and some wonder why young athletes have a sense of entitlement

[Lathum]

Delta bumps passengers for Florida's flight to UConn - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10071769/delta-bumps-passengers-florida-flight-uconn)

This disgusts me. Why should the average Joe trying to get home to his family, or back to work Monday, be displaced? Just absurd.

[DaddyTorgo]

Agreed.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Delta bumps passengers for Florida's flight to UConn - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10071769/delta-bumps-passengers-florida-flight-uconn)

This disgusts me. Why should the average Joe trying to get home to his family, or back to work Monday, be displaced? Just absurd.

Off-hand, I'd put that on Delta rather than the athletes. And it seems reasonable to think that it was more of a business decision than anything else. I mean, Delta IS in the charter business after all.

Charter Flights | Delta Air Lines (http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/business-programs/charter-flights.html)

Likely more money to be made renting UF the plane as a charter than there was on a short-hop for 35 people from G'ville to Atlanta and if so I doubt Delta gave a damn whether it was a load of college athletes or a bunch of rich jetsetters from Monaco.

[Lathum]

you may be right, but it still doesnt change the way these kids will likely perceive it that they are more important.

And if your scenerio is correct, and likely is, we really need some governing body to fine Delta for running a bait ond switch. The immorality of airlines is already horrible, especially the fact that it somehow is legal to oversell flights on purpose.

[Logan]

you may be right, but it still doesnt change the way these kids will likely perceive it that they are more important.

And if your scenerio is correct, and likely is, we really need some governing body to fine Delta for running a bait ond switch. The immorality of airlines is already horrible, especially the fact that it somehow is legal to oversell flights on purpose.

While I agree with your point about Delta, on the kids, I'm willing to bet that when their college careers end, they will think much more upon the hundreds of thousands of people who, in aggregate, cheer them on every night, follow them on Twitter, post about them on team message boards, read interviews about their potential college landing spots while they're in high school, etc...when it comes to growing their sense of entitlement.

[molson]

Ya, hasn't society kind of decided that these kids ARE more important than everyone else? How much money and time is spend following their exploits? People give millions of dollars to these programs so these kids can be wined and dined so the teams can be good.

[JonInMiddleGA]

And if your scenerio is correct, and likely is, we really need some governing body to fine Delta for running a bait ond switch. The immorality of airlines is already horrible, especially the fact that it somehow is legal to oversell flights on purpose.

The way the article was worded, they didn't oversell it that flight.... they cancelled it.

Delta Air Lines canceled an Atlanta-bound commercial flight

That's what made me start thinking about the possibility/likelihood they simply repurposed the plane entirely.

The headline seems to be misleading, I don't think anybody got "bumped", looks like their flight ceased to exist period, i.e. nobody but the team was on that plane & the destination of the flight was probably changed from Atlanta to Connecticut.

[JonInMiddleGA]

you may be right, but it still doesnt change the way these kids will likely perceive it that they are more important.

But no different than anybody else with money to rent a plane.

[Blackadar]

I think it's time for those passengers to file Involuntary Denied Boarding compensation claims with the airline. Given the delays, Delta owes each passenger 200-400% of the ticket price (up to $650/$1,300) depending on the delay.

[digamma]

you may be right, but it still doesnt change the way these kids will likely perceive it that they are more important.


It's not clear to me the players would have even known that the plane they were on was originally intended to be used by another set of passengers.

For them, it was just flying to their game on the team charter. Is that still an issue?

[DougW]

Who are these "some" that wonder that ? There are reasons all over the place, why would anyone wonder why ?

[Ryan S]

It's not clear to me the players would have even known that the plane they were on was originally intended to be used by another set of passengers.

If this had not been picked up by the press the players likely would not have had a clue.

[Young Drachma]

This has happened to me and it wasn't UConn kids with whom they were cancelling it for, but simply airline economics. And I was flying to a job interview when it happened. It's not their fault the airline made the decision, place the blame where it belongs, with the airline.

[Ryan S]

This has happened to me and it wasn't UConn kids with whom they were cancelling it for, but simply airline economics.

Yep, the airline most likely made the decision that would lead to the least compensation payments or future lost business.

I am guessing Delta would rather have handful of passengers mad at them and booking other airlines next time than risk losing a charter customer.

[flere-imsaho]

Likely more money to be made renting UF the plane as a charter than there was on a short-hop for 35 people from G'ville to Atlanta and if so I doubt Delta gave a damn whether it was a load of college athletes or a bunch of rich jetsetters from Monaco.

This was exactly my thought as well.