forced him to spend two nights in hotels, running low on medication and on food for Sarge.

During what he calls his 'nightmare' two separate staff members kicked Sarge, later claiming to have been 'startled' by her presence.

Stanek says he repeatedly asked if someone would help him after hearing about the delays but was brushed aside. 'I was in a lot of pain, physically mentally and emotionally at that point.

'I couldn't get any help and that was the most disconcerting thing about it.'

At one point, having sought assistance from a customer service adviser with reading a booking confirmation email Stanek was asked: 'Are you retarded?'

'I completely lost all composure at that point,' he says. 'I started yelling, I used four letter words which I really try hard not to do.

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