Cambridge Bans City Employees From Flying United Airlines

Printed from: https://newbostonpost.com/2017/04/26/cambridge-bans-city-employees-from-flying-united-airlines/

CAMBRIDGE — The same City Council that passed an ordinance calling on Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump has now enacted a policy banning all city employees from flying on United Airlines.

The ordinance appears to have been sparked by a viral April 10 video showing a United Airlines passenger being bloodied and dragged off an overbooked flight in Chicago bound for Kentucky. The policy order denounces United’s actions as a “hate crime,” because “the victim was an Asian male and the stereotype is that Asians will be submissive and unresisting.”

“United Airlines CEO issued an unacceptable and Orwellian apology for having to ‘re-accommodate’ the victim; and United Airlines has a history of poor service and questionable practices, including denying three young girls from flying for wearing leggings,” the ordinance states.

The “leggings” references dates back to a March incident in which the airline ordered the girls, flying under employee-designated pass-rider tickets, to leave a flight after violating the corporation’s dress code banning employees and “pass riders” from “form-fitting spandex pants.”

The Cambridge City Council approved the ordinance, sponsored by Councilor Leland Cheung and Mayor Denise Simmons, on Monday following a voice vote.

Cheung told the Boston Globe that United Airlines “clearly does not represent Cambridge’s values.”

The airline currently operates a sprawling concourse at Boston’s Logan International Airport. In April 2014, United opened its new $170 million 97,000-square-foot concourse at the airport’s Terminal B, a move lauded by then-governor Deval Patrick.

“The opening of United Airlines’ new concourse at Terminal B is an investment in the future of Logan Airport,” Patrick said at the time. “With increased customer service and convenience, United’s presence in Terminal B will continue to make Boston a top destination for domestic and international travel.

“I thank United Airlines and Massport for their leadership and partnership.”

On Tuesday the nonprofit conservative legal watchdog Judicial Watch obtained documents related to the incident involving  passenger David Dao’s removal from the airplane. According to Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton, the records “provide a dramatically different of the incident than seen on the infamous video.”

The information request was supplied by the city of Chicago, because incident involved not United personnel but Chicago Department of Aviation officers. According to the department, officers “used minimal but necessary force” and Dao was “aggressive” and “violently” swung his fists at officers.

Dao’s attorney claims his client suffered a broken nose and two lost teeth. Dao was reportedly ordered to be removed from the airplane after the airline overbooked the flight and needed to free up four seats in order to fly crew members to the airline’s Louisville destination.

Read a copy of Cambridge’s ordinance:

POR 2017 #98 Cambridge United Ordinance by Evan on Scribd