Schatz, center holding camera.
Daily Mail: A Pearl Harbor survivor trying to fly to a remembrance ceremony this week almost missed it entirely.
Ewalt Shatz, 90, is upset with United Airlines after he was bumped from his Los Angeles to Honolulu flight despite explaining the nature of his trip, he claims. United Airlines disputed his version of events to MailOnline.
The World War II veteran told flight staff he was flying back for the ceremony but was told the plane was overweight and he would not be allowed on-board, he told KREM.
Mr. Shatz told them he is a Pearl Harbor survivor trying to make a special ceremony at the Pearl Harbor Memorial but was coldly rebuffed, he explained.
‘I thought that they just overbooked the deal and they were trying to get rid of a couple of customers and somebody had my seat,’ he said. ‘And that’s what made me mad because I paid for that seat and somebody else is sitting in it.’
‘I was surprised, I didn’t know which way to go,’ he told Hawaii News Now. ‘Here I am at LAX with all these people and it’s all new to me, I was just lost I didn’t know what to do – which is an awful feeling.’
United spokesperson Rahssaan Johnson confirmed to MailOnline that Mr. Shatz was bumped from the flight, but under very different circumstances than described by the vet.
Rough weather over the Pacific Ocean forced the plane to carry extra fuel, leaving the flight under a weight restriction that saw 41 people bumped from the plane.
When Mr. Shatz tried to check-in at a self-service kiosk he was refused. A United employee soon explained the weather and fuel dilemma.
‘The agents took him aside and said ‘we can put you on American Airlines flight, we can get you there a few hours late, but you’ll get there tonight,’ said Mr. Johnson.
The agent booked Mr. Shatz on an American Airlines flight to Honolulu at no extra charge and then provided him with a ride to the AA terminal, the spokesperson added.
The airline apologized and offered a number of options to reimburse Mr. Shatz for the inconvenience but has yet to hear back from him, Mr. Johnson further explained.
By the time Mr. Shatz arrived in Hawaii, news of his delay had jumped the pond. Local veterans who caught wind of the delay gave him a hero’s welcome at Honolulu Airport, the station noted.
Mr. Shatz made the ceremony. Despite vowing never to fly United again, the 90-year-old was scheduled to depart Sunday from Honolulu aboard a United flight, Mr. Johnson noted.
DCG