Page 4 - Short Cases 1 United Airlines Teaching Note

been on the basis of race. If United thought that things
could not get worse, they were wrong. In late April a 3-

foot giant rabbit called Simon, died following a United

Airlines flight from London to Chicago after it may have
mistakenly been placed in a freezer (for up to sixteen

hours) by United Airlines employees. The owners

demanded an independent investigation into Simon's

death they demanded that the airline pay for the
purchase price of the rabbit, shipping costs and the

"economic loss" of the rabbit's death. The demand letter

gave United seven days to respond before a lawsuit was

filed.

Unfortunately, Simon was cremated by United following

its death, making an autopsy to determine what exactly

happened impossible.

Case Usage

The case was developed and used with both under

graduate and post graduate students (preferably at the

early part of the course). It is a case designed to allow in-

class work to be carried out and discussion to be

developed in general through applying theory to practice.

In-class discussion will generate a variety of observations

and solutions. It will inevitably lead to a lively debate over

the issues engendered by the discussion.